Ho Ho Ho

Don't forget to Double click the photos to see a larger version.
Merry Christmas...jim

The Anxiety Is Building

Christmas day is here. The house is clean. The presents wrapped. Food is cooking. Apple Pie is waiting for the creams: Ice & Whipped.

Don't forget the HOHO roll cake. Super Chocolate with vanilla ice cream rolled into it. Ummmm.

All that was done by Karolyn.

Mark brought over the Beef Tenderloin. Its so big, we're worried if the oven can handle it.

He simmered the Polish Sausage and made the Kraut with special spices. A Marks Brew....

A bottle of grogg.

Time to get dressed for the festivities.

I just love Christmas..

Can You Feel The Magic.....

Let it snow, let it snow.

Its amazing how there are days I just don't feel like raising my head from under the blankets.

Today started out that way. The old get up and go just was not available.

Until.....the family started to arrive for Christmas eve dinner.

Something happens, no matter how one feels, the blood starts running faster and the Christmas decorations seem to suddenly brighten up.

Even the sidewalks are glistening....oh oh, thats ice, it is. Wow, days of snow got a nice finish of rain and sleet today. The temps shot up to 28 degrees and now are around 15.

Of course the rain had no where to go and decided to stay where our guests will have to walk to the door. When they arrived it was 6 inches of slush. Now its 6 inches of ice sculptures in the shape of shoes/boots.

Its too late to remove it now, so for those coming over we'll have to listen for those slipping and sliding screams.

How about tonight. I continue to say that I couldn't imagine moving off the couch. When Jessie and Mark arrived, the couch didn't look so inviting.

When Thomas and Jill and Sara arrived from next door, the house joyous atmosphere just elevated immediately with my spirits. Jack helped run back and forth to Jills where a big prime rib roast was being cooked. If you consider, still beating cooked.

They're all nice people. Nice family to be around. Now I know why the airports are filled with folks trying to get home for Christmas.

Back to the dinner. Of course I took my camera out and decided to take a few photos.

Earlier I took the Christmas Cards and usually hang them over the archway. Where's the Christmas in that. So today I put them on the wall and made a cross out of them.

I put the photos of all the kids in the middle and worked my way from there.

I thought it was finished when I noticed the kids put a photo of the Messiah--our Political Savior at the top.

No disrespect is meant to the real Savior.

Then of course we took a photo of all at the table. Thomas is working the midnight shift and he left but the rest of us just talked and teased (not too mean).

Another great time was held by all. Laughter did fill the dining room and tomorrow we will have a few more for dinner and just as many laughs.

Tomorrow will be a little extra special as all the kids will be here, including: Nate the wise guy, and Owen the destroyer and Sara the beautiful.

Maybe some year we will be sitting around the Christmas tree chillin, when memories like these will warm up our old bones. Ok Ok, Only, if we have the electric blankets wrapped around and turned up high.....

A Photo Is Worth....

I'm a little under the weather.

So, maybe some photos

.

Late Thurs and Waiting....for..

Its late Thursday night. About 9:40pm waiting. Just waiting.

For 2 days all I've heard is the big storm is coming tonight and all day tomorrow. We will be deep in snow. No snow yet, but its coming. Yes, they expect 6-10 inches where I am on the northwest corner of the city.

I'm also waiting for tomorrow. The procedure. I've been thru it before in August. Another angiogram and maybe stint. I'm usually not worried and treat it as just another day in the hospital. Lets see, maybe 10 visits there for the heart.

I know I must get some sleep, but don't feel sleepy. We'll get up about 7-7:30am and leave about 8:15 unless there is a foot of snow on the ground. Then we'll leave earlier.

I'm supposed to sign in about 9 and the procedure is scheduled for 11 am. Its not just the procedure but also afterwards. Laying on my back for hours without moving my right or left hip.

That's where they go in with the thing. But laying there means no getting up to pee. That means the nurse have to shove a catheter into me. Oh I don't like that feeling.

Shucks, it'll be over before I get too grabby and whinier.

I know I shouldn't think about it, but this one has me nervous as I feel weak from either the blockage or the stress from the last couple months in Fla.

