Uncle Louie--the Arrest

He lived in Chicago at Wicker Park in a SRO, Single Resident Only, apartment building.

It was large and yellow brick....going from memory.

He had a drinking problem. Some folks would say at times he was a BUM..not me, ok me too.

Anyway Jolly/Karolyn and I just bought a VW beetle just before our marriage and drove it home. Maybe July 1967.

I got mom Artha/Scotty to come out and look at it.

Just then a cab pulled up and out came drunken Uncle Louie.

"Hey, sis I need a place to stay."

Jimmy, get your uncle out of here before pa see's him,,,he'll kill him.

Mom, where can I take him.

You're the police, take him to the station.

Arrest him?

Yes, that'll do,,,hurry up please.

So, Jolly jumped into the back seat of the beatle and Louie went into the front seat.

I took him to the 16th district and asked if he had ever been here.

No, I'm always the Wood st station. Near his flop house.

So, I took my uncle into the station, filled out the arrest report and locked him up for vagrancy,,,,,fed the lockup keeper a $10 and asked him to take care of him, you know feed him a baloney sandwich.

We never heard of Louie again until somehow my dad identified him at the morgue.

Are we having fun....

Last week we got a phone call from sister in law Nancy that father, gramps 90 yoa, was not doing good and refused to go to the hospital.

The next day we got a phone call that an ambulance took him during the morning hours to Englewood Hosp in Fla.

Karolyn made flight plans and flew on Airtran to Sarasota. Nancy picked her up while granny traveled with her.

Mom is suffering from Dementia and was really confused.

Karolyn and Nancy and granny visited gramps at the hospital during the day and slept the night at grannys house.

Without gramps there, granny forgot which medicine to take and then became troublesome. Very troublesome.

Today, the facts are, gramps is uncooperative at the hospital. Granny flipped out without her medicine and they are both headed for a nursing home.

I stayed in Chicago to help with grand daughter Sara's transportation to school and swimming practice.

Things were very hectic this weekend thru today. It seems no one knows what procedures are for this problem. The Drs & Hosp er staff were all saying sorry, you pay. And we must release her from the hospital to family.

I am talking about Florida, the great heaven waiting room.

But a sweet laison person found out that laws have recently changed to help folks with dementia and Als Heim....

Poor Karolyn and Nancy, many more problems with house finances and care for their parents.

Thats why all the interesting activities I've been involved with, has not been posted...

More to come....

A day or 64 yrs--Tear of Joy or Hell

Jim recovered. HooRay. It started as a simple appendix operation but because it wasn't made correctly, it took a extra day in Northwest Community Hospital.

Lori was so brave for her first trial with Jims' illness. Nerves of steel. And plenty of laughs at Jim's expense.

Heck we were all laughing. Sorry Jim, it must be an Elliott thing.

It didn't end at the hospital. We were all curious. When the boys were told come on over and see dads operation marks, Nate ran away and Owen got closer.

He was so interested. Jim had a drain out his side flowing into a little bottle.

Owen couldn't wait to check it out. He wanted the bandage removed so he could see better.. Maybe our first doctor in the family, except for Jacob back in 1786.

When I took the photo, we were all laughing so hard we had tears.


Just the opposite happened this morning at Panera. Yes, the front window boys were all giving it to each other for a couple hours.

I saw two friends in the back, Margaret & Mary H. Mary laughed about my adventures in this blog. I said it was getting difficult to find adventures to write about. And today would be slow.

I walked from them toward the front and noticed an elderly man, (compared to me) sitting with a much younger woman. He was about 5'08 230lbs hunched over, his hair cut too short around the ears and his hair sticking almost straight up--silver of course.

I immediately knew it was his Day Out with his daughter. He sat there with that blank stare listening to her tell him such important things as he shouldn't eat this or that.

Maybe, asking about long dead relatives or just sitting there trying to exchange thoughts. But too many years behind his ears made it tough.

I went up front and poured another cup of coffee when who should be there also.

Hi, they let you out for the day. A dazed look appeared on his face, suddenly he picked up on what I was saying, for instantly, he smiled and shook his head. Yeap, my daughter is taking me out.

He said its tough to listen to her advise me Oh not advise but tell me what I'm doing wrong. She thinks I've been 88 yrs old all my life, but then they all do.

Its my anniversary tomorrow. You know, Sept 21st 1944. I was taken prisoner by the Germans in France. 300 days they had me. They beat us terrible, why I carry this (injury) on my left hand.

300 days, were they long days? What an ass I am!
He tried to talk but choked up and tears came to his eyes. He shook his head and mumbled, it was bad.

I introduced myself and he said My Name Is Art...Art Koziol.
I'm glad I talked to you.

I then walked to his daughter and said he must have wonderfull stories. Have you recorded any.

We can't get him to talk, not now and not ever.

I will never ever forget the few seconds I spent with this man.

Another Day Sept 20, 2008, another of Jim Elliott's Adventures.

I'm Back In The Hospital--sort of..

Yesterday afternoon, I got a phone call, my son was at Northwest Community Hosp. in Arlington Hts.

Lori, his wife, said he had appendix problems and it was coming out.


I rushed over there at 4pm and waited until his "emergency" surgery,6 hrs later. At 10pm they took it out.


I didn't get home until midnight.


His intestines shut down and he's going to be in for a few days.


