Happy Memorial Day 2011

Happy Memorial Day to all.  Be thankful for the freedoms you have and the people who fought for your right to enjoy them.  I want to thank everybody who responded to my last post, I've left a response to everyone in that comments section. 

As for us, we have had a pretty low-key weekend so far, filled mostly with domestic chores and relaxation.  Both Saturday and Sunday were cool, wet and dreary and unfortunately our energy levels matched the weather.  Today, though, is supposed to be very hot, sunny and windy.  We're going to go out for breakfast this morning.  Then Kate wants to plant some things in the garden.  And about noon we will have just a few friends over for grilled burgers and drinks.  Nothing terribly special, but then again, we really needed the rest.  Tomorrow is back to the daily grind, but at least we can now dress casual at work every day until Labor Day at the end of Summer!  Cheers, all!

No, What Are YOU Doing?

I just looked up and it was Thursday.  It has been a pretty normal week, which is nice.  I tried to post the new U.D.O. videos earlier this week but blogger wouldn't let me embed them for some reason.  Maybe I'll try again later.  So, sorry, no real updates this week yet except for over at my garden blog.  That will be all for now.

I have an idea!  Why don't you tell me how your going to spend this upcoming long holiday weekend?  Taking the kids anywhere?  Kev, Kel?   Maybe a road trip to Madison?   Anyone else?  Tell us all how you plan on spending Memorial Day weekend in the comments!

Hmm, asking for outside input on my site.  Someone please respond?

Sunday Catch-Up Notes

Happy Sunday morning!  While I wait for the dew on the grass to dry so I can mow (for only the second time so far), I may as well update a few medical things.  Thankfully these updates are becoming smaller and fewer.

~ I had my last physical therapy appointment for my leg last Thursday.  It was time.  I've been going since last fall and I feel like I've gotten all I can from it, now I just have to continue to concentrate on walking better and exercise - something I have been slacking off on of late.  The final knee bend was 125 degrees.  Only one degree better than 2 weeks ago, but a whole lot better than the 40 degrees when I started.  Of course, that may continue to improve without PT, but I have to face the fact that it may not.

~ Monday of last week I got the follow up call about the screw that broke loose in my neck.  It should not affect my healing, which is coming along normally, but they want me to wear a bone stimulating collar for four hours a day just in case.  They said a rep would be in touch and even come to my home to fit me with the collar but I haven't heard from anyone yet so I may have to call the doctor's office tomorrow.

~ My lower back sciatica has improved yet is still affecting me every waking moment, every step I take.  Still, as long as it is going in the right direction I can't complain - much.

Well, I hear someone else has started their mower so I think I'll go get started on the lawn before it gets too warm or stormy out there.  My Mom is stopping in for a visit early this afternoon, too, so there may be some last minute cleaning to do.

A Bill Here, A Bill There

I didn't notice at the time, but about a week ago Blogger was down for about a day.  Posts and comments vanished and have been being restored since.  Although I was barely affected, other more prolific bloggers were not amused, to say the least.  I had only one comment disappear, and that has since been restored.

One of the bloggers I have followed for a long time, Bill Sticker,  is moving from Uncle Bill's Canadian Blog on Blogger to The Bill Sticker Alternative on Wordpress.  That change will be updated in the right column shortly.  I have asked him for a spot on his new blogroll.  I'm sure it would be a courtesy to me if he did, my blog is just the silly stuff of an american idiot, not the intelligent, informed musings of anything of importance.  Still, I hope, I do get hits from his site now and again.

Pic Dump 30: All Cats!

Number 30 is dedicated to all things cat.  Cats are easily two thirds of the interwebs and here I am perpetuating that with a dedicated pic dump with all those cat pics that I come across in my internet travels.  Same as always; click the pic for original size, some may be nsfw and more after the break.  Meow! - er, Enjoy!

Our 10th Anniversary Party

While Wednesday is our 10th wedding anniversary, we had our party last Saturday.  The weather was not as agreeable as last year, but the few that showed up seemed to have a good time.  The temperature only got up to the mid 50s and, while it did not rain all day leading up to the 3 o'clock party, it had been sprinkling on and off by 5, followed by a pretty steady soft, cold rain after that.  While we may have had up to 20 people overall, the most at any one time was, I think, 14 people.  All huddled up in the garage, eating, drinking and talking while the rain continued outside.  Eventually we moved into the porch for warmth when we were down to a half dozen or so guests.  I had tried to clear as much space as possible and cover up as much of my junk as possible in the garage for the party but the porch was our backup space and as it got colder after dark more time was spent there.