Time for bed, which means all the Christmas lights Karolyn put up inside must be turned off and doors locked and heat turned down.

So, maybe late tomorrow night or Saturday, I'll let you know how things went.

c'ya
jim

A Disney Visit--Day One--Oct 2008

More Rain...Time To Smile...It Could Be Worse..

Wow, someone wrote me that things could get worse.

Since I was in Florida taking care of business I was having tightness down the middle of my chest. It was noticeable when I took a deep breath. And I felt if I had over ate as I felt something in my solar plexis? I thought it was stress.

Anyway, my good heart Dr Gaiha wanted me to take a Thallium Stress test in Oct. But I told him I had to go to Fla for my in-laws.

I told him I would schedule an appointment as soon as I came back.

Monday I called and Thursday stepped on the treadmill.

Oh Oh, almost immediately I started to breathe heavily and told Angie the RN giving the test.

She looked at the computer and said give him the shot and soon the machine was turned off.

Not too good I said. Yep, less than 2 minutes is not good.

I went and sat in a exam room. Suddenly, I heard the dr telling someone else that there was something wrong with the back of his heart and he would have to have an angiogram to determine what was wrong.

The man said not right now maybe in a month.

Dr Gaiha told him that would be ok, but most likely his wife would wake up some morning and notice that his lips were blue. Then that he was not breathing and that he was dead. A month would make the difference between life and death.

Well, I went home and called yesterday Friday for results. DR. Gaiha got on the phone and said Jim you have a problem with the backside of your heart.

I saved him the time and trouble and said So you want me to come in...When?

Next week Friday I'll go for another angiogram and hopefully he can fix the problem with a angioplasty or stint.

As some of you know I've been on the angiogram table about 10 times. Several stints and who knows how many angioplasties.

Karolyn asked me if I were worried. Of course not but she knows I am.

Right now I am tired and felt it was because of the trip. I also feel weak. So, I am concerned about the procedure.

Maybe in a few days I'll be my old self and laughing and taking photos of my next Adventure.

What do I mean, maybe be my old self. Its time to start right now. So, I am smiling
at all of you right now.

Talk soon...

A Compliment Gone Sad....

Young women look at me like their grandfather. so they don't worry i will hit on them.


a great looking friend from Panera came up to me my first day back with smiles and admiration on her face.

Oh I love your blog...its makes me laugh...and you have such nice stories whether its about your poor health or life.

At this point I started to blush and thought WOW its nice to have this woman kinda flirt with me.

I could feel my stomach being sucked in and my posture stand up straight.

"Say thanks, coming from a good looking young woman like you, really makes my day."

Yes, I tell everyone about you.....I tell them I want to have your attitude when I get OLD LIKE YOU.

What?

You got OLD with a smile on your face. Thats how I want to get OLD.

With that I felt the cold clammy gray-- no color, return to my face.

I started to hump over as my belly popped back out to its normal position over the belt.

My head hung low, as I said thank you and walked back to the other old dumpy front
window boys.

Hey, what happened to you, you look like a really old guy......

Nothing like grumpy old men and a honest young women to bring one old man back to reality.

A Freezing Day

We woke up this morning to all the streets covered with slippery ice at every intersection.

The temps hit the single digits...9 at O'Hara.

Our Friend LuAnn is being layed out today at the Overcup Baptist Church in Vandalia.
We won't be attending.

Our friend Judy suggested that we not do the 250 mile drive to attend the wake and funeral. The roads were dangerous with ice and snow. It was only going to get worse after more cold fronts pass thru. And besides, we were still exhausted form our 5500 mile car trip.

So, we stayed home. Except I went to McDonalds and sat in a cold McD's with neighbor Paul.

I started out the conversation asking him whats new and soon started talking about my adventures in Fla for the last 6 weeks.

There was no stopping me and I felt bad but just knew he would let me get it off my chest.

I guess thats how folks handle stressful situations. Talk if you have a friend who will listen. But how about those that can't relate to friends how they feel. What do they do?

