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Patio Tomatoes Swiss ChardDH is now growing patio tomatoes, two different types of roma tomatoes, two different types of beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, swiss chard, rhubarb, Thompson grapes, Red Flame grapes and a dozen different herbs. He wasn't able to do much gardening last year and is more than making up for it now. It seems like a lot of work to me but is a form of relaxation for him.

The boys came over for dinner this evening. We enjoy their company and it is one way we can help out when DD is working late. DH loves to barbecue for an appreciate audience and teenagers can put food away better than anyone!

One more item re the Moving Wall and Vietnam: We have a friend who was a captain in VN and he and another buddy were the only ones who survived in his platoon. They came under intense fire and he and his buddy went to higher ground to radio for air cover. The troops fought hard but were overrun and by the time air cover arrived it was too late – even their medic was killed. Their names are on the Wall.

Holy Smokes!

Our geraniums bloom all year long.Today DD told us she has finally made the decision to stop smoking. Good news! DH was especially concerned about her smoking since his surgeon told him his own cancer was "100% caused by smoking." He talked to DD and told her he didn’t want her to go through the same thing - bladder cancer is not exclusively a male problem. She listened politely but always said she wasn’t ready to quit. Today she is ready. And the source of her epiphany? She was lighting her cigarette with what she termed “one of those cheapie lighters” when a huge flame shot out of it, singed her hair and scorched her forehead. She said she doesn’t need to get the message again – that was a sign. Aunt Lena always said there isn’t anything so bad that something good doesn’t come out of it. Yep.

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Andy

Though the boys no longer live with us, they are here almost every day to visit and share what’s going on in their lives. And we really enjoy their visits – it’s wonderful to be back in the role of grandparents.

After DH’s bladder removal surgery last year we both had some adjusting to do. Mechanically speaking we had to deal with an external bladder and all that that entails and it wasn’t always easy. However, we’ve managed and for some time now we’ve wanted to give back – help others deal with some of the problems and adjustments that we faced. Today DH took a step closer to making that happen by attending a volunteer’s meeting for the American Cancer Society. There is some training involved but I know he will be an asset - he is such a positive person.

Have you ever had frog-eye salad? A friend formerly from Utah says it’s served at every potluck there. She brought some over yesterday and yummm – it’s delicious! I’ve checked and there are many recipes for it online – it calls for a small pasta that tastes somewhat like tapioca, a cooked dressing, pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut and whipped cream. Isn’t it funny how certain areas and groups have their potluck specialties? For our family it was always a Jello dish. No gathering was complete without it.

DD is working crazy hours. Some days she starts at 8:30am – has a 2-1/2 hour layover – and ends her shift at 7:30pm. She is able to go home during her layover period when she drives in Riverside. Tired but happy – those checks have started coming with some regularity now. :-)

Photo Enforced!

I don't know exactly where our morning glories went during the winter but they're blooming again and growing like a weed. I intend for them to cover a slope so grow!Photo enforced intersections are those armed with cameras that are tripped when a driver goes through against the light. The cameras photograph the car’s driver and license plate and then a ticket is mailed to the registered owner after some sort of verification matching the driver’s picture to the owner’s DL. I’m seeing more and more photo enforced intersections in this area but some drivers have a problem with them because drivers often hesitate before entering these intersections and then speed up to hurry through. They don’t want to get stuck in the middle if the light turns red. Maybe it’s just here in car-crazy SoCal where everyone’s in such a hurry but without these cameras you can pretty much count on three or four cars continuing through an intersection after the light has turned red.

Our list of home-improvement projects keeps growing. DH was telling me of another neighbor/friend who is tackling the same sorts of projects we are. He’s having the work done by a contractor he likes who is reasonable and does good work. I asked DH if we should interview the contractor and have him work us up an estimate. Well, that didn’t go well. DH thought that meant I doubted his ability but I didn’t and don’t. But I have a feeling we’ll be working on some of these projects for quite a while! Painting party next weekend - bring a brush!

How high?

The roses look like they're made of paper on this bush, my favorite.

Regular gas in our area is now $3.81 or more a gallon. It seems to be a case of price creep and we pretty much adjust when the price goes up a few cents, down a cent or so, and then back up even higher. As we were driving, DH said – look, the gas there is only $3.79. Only? Yep, we’ve been trained well and now think $3.79/gallon is a relative bargain. I don't think we're driving less but we are using DH's old VW more often for errands around town. DD can get us free bus passes but using the bus isn't always very convenient. Actually, public transportation in this area isn't very good. So I was wondering, are you driving less? Using or considering public transportation? I remember the gas lines of the 70's. Odd/even days when you could buy gas based on your license number. We were supposed to use that as a wake-up call and become more energy independent, not be held hostage to the oil producing countries. So much for good intentions.

