A Favorite....AND THEN IT IS WINTER

And then it is Winter.

You know . . . time has a way of moving quickly

and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems    just yesterday that I was young,

just married and embarking on my new life with my mate.

And yet in a way, it seems like  eons ago,

and I wonder where all the years went.

I know that I lived them all...

And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams...

But, here it is...the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...

How did I get here so fast?

Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well...

seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people

were years away from me and that winter was so far off

that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like...

 

But, here it is...

my friends are retired and getting gray...

they move slower and I see an older person now.

Some are in better and some worse shape than me...

but, I see the great change...

Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...

but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks

that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

 

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day!

And taking a nap is not a treat anymore ...it's mandatory!

Cause if I don't on my own free will ... I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so 

now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared

for all the aches and pains and   

the loss of strength and ability

to go and do things that I wish   

I had done but never did!!

But, at least I know, that though the   

winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that   

when it's over... it’s over....

Yes , I have regrets. There are things I   

wish I hadn't done, things I should have done, but indeed, there are many   

things I'm happy to have done.

It's all in a lifetime...

So, if   

you're not in your winter yet...

let me remind you, that it will   

be here faster than you think.

So, whatever you would like to   

accomplish in your life please do it quickly!

Don't put things off too long!!

Life goes by quickly.

 

So, do what you can today,

as you can never be sure whether this is   

your winter or not!

You have   

no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life . . . so,

live for today and say all the   

things that you want your loved ones to remember  . . .

and hope that they appreciate   

and love you for all the things

that you have done for them in   

all the years past!!

"Life  is a gift to you.

The way you live your life is your   

gift to those who come after.

Make it a fantastic one".

    

DO SOMETHING FUN!

BE HAPPY!

BE THANKFUL!

Aug 25, 2011 Golf with the boys...

Its a wonderful morning here in chicago.....getting hot and its already humid.

No sun just what looks like rain clouds.

And plenty of rain. Its been raining for a couple hours making it hot and wet outside.

Anyway, I played golf with the 6 & 8 yr grand boys yesterday and I beat them....whoopee.

It was a very short course a par 3 with 18 short holes...just perfect for the boys,,,especially

when their mom Lori carried their golf bags.

Being young boys, they hit low line drives close to the grass.

Me, being an old man, used my pitching iron and hit sky high (really high) balls

The boys were amazed....not knowing that hitting the ball high but far from the green is not good.

But it looks good.

It got warm around 85 and that made it uncomfortable. WE had to play yesterday as they start

school tues.

I think eating at Steak & Shake was the highlight for them. Especially the chocolate

shakes. You know kids....but even gramps loved the cold cold frosty type shake on this hot day.

No we didn't keep score and we didn't play every hole...well I didn't..

Tonight I'll be able to tell the inlaws about how I played great golf........more telling about

all the boys great shots that almost went near the cup.....or went straight of ran thru the sand

traps.

Sept 25, 2011 Sunday with the Boys

Hi Everyone,
Awoke late but it felt so good. The sun is not shining but there was a wealth of warmth at home and Panera.
Now we're getting ready for the boys soccer game in Palatine. Then maybe a small meal before heading home.
Hope you all have a good day.

And as Sec of State Jessie White told the grandboys a few weeks back. Do something for someone else.

=========================================

Owen played goalie and made a desparate dive and with his fingers extended just tipped the ball away from a goal
=========================================

Tie soccer game. Our boys came from behind with two late goals. I think they had fun

All the parents screaming....go to the net....get back....get the ball etc.

They all looked like Americans but sure did sound foreign

The accents were strong...but the Japanese and Spanish and Polish and Russian and Greek.....

and jersey names SUGURU, JACUB, HARRISH, ANTHONY, SORA, DEAGON AND OWEN, NATHAN

One thing for sure....the smiles were Universal. Proud of their little 7 & 8 yr olds.

 =======================

When it was over.....our manly grandkids went to their female friends homes for the afternoon play.

Like the movie NO TIME FOR SGTS.

I guess its natural for the grandkids.

NO TIME FOR THE GRANDPARENTS

today.....thats good.