Are they the lonely people all over who just remember the good times, when their spouses/friends/family members were alive.

Today I felt guilty about not attending the services for LuAnn.

Then I felt bad about offending those that I love. You know, we always say or write something stupid and don't feel bad about it until its too late to apologize.

Maybe now would be a good time, I'm sorry if I offended you. Please overlook the mean/stupid things I've said and done in the past.

Of course we all know I'm perfect...yeah sure...and really don't need to apologize. But some of you deserve an apology.

Well, its back to the great outdoors. I'm at the Niles Library again.

Yes, my home computer went Kaput again. My son Jimmy heard about it breaking and took it to his house to work on it.

So, when I'm home there is no emailing and plenty of time to put up all those Christmas decorations.

talk later
jim

Sometimes, It Pours...

Its Weds at noon and I sit in the Niles Library.

We left Florida Sunday morning. Just in time for the thunderstorms. After several hours of windshield wipers splashing the rain away, we drove into Georgia. South of Tifton we ran into the Thanksgiving Travel Rush Hour.

It was stop and go until Atlanta. We got off a few times and drove up the old route 41 which is two lane and goes thru a very interesting poor part of America.

Once into Atlanta traffic flow raced along at 80 mph. We stopped in Dolton--Days Inn for the night.

We really wanted to make it quickly to Vandalia ILL where some really good friends live. I've mentioned them many times before.

Karolyn and I needed a stress relief stop with them. They always do the job and we laugh from the time we get there until we leave.

While having breakfast, we heard that one of friends would not make it as she had difficulty breathing and was rushed to the hospital.

A few minutes later, the news arrived.

Our dear friend LuAnn didn't make it.

LuAnn who met the love of her life only a couple years ago. She and Lynn married late in life but were so filled with love that they couldn't stop smiling.

It just made everyone around them smile too.

Now we are without a good friend. How many do we have in life. LuAnn was truly one of ours. And Lynn's once in a lifetime love.

We were planning to stay but decided to drive to Chicago...250 miles,,,and return for the sevices.

So, this trip that started 5000 miles ago will always be in our minds and hearts. Its still not over.

This trip was not one for the good memories.

It started out with a trip to Disney with our sons family, a magical time,

and continued into an instant nightmare with all the stress of putting Karolyns family into a assisted living home.

Now poor LuAnn.

LuAnn, thanks for all the laughs and good times. We'll miss you.

Thanksgiving Dinner Away From Home

We spent thanksgiving with our sister in law Nancy.

Gramps is kinda of upset with us and the home thinks we should not spend thanksgiving with them.

We went to a cheap steak joint called Sam Selzers in Sarasota on Tamiami.

Had a great turkey dinner for $17. 4 slices Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatos, sweet potato, veggies and cranberries.

Usually, we clean our Chicago house and have all our family and sometimes friends drop in for Thanksgiving dinner. So many items on the menu, there is always some left over.

and we end up exhausted for days.

Usually our thanksgiving table is just perfect.

I inherited Turkey Plates...Johnson Bros (BARNYARD KING) from my parents back in 1972.



I really miss being with the family, all the conversations going on at the same time.
mostly across the table.

Then silence after the last WILL YOU PASS THE GRAVY...

Only the grandkids keep talking, as everyone else have their mouths full.

I hope you all took photos of your dinners and family.

I have many photos from this trip and will put on a web page whenever I get home
and to my computer.

Library computers and friends computers just make me afraid to attach my card reader and use the computers for more than a few minutes.

I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for being my friends.

I lost it

I just wrote the most beautiful blog I have ever done.

It disappeared.

So in Summary

I give thanks to Everyone and especially my family

Its Time To Give Thanks

Its Done...They're in the Home....

It was a bright and sunny Friday morning. There was warmth as the sun burned up the area.

Gramps said What are we doing today?

Well Gramps, we're going to look into a wheel chair for you today and then off to YOUR DAMM NEW HOME YOU'RE GOING TO BE THROWN INTO.....nah, I didn't say that.

But after living with folks as old and troublesome as Gramps, I wanted to say that.

After the wheelchair we're going for Pancakes at Denny's.