Yada, yada, yada........

Our new computer arrived Friday, I put it together Saturday and turned it on for a few minutes to make sure everything was okay – it was. Today DH had his first lesson. Before retiring he worked for a privately owned company, efficiently run and very productive. It was a good target for a much, much larger corporation that bought this well-run, productive, and-did-I-say-profitable company and changed just about everything. One of the first things they did was bring in lots of guys in three-piece suits and computers for everyone. DH learned a few computer basics but work just wasn’t as much fun for these corporate types and he was glad to retire when he did.

Bad news: DD’s car is gasping its last breath. Good news: There is a buyer for the car, breathing or not since he’s a VW fan who has eyed this car ever since it belonged to DGS. I asked DD if she could take the bus to work but she didn’t think that was very funny. Tomorrow she starts work at 4:00am and will be driving in Hemet three days this week. They bid on these bus routes by seniority and she knows it will be a couple of years before she gets a good schedule. She enjoys it though and the benefits are worth hanging in for.

DH and I are starting to get some things done around the house that had been postponed while the boys were here. This weekend I removed the wallpaper in DGS’s room and we will paint it next weekend. I’d like to add wainscoting in the computer room, and in the kitchen – well, the cabinets need to be refinished. And now that I’m thinking about it, our bedroom could use a new fresh coat of paint.

Want to major in bagpipes? Last fall UC Riverside began a degree program in bagpipes and Scottish drums. The chairman of the music department is convinced that once word is out as to the who their pipe and drum directors are, people will flock to the program. And what do they consider a flock? Ten students in the program three years from now! Apparently music tastes and numbers constituting a flock are subjective.

Just Stuff

Green Thompson seedless grapes - in progress. Our Red Flames are a little slower but it looks like we are going to have a bumper crop of both this year. We (DH) is also growing tomatoes, green and red peppers, and swiss chard which we're already enjoying. The avocado trees aren't doing well but the small meyer and eureka lemon trees keep us and our neighbors in lemons.

As I was driving home today, my phone rang; it was DD. "Did you see me? Did you see the RTA bus? That was me." She was going into Orange Co as I was heading out and had recognized me on the freeway. Unfortunately the traffic was extra heavy through the canyon and I never noticed her bus - too busy watching the fenders in front of me.

Where would we be without them?

Do you remember what it was like when you first began using a computer? Were you as afraid of them as I was? Every time I got an error message of some sort I was sure I'd broken the darn thing, my employers would figure out I was a dummy and I was essentially toast. When I did something "wrong" my mouth would dry, my heart would race and my voice get a little higher. I kept reminding myself that you can't get angry or upset with an inanimate object but that didn't always help. Mom gave me a chuckle when in one of her comments she related how a "fatal" error wasn't the best wording in her medical environment!

When DGS moved out over the weekend I told him he could take our computer with him. Then DH said oh, he really wanted to learn how to use a computer and was disappointed I'd promised it away. So, we are about to become the proud parents of another computer in a short while. Yes, I've ordered it from the company with a four-letter name though I hate their support. DH will enjoy having all that a computer offers and the first thing I'm going to tell him is to relax, you really can't break them.

As an aside, when DH was diagnosed with bladder cancer virtually everything we learned about his condition and our options was through our own computer research. It amazes me still that people in small towns in the middle of nowhere have the same access to all kinds of information as those in big cities because of the internet.

The Weekend That Was

RiversideDD and family are now settled in their new home and DH and I are beginning to relax and recover from the move. We started Thursday afternoon and finished up today. Last night DH said just about every muscle he had ached from all the lifting and tugging. But now it’s done and we’re enjoying our new-found solitude. Really enjoying!

We went to see "Leatherheads" Friday and DH was so tired he dozed off intermittently during the movie; I never bother him as long as he doesn’t start snoring. The movie was entertaining but DH expected more football and I expected more romance in this romantic comedy.