Its Sunday and that means

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL.....BEARS vs PACKERS

Bladder Exam

Well, the bladder exam...weds...it went ......and i'm glad
I was so shook up mentally....i just can't understand....i know its nothing but I asked for sedatives as i was hyper.

they were nice and we all did our job....a nice looking nurse applied numbness meds and she would force an anesthesiac into my thing....that was bad enough.......I had white knuckles from my hands squeezing together.

So even though she was pretty and had a nice figure....I did not think about her at all, even though she was holding and doing something with me.

I know it wasn't any big deal but just made me nervous.

I sang my pain/nervous song ....da da oh oh.....daaaaa daaaa oh my for the dr.  Just grunts and groans.

then when it was almost over relaxed enough to sing OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING.

it only took 30 seconds for the exam...5 minutes to prepare.

Then the dr discussed it with us.
no surgery or seeds put it the prostate...as my heart is too weak....so radiation for 5 days in a roll for 6 weeks.

and the worst part....Testosterone feeds the cancer.....so pills to stop me from producing testosterone.....so I will have Hot Flashes....just like women.

Maybe I'll have breasts.....I wonder if I will enjoy them like I enjoy womens breasts...ummmm
what do you think.

also, my skin will get nice and soft and i'll have an excuse to cry while watching movies.
I'll also have the ability to talk about nothing for hours while shopping.

But its ok,,,,,I can handle it.

Have a great weekend and maybe I'll see you next year.....

Christmas 2011 Celebration

Hi Everyone,
we had a wonderful Christmas.  We couldn't go to Mcds as it was closed.
And ate on the lanai.   Eggs, bacon, pancakes and hash browns.

Wow a big Breakfast.

As we were on the lanai,,,,the lanai singers with the Collins (Paul, Mike, Diane)
sang Oh What a Beautiful Morning.  And we had an audience outside listening.

All that matters is that we enjoyed it and of course laughed.

For dinner we had our Neighbor Marge over and made here eat
 some raw Prime Rib and then went next door to the collins' for dessert.

 where we had K's ho ho ice cream roll cake.

it was good ate 3 pieces.

then came home and skyped the kids at Jills house......great to see our kids having fun together.

 Jessie did most of the talking, mark showed us how thick his hair was...Jill smiled and made us laugh.
Jimmie and the boys loved being on the computer and opening gifts....Lori talked a lot

Sara, Molly, Colin and thomas all ran around passing out gifts and even Jack and Deirdre said hello.
The dogs all 3 made their appearances....sometimes the front and back side of their personalities.
Especially the Doberman, Dewey.  Little Max was picked up for the camera and Princess Britany sort of
mosied by

And the best thing.  When we said goodbye....we didn't have to get dressed in winter clothes or clean
up....all we did was hit the disconnect button....

thats it and the bears lost in a good fight.  A few mistakes hurt them bad otherwise
they would have beat the hated Cheeseheads.

jim

No Oxygen For YOU.....

After coffee at Panera this morning, we tried to get some oxygen.
The Air people told us that they needed the test results within 48 hrs of testing to get the Oxygen from Medicare.  Its been a week or so since the test so now we have to take another test somewhere.  You would think someone might have mentioned it to us.

Karolyn was upset.  Everything we do, it seems we have to take a step backwards.  And she's nervous that soon i will be complaining that its too cold up North and I'll start whining:  I WANNA GO TO FLA.

Too much pressure all together and she showed it for a few moments this afternoon.

Its not nice to see her crying and I realized that she has been told that Jim has a really bad heart and something on the lungs besides the Pulmonary Fibrosis.  Things don't look good for us spending our Golden Years together.

A little hug just doesn't do it for her.  But she is strong and we've been thru similiar stuff for a couple decades now. 

Like Roseanne Ann Adana said:  If  its not one thing its another.

First day at coffee...since the dr

Tues:
The morning was interesting.

Went out to Mcds for coffee and talk.  And met my coffee friends. 

I was late as I slept in but they were still there at 8:30am.

The first words out of their mouth of course.....You're Late....

Next was Well, what did the dr tell you.