That was the truth and there was more.

We were taking them away from their house of 23 yrs and occupy them for a few hours while their other daughter Nancy directed the moving men. They would load up their truck and race to the Assisted Care Home...

...put the furniture in their room and have it ready for when we took them to see it. Then we would dump them....sorry, we would leave them with qualified personel ASL employees.

About 10:45 am we got into the car and drove toward Sarasota stopping in Venice Fl to check out wheelchairs.

No money down and just a Medicare card for a new wheelchair.

That took an hour and a half and then it was off to Dennys.

Dennys saw granny eat a grand slam breakfast and attempt to lick the plate. That little old lady sure can pack it away. And without saying a word.

Finished with Denny's we still needed to kill time so off to a shoe store where I broke down and bought new shoes...you know white gym shoes.

That was funny in that for some reason I had the salesperson check my shoe size for each foot. One is bigger than the other. So one shoe is comfy and the other feels like a snow shoe.

Back to the saga:

We said we were going to meet Nancy so Ted, ( who was insisting he get his checkbook back from her...just because it made him feel better ) could get the book.

We drove to the big driveway at the home and there was his furniture lined up next to us. Oh No, he will catch on whats happening but its too late, he's going in with granny.

I unloaded the chair out of the trunk and he slowly got out of the car and into it. He was tired. He was too tired to care about anything.

It seems I made a mistake at Dennys and parked the car too far away from Denny's entrance. I thought he would use the wheelchair. Instead he insisted on walking. About half way there, he realized that he made a mistake and I must have too.

When he got into the wheelchair at the ASL home, I quickly distracted him away from his furniture as we made our way into the home.

I pushed him into the PUB,,,yes a pub with Happy Hour and free drinks. We were waiting for Nancy to arrive and would look at the room for him. He said ok and we waited and watch an 85 yr old resident set up a guitar stand and start singing.

Granny, Irene started to tap her fingers and Gramps just hung his head, exhausted.

Soon, we got the phone call. The room was ready. I pushed him into a combination keyed elevator and to the 2nd floor. The Memory unit or lock down unit.

I pushed him down the hall and into the room. There was his furniture in the tv/living room with his inch tv, two big Lazy boy chairs. The bedroom with that furniture and asked him what he thought.

Beautiful he said. How'd they get it here.

They moved your furniture here so you can move in today.

OH NO, I'M NOT READY...GIVE ME MY CAR KEYS....and more yelling.

I looked at the girls and said Get Out.

I told him, this is your new home....don't cause trouble for your wife and take it like a man....give it a chance and you'll love it.

We turned and walked out...closing the door behind us and them.

The girls started to cry and cried thru their multiple happy hour drinks at Chilli's.
I had 3 Margies and was in a laughing mode.

It was over.....almost 5 weeks living with and all their problems. Gramps being bossy and grabby and granny getting into mischief.

Well, we thought it was over....there's more...but IT'S DONE...THEY'RE IN THE HOME

I've Been Snooked

As you know its been hectic around Rontonda Fl. So when some friends said Lets go see Elvis, we jumped at the opportunity.

Its at Snook Haven just off of I-75 and River Road. Marker 190. We didn't need that info as we are west on river Rd. http://www.snookhavenretreat.com/

Its a deserted area and we had to pull off of River Rd onto a dirt road. Similar to those into the swampland. The over growth and darkness of sunset made it a little spooky.

Have any of you seen Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Similar to those roads.

Anyway, we had easy parking, nice view of the Myaka river.

The restaurant was clean and roomy with great food at reasonable prices. Something about spending $14 to cover the entertainment charge.

Elvis was great and almost as good as our friend Terry is, I'm sure.

His name was Bruce Nye the Elvis Guy and he also sang dressed like that guy from the 60's with dark clothes and thick dark glasses... Roy Orbison???

We all had enough to drink and then split with hugs for all.

Oh, Elvis was so good, he sang his way to Karolyn and sang her some song about a ring and then gave her a giant plastic necklace ring.

