Happy Blogday To Me!

I almost forgot, this is my Blogday!  I've been doing this for eight f**king years!   Wow.

Edit 4/11, added new 8 pic.

That's a long time to keep something up that is as personal as it is public.  I've had friends and family that care, friends and family that don't, friends and family that sign up to get emails when I post but then I rarely or never hear anything back from them.  I know blogger ain't farcebook, tweeter, linkden or Instagrat.  I don't care.  I don't want more accounts or social media so I know I don't make it easy to be my friend that way.  I just like having my own little corner of the internet here that I can say and post (almost) whatever I wish.  Just - and sometimes mostly - for me.  An online journal, or a diary, of sorts.  I appreciate those that come along for the ride and I also appreciate the new friends I've made along the way.

Blogging is always a bit of work in progress.  The other day I tweaked my template and lost my lists in the right column.  This is the second time I lost my lists, I can't remember if I was messing with my template last time.  I will build them again, but it may be later tonight, tomorrow or even next week.  Whenever I feel I have the time and gumption to get it done.

I don't want this to take away from my post earlier this evening - we got bikes!  Scroll down or click here to read all about that!  And Happy Blogday to me!

New Bikes!

I've said it here a few times now over the last few years, and finally we have bicycles!  Last weekend we went to look at them in a store then came home and shopped online for what we wanted.  They arrived on Thursday this past week, the delivery driver was good enough to leave them at the back door since we weren't at home.  We've never had a delivery stolen but we know that it has happened in the area before.  That night I started putting mine together, and today I finished it and put my wife's together.  Hers went much smoother than mine.  She has a nifty 3 speed that has the normal brakes of a one speed, while I have a 7 speed with hand brakes.  We won't be riding in any races, just riding around our side of town, eventually.

We spent some time outside with adjustments and learning to ride a bike all over again.  While I think it is true, that you never forget how to ride a bike, the details and the finesse of it will take time to re-learn.  Still, the harder part is going to be getting the body back into somewhat near the shape it was the last time we rode bikes.  For me it has to be at least my late teen years, while Kate thinks she may have been twelve when she last rode a bike.  We started mostly in the driveway and yard until moving to the sidewalk and then the street, but just our little corner of the street, maybe a couple hundred feet either way at the most.  It was a nice little exercise and, as my wife pointed out, much different than riding the recumbent exercise bike downstairs.

We practiced enough to be a little sore, but not too bad.  Overall, not bad for how long we've not ridden.  There are so many places we can get to just on our side of town, and so many dedicated bike paths to get there and further, if we ever wish.  I'm looking forward to getting in better riding shape this summer, even if it's just for a quick jaunt down the bike path to Atwood Ave to get ice cream! →

Spring 2017 Pictures

It was finally dry and sunny enough to get a first look at what's going on outside with all our plants.  If you're interested in looking at a bunch of small plants that probably don't mean anything to you then stop by Scoakat's Garden here!

I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with that website, but don't expect much more than what I did last year.

March This-And-Thats

Most all I've posted recently has been about the weather or my shoulder.  We've had warm spring days, cold winter days, snow, rain, thunderstorms and hail - all very recently though not necessarily all on the same day.  Thank goodness spring is coming, but officially it is already here.  We have plants coming up and I'd like to get out and take a few pictures but today is rainy and dreary, maybe tomorrow.  In the meantime, I have a few things on my mind so time to type them out!