I told them I was confused and didn't know exactly what was going on with my lungs.  I didn't talk loud and tried to just keep the attitude of all our breakfast conversations.  Light and fun and a little descriptive.

Explained a little of what was going on and of course got some looks but then we talked about the usual stuff.

Pat, discussed Greece and the problems with them.

Phil, was talking about his personal problems.

Mr. Lee was talking but no one could understand.   Finally, I understood....Jimmy..what you go were and now i leave...

But with his smile we all laughed.

After coffee and a $1 burrito I went home.   Talked to K who insisted we do all the things the dr told us to.   Oxygen, Petscan and meds.

Did it all and returned candy to Walmart and shopped at Costco.  Its so interesting sitting by the eating areas and watching the people walk by.  All so different...You never know what you will see.

But first WEDS we go for coffee and again a few questions from all my Panera coffee friends.

I don't mind talking about the lungs. Its good, but I think about them too much.

So thurs morning at 7:15 I'll be taking the test for 2 hrs.

Halloween Doctors Visit

Just got back from the Drs visit at the U of Chicago.

Well, first i have to get a Petscan???  for cancer.....for that spot....they don't think so but want to check it out.....say if it is cancer which they doubt ,,,,they just cut it out.

They keep saying they would like to have a biopsy for Pulmonary Fibrosis but my heart is so weak the procedure might kill me.

So if the Petscan says something they will do surgery

Also, he doesn't think that med in Germany does any good from experience with it.

When i walk my oxygen level goes way too far down and could cause my heart to go kaput....so he wants me to take oxygen when i do anything physical....walking, bike riding...airplanes..
etc...Of course I said yes, and because the level is so low,,,the gov will pay for it.

So much more information.  Dr and asst....talked to us for 45 minutes with the xrays--cat scan results on their monitor...pointing out slice by slice all the things wrong with my Lungs.. .holes,, honeycone?,  ,,scaring and scaring all over.

He said the lung dr up here did a great report but that the equipment U of Chicago is so much more powerful and thus more details....than Ressurections.

He compared the photos and you could see clearly the new photos.

Jill went with us and drove ...an hour in slow traffic....we had breakfast there for 3 of us and it was only $12.   3 coffee's...scrambled eggs,,,hash browns and toast

Dr was happy/friendly and encouraged me to go to Fla.  

In may he scheduled the lung tests again to see if any change...if so ...maybe biopsy

I'm sure i will remember more later....I will let you know.

Pre Halloween....fright...

Hi Everyone,
Its Sunday evening and i'm about to jump in the sack.  I don't know how much or how soon I'll get to sleep.

Seems like what I thought was a deep chest cold or some other chest problem.

Well, it might be something called Pulmonary Fibrosis.

After a pneumonia attack a couple years back Dr. Warner said I had some scar tissue.  It might be the kind that stays the same or some that I don't want.  The kind that spreads across the lungs.  It turns them into cement...my word....into a sort of fiberous that doesn't do any work like moving the oxygen around.

So, I had another Dr check me out and he told me I had Pulmonary Fibrosis....and I should just go to Fla and relax.

I asked if it was going to kill me like it killed my brother.

He laughed and said Hell No, your heart will kill you first....Don't you know you have a very weak heart?

Well, that wasn't a good answer for me or my family.  I searched the web and my daughter Jessie had a couple dr friends who suggested a PF specialist at the U of Chicago.  They would try to get me a rush on the appointment date.

Dr Imre Noth office called and said that I should come in early Oct for tests and return on Halloween for a interview with the Dr.

At that time he would tell me if there is a treatment for my PF.  There is no cure but there might be a treatment.  The treatment might stop the progress of PF.  Which I certainly would be happy with.
I won't guess what other options might be there or lack of them.

I'll write soon about what the dr says.....but soon thereafter, I will leave for Fla.
talk later
jim

Aunt Adeline's

During the past week we went to Aunt Adeline's funeral mass/buriel and luncheon. Here are a few photos.