We found it perfectly understandable that most of the neighbors did not come out this year, and we were thankful for our friends that did.  We missed Bridget, she's having her own fun in New Orleans (lucky her!).  She and Zuben will be leaving our side of town to move in to their own new house on the west side in about a month.  Also, I've just about had it with Terry's sister, Becky.  Every time she comes over she has something negative to say about our home.  Nothing big, just a good little jab here or there, and I'm sick of it.  Next time it happens I plan on calling her on it.  I finally met our new neighbors from 2 doors down, Jason and Erin if I remember right.  I think they're from England.  Or rather, I'm assuming from their accents and the fact that we saw that they held a royal wedding party a few weeks ago.  I talked to them each quite a bit at the party but I never got around to asking them about that.  I found each to be very nice and I hope we get to visit with them again soon, though.  Perhaps we'll invite them up for a cookout some time this summer. 

I don't want to continue and forget anybody so let me say a blanket Thank You to all who came over and helped celebrate our anniversary.  This was the second in two years, perhaps next year will be a 3rd Annual!  Anyway, we had a whole lot of fun and hope you did, too, thank you!  And to my wife, Kate, Happy Anniversary and I love you!

All the party pics after the break.  Again, I'm not in them, I'm taking them!

Just Some Medical Updates

A good Monday morning to you!  I haven't been posting much the past few days, we have been preparing for - and recovering from - our anniversary party on Saturday.  That deserves it's own post later so now I just want to play catch-up and get my latest medical update on the record here.

On Thursday last week I had my first follow up appointment for my neck fusion.  Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera so I have no x-ray pic to share.  The implant was clearly visible in the x-rays taken that day, but it was troubling to see that one of the screws in the top vertebrae seemed to have broken loose and is now poking down into the area that was vacated by the disc.  Overall it should not be an issue, that disc space is already growing bone, but I am supposed to get a call from the neurosurgeon today with further explanation.  Plus, I got 90 more Percocet to help me with my back neck pain since I still can't take any NSAIDs.

Speaking of back pain, kinda, well it still lingers.  About six weeks now, since right after my neck surgery.  It has improved from its worst a couple weeks ago, but it just has not gone away yet.  I have not been doing as many exercises for it as I could be doing, but getting on and off the floor is pretty tough on my aching bones.  Still, if I can keep improving maybe I can convince myself that I won't need surgery on it this year.  Here's to hoping.

While I'm speaking medically, my leg has been still healing under me.  I rarely use the cane at home anymore, just when I go out and about.  Even then I should scale back on using it and practice walking without a limp or lurch.  Exercise will help that, too.  My last physical therapy appointment is this week, and it is time.  I've been seeing this therapist since last fall, it will be 21 visits overall, and I finally feel it is time to move on.  I've accomplished just about all I can in physical therapy for my leg, I'll just get some last advice and continue to exercise on my own.

That's all - isn't that enough?  I feel a need to chronicle the medical stuff in case I need to look back later, thank you for indulging me.

Hail Home Video

We've had our 'new' camera for quite some time now and the thought hit me this afternoon to try the video for the first time.

*I figured out that I felt poor due to a mild withdrawal from a certain medication (no narcotics or any fun stuff).  Knowing what it is and that I'm not going to come down with a severe cold or flu makes it easier to deal with.

Aaron Rodgers

Super Bowl MVP, dating SI swimsuit model Marisa Miller and hanging out at the Kentucky Derby.

Life must be good as the leader of the Pack...

Pic Dump 29

Well, we're off to the local pub for happy hour and I won't be writing anything else tonight, so now is a good time to post another Pic Dump!  Here's all the pics that caught my eye/ tickled my funny bone/ gave me pause for one reason or another since the last Pic Dump.  Some you may have seen, some may be nsfw, click the pic for original size and just... enjoy!

This means a lot.  More after the break!

A Weekend Full Of Projects

We got a ton of stuff done this weekend.  Nothing terribly major, just a bunch of smaller, detailed things like planting, assembling, painting, staining and repairing that just took some time and attention.  My wife did more than I, she did all the cleaning and laundry, too.  I'm pretty lucky to have her, our house that we keep improving and the stability that we enjoy in these wacky times.  Anyway, I did what I could and grunted and moaned my way through several projects.  I'm loving this time of Spring when plants are just coming up and the yard starts to come alive.  And there's nothing like the look of new mulch in Spring - too bad it only lasts a season.