She went silly and hugged him for the longest time. I then noticed that her hand went down Elvis' backside and grabbed his ass. Hey, I shouted....and Elvis quickly moved away.

Yes, a good time was held by all.

We'll drive home and tomorrow will re-start the in-law problems. But tonight belonged to Elvis.

We're Moved Back In With The Parents...Oh No!!!!

Yes, its been a few rough weeks.

As most know we are in Florida,,,,Rotonda near Englewood to help the parents of Karolyn. It seems that the father was a young 90 two months ago.

Now after some physical and some brain--stroke?? last week, he is suddenly an old 90.

We have been going day by day and hunting down homes for Ted & Irene.

Irene has Advanced Dementia and Ted was starving to death. Karolyn's cooking and any fast food we buy had an drastic effect on his health. He's getting stronger but still can't take care of himself.

Granny has had many incidents that happens to Dementia patients.

But we're suffering the most.

No matter how we try to understand, we still find ourselves getting angry and sometimes say such stupid things to them. Its not like they mean to insult us....we understand that.

But its tough to constantly get it from them.

We found a great place for anyone and it has a memory unit for Irene. Ted is quickly losing his short term memory ability and will stay with granny.

This will only be if we can get them to the home.

He agreed the other day but now says he is not ready to go to a home. Sometimes violently.

This doesn't mean much to me but the girls take with terrible pain.

Who knows what will occur next.

All I know is it takes 15 minutes and 10 miles of driving to get to this library.

I'll try to write more but its just the same from day to day.

After this experience: living with the parents....84 degree heat in the house....ordering from Ted to GO OVER THERE, OK TURN OFF THE LIGHT.

Anyways, talk later.

and follow my favorite motto

"KEEP SMILIN"

Love ya All
jim

Times Were Certainly Different...

Ok Buckaroos....how many get those emails about a long time ago.

You know when times were better and easier..
when our Hero's were cowboys....

Do you remember the times when you were just a youngster with
dreams of Hoppy....thats Hoppalong Cassidy--i had a Hoppy bike with
2 holsters and chrome cap pistols.
and ...the Cisco Kid...Poncho..
Dale...Roy...and Gene...you get the picture.

Well, here is a rootin, tootin cowboy...Just give him a name...
I'll give you one guess who it is....don't you see those blue eyes....

Yes, its big Jim when I was little Jimmy.

Times were so different. The photo was taken near 2000 W. Rice st, Chicago IL....a long time ago.

Its just not the numbers that make it so long ago but what do you see.

A pony on the sidewalks of Chicago. A highly congested residential neighborhood.

Try that today in 2008. What agent of the government would start drooling at their mouth.

First, no helmet on the kid, no safety seat...where were his parents...child endangerment.... you get the picture and if you don't...there is no hope for you.

Government involved in everything and civil suits that have taken the fun out of our lives.

Life was simpler then....our kids won't have the memories...but we do. I am so glad I still enjoy and remember those simpler times.

The Elliott Stuff.....

DON'T FORGET TO DOUBLE CLICK THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.

Update--Karolyns Nightmare

Just to update you all on Karolyns trip to Fla to help her parents thru Teds & Irene's hospitalization.

Gramps signed himself out of the hospital. He could barely walk but Dr. Idiot..Raj, said gramps wanted to go home.

When Karolyn & Nancy protested, Dr. Raj said he can't change the paperwork. Sari!!!

So they somehow got gramps home and he was upset. So upset that they left him overnight fend for himself.

The next morning, when they visited him, he told them that he would cooperate. He did to a degree.

Granny was just released from the hospital Tues. Once at home, she acted better but still is not capable of taking care of herself.

Gramps said he would take care of her.

A few legal things were taken care of, not much and Karolyn said she needed a break and flew home Friday morning.

Today we celebrated Nates bday by shooting off rockets and having two birthday cakes. One for Nate and one for Thomas next door.

Happy Birthday to you both.

Photos to follow tomorrow.

OH!!!!!! Karolyn and I are driving back to Fla Friday. She only took a break. We will be down there just after Jimmy and his in-laws stay on Siesta Key.

We will join them for a day in Disney.

Another bday party