“Dodge”, George Clooney’s character wants to save his struggling 1920’s football team and makes an offer to Carter, (John Krasinski) a star college player and war hero that he and his manager (Jonathan Pryce, wonderfully unctuous as CC) can’t refuse. However, a fellow who served with Carter tells a newspaper editor that Carter isn’t the hero everyone thinks he is. The editor then sends Lexie (Renee Zellweger) to get the goods on Carter and promises her the assistant editor’s desk if she’s successful.

The movie then runs on two tracks – one showing the evolution of football from an anything-goes sport to one with rules and a commissioner; the other, the unmasking of a hero. One line in the movie, "The country needed a hero, so we gave 'em one" reminded me of the Jessica Lynch story – a distraction for me.

The movie was enjoyable, lots of good music (Randy Newman, a personal favorite) and beautifully photographed. There was plenty of snappy dialogue between Dodge and Lexie and Carter was the sweet guy from The Office. The fight scenes (there were plenty) were over the top but in a Keystone Cops kind of way. Not enough football for DH, not enough romance for me but all-in-all it was an entertaining couple of hours. We both agreed on that.

At The Bijou

Have you seen the previews for Leatherheads, the football movie set in the 20's starring George Clooney (swoon), John Krasinski (the Office) and Renee Zellweger? It looks like a movie both DH and I will enjoy. We first saw the preview while watching There Will Be Blood. DH laughed loud and hard and has been waiting for the movie's opening ever since. Well, it opens Friday and we plan on seeing it before helping our daughter move this weekend. I owe him a good movie after dragging him to see TWBB. As we left that movie he said something about the movie proving all oil men are *&$$#!*^, including Cheney - which earned him a small round of applause from those around us.

DD is feeling much more comfortable with her driving. One of the more critical drivers rode with her today and told her she's doing just fine. His only criticism was that she drove a little slow which she acknowledged. She thinks her speed will pick up as she becomes more familiar with the different routes; right now it's a new one every day.

You say potato.....

Yesterday it was lunch and shopping with my niece and her two young daughters, today it was shopping with a very patient husband and tomorrow it will be shopping with my 14-year old grandson who quickly grows out of shoes and pretty much everything else.

Our daughter may have found a new place to live! She will need a refrigerator and as luck would have it we won’t mind getting rid of the second one we have in the garage. She’s accruing and we’re divesting so things should work out just fine. I recently read, “Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat,” because the review said it was full of tips on how to organize a kitchen. It suggests getting rid of all the specialized items you use only once or twice a year and while that makes sense, when you need a nutmeg grater you need a nutmeg grater. However, if I can get rid of some stuff by giving it to DD who can occasionally loan it back to me – well, that’s a win-win, right? Love how these things work out.

Re refrigerators: DH grew up in Montana and to him a refrigerator is an ice-box because that's what he had as a child - an ice-box. I'd never heard anyone refer to refrigerators as an ice-box before but that's what he calls them to this day. Let's see - what's that about not being able to teach old dogs new tricks?

The Results Are In - All Good!

DH got the results from his medical tests today and hooray, all clear. The surgeon told him he was in remarkable shape, no signs of cancer, see you in 6 months. How blessed are we?!

More blessings? You bet.

DD started her job yesterday.
18-year old grandson just got a new job that will allow him to continue his education and work too - a job with regular hours and benefits!
My Medicare card arrived.

Are political questions too hot to handle in a blog? Any reactions to Obama's speech today? I'll stick my neck out and say that if my Pastor held the same views that Rev. Wright did I'd find a new church home but do people hear things differently? Is what sounds like hate an inspirational message to others? I'm willing to learn, open-minded and curious.

Practicing Virtue

Well, patience is a virtue – right? We get to practice being virtuous. DH’s doctor had an emergency surgery so we didn’t get any results today. His appointment is now set for next Tuesday, 9:30am. At first I was very disappointed but now feel better about it. If the news is bad it can wait, right? And if it’s good it won’t make much difference when we hear it. Strangely, by not getting bad news today we feel like we’ve gotten good news. Go figure.

I bought two pairs of shoes yesterday with very rounded toes and they make my feet look very, very, small. At last, shoes bigger on the inside than outside – well at least they look that way. But the best part? Daughter likes one pair enough to want to get the same for herself. My taste has been validated!

Lunchtime Thoughts

Office CourtyardRe Eliot Spitzer: he created a lot of turmoil in my industry. There were some legitimate problems that needed to be changed but he went about it in a heavy-handed way and hurt a lot of people in the process. He wanted to create a name for himself and judging by the current headlines, he has. Now I wonder: will the wives of these powerful men ever refuse to be used like props while their husbands give their mea culpas? I’m not saying they shouldn’t or couldn’t be forgiven (not up to me) but isn’t it reasonable to think they’d want/need a little time to handle this privately?