• Just to get it out of the way, I had a cortisone shot in my left shoulder on Wednesday.  It's too early to know how well it works out, but I hope it gets better yet as the next day it was measurably worse.  It is starting to feel a bit better now but certainly not as it should.
• I mentioned spring so it may be time for my annual wish of getting bicycles to get about our side of town during our non-winter seasons.  I think I may actually follow through with it this year.  My wife would be content to walk, but I want to bike.  I feel there's a higher chance of me biking somewhere with her than walking.  I think that's because biking will take much less time than walking.
• I finally bought myself a cordless drill/screwdriver.  I've had the same corded drill since I was a teenager, and it still works wonderfully but it is a bother to keep chucking drill bits and screwdriver bits alternately when working on projects.  I bought it during the holiday sales late last year and, unfortunately, I haven't had an excuse to use it yet.  But it seems real cool!
• Last night the Badgers fell to the Florida Gators in the round of sixteen in the NCAA tournament.  It was an another exciting ride, watching them come together and get the wins when it counted.  Last night they lost by one point, at the buzzer, in overtime.  A quick and almost surgical finish to the game.  Most Badger fans were probably stunned, like me.  A few seconds after the late finish I picked up my jaw, turned off the channel and got on to other things.  I still can't make myself look up the highlights or stories yet today.
• Over the holidays we received a gift called the Amazon Echo Dot (thanks Mom and Dan!).  I set it up at home, but it was just a novelty.  We never really used it for anything, until recently.  I bought two outlets that connect to wifi and plugged in our living room lamps.  Now we turn on and off the lights by asking Alexa to do it, or I have an app that will turn them on or off from anywhere, individually or together.  Certainly nothing necessary, just a bit of fun and it makes the Dot more useful.  I've tried to think of other things we could automate in our home, but nothing else really makes a lot of sense, usefully or monetarily. 

That's all I can think of for now.  In the middle of writing this today my wife and I went out and about to a couple neighborhood places for food and drink.  Not very busy out today with the weather.   This is the kind of thing we could do on bikes during good weather.  It will happen this year - and soon!

Trump Catnip Toy

I was shopping Amazon for something totally unrelated a while ago and I saw this little trinket that brought me thoughts of Basil and Hamish shredding it - The Trump Catnip Toy!  It's brand new, we'll see how long it takes for it to fall apart...    :-)      Oh, and Happy Irish Day!



Video link here, email readers, if it doesn't transfer.  But stop by the website sometime, say Hi!

Hmm, March. Yeah.

I woke up to snow today, several inches through mid-morning.  They said it was going to be the light, fluffy stuff but my snow thrower was clogging every few feet.  Oh, my aching back.

I scheduled this day off a few weeks ago, it's just my luck we get March snow this day.  I got to sleep in, anyway.  A few hours were spent scanning and cropping all our wedding album photos into the computer.  Yes, we were married just before digital cameras were everywhere.  I'm glad I finally did this task as the pictures were getting well stuck in the photo album.  Now, rather than spend more time at the computer typing (and alternately shaking my arm trying to get feeling back), I think I'll go out for a bit.  I have a couple errands, now that the snow has slowed, and I may go out for a late lunch.  Overall, since I'm not at work, this is still the best Monday I've had in some time.

Relative Humidity

Today was chilly, but refreshingly sunny out, and the high winds (gusts of 40-50+ miles per hour) of the last several days finally calmed.  By the time I got home from work today the sun had warmed the porch enough again so that the cats really wanted out there.  They always want out these days when the sun is out because they know it can get even warmer than the house.  The porch does face south and the sun is starting to get higher in the sky and warmer, surely spring is coming!  I let them have access for, oh, maybe 90 minutes or so until the sunbeams left us.  My wife was home by then and they were inside, anyway.

When I went to shut the door I saw something I had never seen before.  Well, not like this.  The porch windows had condensation on the inside.  It was 24ºF (about -4ºC) outside the single pane cheap porch windows and 72ºF (about  24ºC) inside the house, the porch felt similar when I let them out, slightly cooler when I went to shut it.  The humidity outside, according to my weather app, was 24%, while inside I got a reading of 43% relative indoor humidity from the humidifier controller on the air return vents downstairs, and a reading of 37% upstairs in the computer room off the porch.  That's a lot of numbers.  I found it interesting to check for those numbers when I saw the effect.  Like I said, I have never seen this before.  I've seen the condensation on the outside, making it look similar, but never the inside.

The humidifier we had installed just after the beginning of the year has been a very good investment for our cold, dry, winter air.  The best part is that we never have to think about it.  No constantly filling up the tank, changing expensive filters every 10 days, no dripping water on the floor.  No muss, no fuss.  Twice a year I have to move the damper from 'summer' to 'winter' or back, and once a year change the water pad.  I think we made a very good investment, indeed.