Trouble at Panera

WELL!!! Every Monday I go to a large group of Senior ladies in Panera. About 12 sit around a table and I try to sneak up to them. Then, I jump out and say LOUDLY,

smoke and golf

Hi Everyone,
Well, smoke is getting into my eyes today.

There were brownish clouds way up high yesterday and today.

And the smell of someones house burning in the neighborhood.

Turns out its just a big forest fire in Minn that the smoke is drifting all the way to Chicago and beyond.

People with the usual health problems have been warned to stay inside.

So, I'm inside with all the dust and cat hair.......much heathier I'm sure.

Have a good day......and maybe I'll tell you about my 50 foot putt.

Oh heck,,,,i'll do that now

Yesterday I played golf with my son in law Mark at a very easy 9 hole golf course. I moved up from a par 3 for the day.

There are no sand traps and just a few bunkers with wide wide fairways.

One hole was a par 3....my kind of golf. 149 yards with a big big Oval Green.

I used a 8 iron and hit it high but way to the right of the green.

The hole was way on the left of the green about 50 feet away.

But something was different. I could easily see the path the ball should take to be close to the cup.

The other golfers in my 4 some....hit their ballsoff the green and them chipped them back up onto the green.

Mark was about 20 feet above the hole and just hit a really nice putt downhill toward
the hole stopping about a foot away.

It was my turn and everyone was saying Come on Jim, hit it close.

I had no intentions of hitting it close.....I only thought No Big Deal to put it in the hole.

I practiced a few swings and then stepped up and had the smoothest stroke hitting the ball just solid in the middle of the putter.

The ball didn't jump off the putter but started to roll with a decent speed.

It took forever but started out going up hill above the hole for about 6 inches and then curved back down toward the hole and almost stopped.

But it had one more roll and that was just enough to put it in the hole.

Tom, Lucas and Mark all jumped in the air screaming as if I did something impossible.

Me, it was meant to be and expected. A 50 foot perfect putt.

Thats my golf story and i'm sticking to it.

jim--Oh did I tell you, I beat Mark by one stroke 43--44.....I must be like wine...getting better with age.

A Day At the Softball Game

Thursday we went to a Chicago Bandits Professional Softball game at the Rosemont IL, New Softball stadium at the Exhibition complex.

Our team was losing the entire game until the 7th inning.

Score was 5 to 4 with two out and one on first base.

Suddenly the earth seemed to move, silence hit the crowd as Big Bertha moved to the plate.

Batting from the left side of the plate.......the large baseball player looked like she couldn't move very fast.

The count went to a full 3 and 2.....Bertha seemed to smile.

The pitch was near perfect.....as low and far over the plate as a strike could be.

Bertha seemed to be caught offguard but was committed to a swing.

Her arms reached for the pitch and hit it with the end of the bat......while she grimmiced and the ball jumped off the bat low but hard.

It slowly rose toward the outfield and was still rising as it flew over the center fielders head.

It started to lower but disappeared over the center field wall for a WALK OFF HOMERUN.

Bertha looked like a struggling wildebeast running the bases......and approached her entire team at home plate and the umpire....with his eyes on home plate. As she sort of jumped and landed on the plate....the ump called a home run and the crowd of almost thousands cheered.

It was a fun night...hope you enjoyed it too.

Adventures with Randy & Bob

Thursday, our friends from Vandalia Il, came to town.

Bob and Randy.

They wanted another tour of Chicago so we agreed to take them when we took Sara to Oak st beach for her job.

So we parked the car and walked the beach, then drove to the south side neighborhood where our President got popular....Hyde Park....

after that we stopped at Ricobene's for the best Breaded Steak Sandwich.

We dropped them off....went to see the boys play golf and then got back together with Bob and Randy at SPUNKY DUNKERS donut shop in Palatine.

I had Randy look thru a window into the cooking area where he waved to all the cooks.

A young woman who goes to Palatine HS and is in the National Honor Society was friendly to Randy.

Randy acted like a man, and immediately fell in love with Rita Rodriquez.

It was so nice when she brought her camera out to have a photo taken with Randy.

She said after working there for 4 years no one ever paid her a compliment except Randy.

I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed the adventure

Part #2 Photos of the re-union