Happy Mothers Day 2011

From The Mike O'Meara Show, Robb Spewak presents his Mama Montage.



Love you, Mom.  Hope you have a great day and you will see me soon!

Late Night Back Yard

I hate to disappoint anybody, but even though I officially quit smoking in late January 2010, I have been having about 1 or so a week for a month or two now.  What can I say?  I've been under much stress, my wife still smokes (not a lot, but still), and because I don't normally smoke I can catch a helluva buzz.  Anyway, tonight I stepped out on our new back steps for one and turned on the outside lights and really enjoyed the view so I wanted to share. --This is our back yard and we love it.

Happy Cinco De Mayo And Notes

Happy Cinco De Mayonnaise!  First off let me say that I'm surprised I didn't get any smart-ass comments to my smart-ass last post.  Oh well, I thought it was funny and we all know it's all about me around here.  I just have a couple things to say today, a little of this, a little of that....

~My wife got an iPhone yesterday.  Her other cell phone was through her sister's family plan and they wanted to change so she had to get a phone of her own.  It is one of the older 3G models, whatever that's supposed to mean, and one of the lightest plans for it since she doesn't use it a whole bunch.  There's a lot an iPhone can do, though, so I hope she doesn't outgrow her plan anytime soon.  And no, I still don't want one yet.

~Our friend Lisa is having a birthday party tomorrow night.  Unfortunately it doesn't even start until 8 or 9, about the time we are getting ready for bed- even on Friday.  Yes, I am getting older, but now when we go out it usually starts around happy hour and we're home by 10 or so at the very latest.  When I was younger I used to be able to wait until later to go out and stay out but now, well, let's say I can't even remember when I was out even close to bartime.  So, sorry Lisa, I hope you have a great birthday!  We may not be the 'early bird special' type yet, but we're not twenty-somethings anymore either!

~If your sick of my medical woes then skip this paragraph.  I had a modified physical therapy appointment this afternoon.  I say modified because it is supposed to be for my leg but we spent a lot of time working on my back.  I can't take any anti-inflammatory medicines or steroids because it interferes with my bones healing, leg and neck.  So it lingers, for about 4 weeks now, since right after my neck surgery.  Every waking moment I am aware of the pain originating in my lower back and running down my healing right leg.  Eventually I will have enough and go to see my doctor, he'll refer me to another orthopaedist, I'll have another MRI followed by another surgery.  Sad to say, but that is how I see it playing out.  I'm just trying to put it off as long as I can.  Sucks to be me.  Btw, my knee bend increased from 122 degrees to 124 degrees.  Whoopee.

~Mother's Day is Sunday.  My mom and her newlywed husband, Dan, live about 90 minutes from us and I don't think I can handle the car ride so we will not be going this time.  We love you, Mom, but you know how I am when I'm ailing - I wouldn't be any fun at all after that car ride.  We do have much to do around here, anyway, with our own anniversary party coming up quick.  It's still a big list and there's only about a week left to try and get to everything.

That's about it until this weekend's Pic Dump.  Be good, everybody, and don't click anything that says it is pictures of a dead Osama!  Ta.

Here's Me

For those of you who don't know what I look like, here's this little news thingy I did.  Probably NSFW.

via

What A Nice Weekend!

Even though Kate had to work yesterday morning she still managed to accomplish a whole lot this weekend, I got one or two things done as well.  Much of yesterday was her planting in the garden and yard while I got several small things done in the garage and basement.

Last night we had friends over, Jerome and Lisa plus Trisha and Adam. Two couples that for various reasons we had not seen socially in quite some time.  We started out with a few drinks here, then went out for steaks at a nearby family-owned restaurant, Brothers Three.  Kate and I have been there for lunch many times, even breakfast a few times, but we had never been there for dinner and wanted to try their steaks so we made a night of it.  Their steaks did not disappoint and I think everyone had a good time at the restaurant.  When we got back to our house after dinner I was pleased that we all sat in the porch and talked for a couple more hours.  No one seemed to want to rush off so I take that as they were having as much fun as us!

Today has been more of the same - planting, transplanting and doing small projects.  Nothing really big enough to discuss here but it feels nice to improve our home in any way we can.  As for the yardwork, planting and transplanting, well, most of the plants are not near fully in so there's not much to take photos of yet.  Hopefully we will have nice weather and the plants will look nice for our anniversary party in a couple of weeks.  There is still much we want to get done before we have all those friends and neighbors over.