Yes, some old quack dr told him last week, it was colitis. Gave some pills and said it would go away.

Today, we will visit himand watch the kids.

I will be mising a free breakfast a friend offered to celebrate our bdays.

Next week.

We decided to post photos today, yes, as sick as he is, he's still an Elliott.

So, here are some quick photos from the hospital

What the Heck happened....

Inside me is a younger person wondering, 'What the heck happened?'

Sept 12, 1944....I must have said: What happened?

Sept 12, 2008...Now 64 years later...I must ask: What happened?

Its enough to make me cry. The years all went by. I thought slowly at the time. The dates changed....1970--1980 with no change or so it seemed.

I got a job, found love, got married, was having children. Paying a mortgage.
It seemed like it would never end. With dreams of what I wanted, when I grew older.

Recently,
I wish I had a job, in love, still married, having Grand Children..Paying a mortgage.

I just looked in the mirror. Who is that old man? With all the scars of a lifetime in that face and body. With dreams of what I want, when I grow older.

That's me....How did that happen?

'What the heck happened?'

Happy Birthday!!!!! Yeah, Sure.....

A Busy Weak.....

The tough Saturday.

I hit McDonalds this morning and sat with the Saturday morning group. Mike, Pat, and Nancy...with a short visit by Big Jim.

We laughed and giggled for an hour and then it was time to go home. I told them that I had to buy a car battery as mine wasn't turning the motor over as it should.

I drove home, did some errands and tried to start the car...owwoo,,,,owwoo or at least thats the way it sounded to me. Then click click click...then nothing. Damm it, the battery was dead...am I stupid or what.

I should have gone straight to Autozone and picked up the battery.

I took the other car and drove to Panera.. Jack Dots asked if I were going to the Chicagoland Race track in Joliet IL for the indie races Sunday.

Jack, I love free stuff but my car and basement sink and bathroom sink drains are not working.

And I just don't have any energy.

I said C'ya to the window boys and drove to Autozone for the battery.

Yep, they had one and said $75.00. What!! none for $29.99

Ok, but do you have a coupon or sale or a SENIOR DISCOUNT. Yes, for seniors 10%..OK...my kind of auto parts joint. $7.50 saved.

I put it in and presto, car power again. It's not just taking the clamps off and putting in the new battery.



In order: 1-clamps,

2-undo some plastic sheet next to it,

3-unscrew a battery holder by the bottom of the battery,

4-take battery out and put new battery in,

5-don't forget to place the cables first or do it all over again....

6-put plastic back in

7--do clamps. Finished in less than an hour 55 minutes.



In time to rush for a last minute appointment for eye exam and glasses.

Thats Dr. Christine examining me....pretty and personable and good.

Explained everything and smiled at my silly humor.

Drove home and the door lock wouldn't work. I tried to start the car and everything electrical was dead.

I used to get excited but now I think I've changed into old man mode.

I'll check it later, I want a nap.

Later, revealed a loose battery clamp. So I put it on again and really tightened it. Again, it started.

Now, I'm tired and weak.

I started on the clogged basement clothes washer sink and after 20 minutes decided it was time for a break and then bed after a shower.

Maybe tomorrow I'll finish another project but tonight its time for dreams of ......well, the men know what I'll dream of...

2 PeaceMakers meet the PaceMaker

What a great weekend for flapping the jaws!!

I'll start with Saturday. Saturday is when I double dip.

Yes, McDonald's in the early morning. And Panera just after 9:30am.

Spent the day talking about the upcoming election and the announcement that McCain picked a woman as his Vice President candidate.

Everyone had an opinion. Most were excited again in this election. That there will be competition and a couple of young persons are running.

Of course I returned home and went to Hancock Materials. We picked out curtain material for the grand boys. Spiderman, Superman, Batman and one with all three on them. That took 2 hr.

Then we find out that our grand kids parents don't want the curtains. So, what do we do with the measured material. I guess I'll take the superman curtains as Karolyn has a live Superman next to her (ME).

She calls me Clark---or it sounds like Clark or Jerk.

At night we both walked up to Park Ridge and we saw Jack Dots and his wife Dottie sitting at a outside table. We joined them in some great conversation and before we knew it, the time was after 9pm.

This morning it was the same routine. Except candidate McCain made a surprise visit to Panera. Yes, his good friend Job Dodger Roger introduced him to us.



Jack Dots joined McCain at the front window. Actually we stuffed Rogers face with napkins, but couldn't get cheek out far enough.

Then 2 law enforcement officers from the State Troopers of Illinois arrived and I was able to have them ask me WHATS NEW?.



Of course they never expected me to open my shirt. And point out my PaceMaker.
They were such good sports and sweet. Of course some of you would say good looking.

But they're professionals. And deserve respect.

Oh did I say they were good looking. Maybe you remember one of them from a blog of several months ago.


Now, some of you would think I would call it quits. Well I did, with a nap and a quick jump in the pool.


Then Karolyn made a great meal on the Weber grill. Burger and chicken.

We rested a few minutes and call our neighbors Paul and JoAnn Linzer.

Hey, you two want to take a walk. Sure, I'll go Paul said but JoAnn is really sick with a cold.

An hour later we returned home. A little too much humidity wiped these seniors out.

My weekend was great...I hope all of you had as good of a time as I did.