I really like the song in the new JCP American Living commercials but what’s with the young girl in the red scarf who steps on her birthday cake while wearing red boots? Is that an ethnic thing? Something done in certain parts of this country? I don’t see a second cake in sight so do the guests scrape cake off her boots?

DH’s doctor appointment is tomorrow at 3:15. We have kept ourselves incredibly busy the past few days so we don’t have to think about it but it is the elephant in the room we’re both trying not to see.

What'd you say???

Here comes the sun.DH and I had an early dinner at Applebee’s and seated a short ways from us was an elderly couple eating their meal but not talking to each other. Years ago when I would see older couples like this I thought how sad, they have nothing to share or talk about and promised myself that that wouldn’t ever be me.

Now that I am half of an elderly couple I realize that some couples may not be talking to each other not because they’re bored to tears with each other but because one or both of them doesn’t hear very well. DH’s hearing isn’t great (however he says he hears everything he needs to hear!) and there were times when I felt I was shouting across the table in order to be heard. We’ve recently begun sitting next to each other in a booth or table instead of across from each other – problem solved.

Now I wish I could figure some way for us to both enjoy a TV program together – I want to “listen” and he wants to be surrounded by and absorb the sound. People have no problem getting glasses when their eyes need assistance so why is it so difficult for some to get help when their hearing begins to slip? Just wondering.

Just Stuff.....

Our neighborhood in the morning.Blood test - check
CT Scan - check
X-ray - check

A week from today DH has an appointment with his surgeon to go over the test results.

Tomorrow is DD's last day on her part-time job. She is taking a week off and March 17th starts a new full-time job with the city. After six weeks of training she will become a bus driver! She had to get a class B learner's permit before she could start classes and jumped that hurdle over a week ago. She is sooooo excited. This is a job she has wanted for a long time and the benefits are fantastic. Next - getting a place of her own where she can live with both of her boys. We're all ready!

Reality Check

Reality is rearing its ugly head. DH got a call from his doctor and tests are now being scheduled to make sure his cancer hasn’t returned. Blood test, CT scan and X-ray all to be done within the next couple of weeks and then a consultation to interpret the tests and see how things are going. Though we’ve never been able to completely put the idea of his cancer returning out of our minds it’s been carefully tucked away into a dark little corner. Now we have to pull it out, examine it carefully and hopefully put it back again for another six months.

Movies, Movies, Movies

Mission Inn, RiversideDH and I made a point of seeing all of the major Oscar nominated movies and performances. One surprising aspect of this has been discovering how much fun we have afterwards discussing the movies/performances over coffee or dinner out.

Having finished seeing our “must see” movies, today DH wanted to see The Bucket List. When it first came out he wanted to see it but then changed his mind – partly on the lukewarm to bad reviews it received and partly because he wasn’t ready to see a movie about two men with terminal cancer making a list of things to do/see before they died. DH’s own cancer operation was exactly 6 months ago yesterday.

The movie deserved the reviews it got but DH enjoyed it. The worst part of the movie for me was when (spoiler alert) Morgan Freeman’s character died on the operating table. Going to sleep and not waking up is probably the biggest fear anyone having surgery faces. DH asked his surgeon about the possibility of that happening and was told, “yes, it’s a possibility but I haven’t lost anyone yet and I don’t intend losing you.” And by the grace of God and the surgeon’s skill, he didn’t.

I thought Sean Hayes was wonderful in the movie. Seeing Rob Morrow made me miss Northern Exposure all over again. Jack Nicholson's performance made me miss Warren Schmidt. Morgan Freeman is God or at least the voice of God.

A Country For Old Men

DH listed his truck on craigslist and sold it in three days to a young man (late 30's, its all relative) who said he'd looked at and rejected other trucks because the sellers either had misrepresented the vehicles or couldn't find the paperwork necessary to facilitate a transfer. He said he enjoyed dealing with senior citizens because they were honest, upfront and organized.

There are definite perks to being a senior besides just living longer - even though that's a pretty good perk all by itself. I like that DH mentors younger men in the neighborhood and that they come to him for advice or to borrow tools. He is fair, direct to the point of being blunt, and willing to lend a hand to anyone. He's the one neighbors leave their keys with, the one they call if they have problems. A good guy and I'm glad others recognize it.