Other than that, all has been well enough, I guess.  I have a few things I could mention, but I should have time this weekend that I may post another This-And-Thats.  Outside, there's no snow around, really, and just a few inches in the forecast for Monday.  Now if we can just get temperatures to stay above freezing...  I mean, really, there's already plants coming up!

Shoulderitis

Well, I wasn't in a very good mood my last post, was I?  It was how I was feeling at the time.  This will be a short post as my arm tends to fall asleep when I'm typing.

I had my MRI Tuesday evening.  I spent almost 30 minutes shoved into that toilet paper tube head first.  This was my fourth or fifth time in the big donut.  I hate it every time but I do manage by always keeping my eyes closed and concentrating on the music in the headphones.  Even the banging of the machine is somewhat comforting to me in the darkness.  Anyway, it looks like I'm headed for a cortisone injection in the near future for rotator cuff tendinitis and bursitis.  I think my doctor expected to find more from the MRI and, depending on how the shot works out, we may have to take another look at what's going on in my neck.  The pain seems to have lessened - or else I'm getting used to it - but the numb and tingly is still happening often.

So that's it for now, my arm keeps falling asleep.  Just know that my condition is not fatal, just a bother, but I reserve the right to complain sometimes.  It's my site, after all.

Misadventures Continued

I had my doctor appointment a few days ago.  It's now been over 5 weeks since the original injury and I'm still having pain in my neck, scapula, shoulder and bicep with numbness and tingling going down my arm into my fingers.  The doctor believes the source is my shoulder injury and not in my neck, and now, so do I.  My lack of progress has gotten me a date with an MRI machine next week.  From there, if it's like my past experiences, I will have to meet with a surgeon, set a date and get all the paperwork in order.  I don't want to have surgery again but I can't live like this, either.

And to top it all off, I missed the bottom stair yesterday afternoon and rolled my ankle while tumbling to the concrete floor.  I kept ice on it for hours last night but still today the top outside of my foot by my ankle is swollen and purple.  And everything hurts today, like I fell onto a concrete floor yesterday.  I'm getting too old for this shit.

And if that's not enough sunshine and lollipops for you, winter has made a comeback.  We got snow and ice yesterday and last night.  Not much, but it does seem like February again.

Now I should try to write something positive instead of just complaining.  Sorry, I don't think I have it in me right now.  There's always next time.

It's Still February, Right?

Here's a sight not often seen here in the middle of February.  The cats have full access to the warm, sunny porch today and have been enjoying every minute of it.  Last fall we expected a harsh, cold and snowy winter.  Here we are now, on this date, in this month, with the snow almost fully melted with high temperatures hovering at or close to 60ºF and more of the same in the forecast.  I'm certainly not going to complain, but it does worry me some.   There's plenty of time for it to be winter still before it becomes spring, but this is pretty unusual.

Today, we slept in - well, I slept in.  My wife is the more responsible one and keeps a more regular daily schedule.  The cats help her with that.  They can be pretty obnoxious about wanting their early morning wet food treat to get her out of bed.  They don't usually ever, or never, bother me in bed, but they don't seem to hesitate to jump all over her.  On weekend nights at home sometimes I tend to stay up too late and drink too much.  I still have fun, but things are so different now with the internet, and it's a lot safer fun than I had on weekend nights 15, 20 or even 30 years ago.  Is that justification for me now being old, tired and boring?  Hmm, maybe, or maybe I just suck at being social now.  Next topic.

It's been over four weeks now since I injured myself coming up the stairs on January 18, and my left shoulder quarter is still giving me problems.  The pain has calmed recently and defined itself to me more.  I'm still having issues with my neck, but I still have a little lump on the outside of my bicep that sends numbness and tingling down my arm and into my hand when I touch it.  And the soreness in my rotator cuff has defined itself now, as my doctor originally diagnosed.  It is notable to mention that I had a left shoulder problem in the summer of 2015.  The PA I saw a couple weeks ago mentioned that was the last time I requested my pain pills.  I have a full physical scheduled for this upcoming week so I'll see the doctor again very soon, I'll just have to see what he thinks then.

I turn 50 this year. I've always known, but I'm starting to realize my mortality even more, and the ramifications of getting older.  It sucks.

Friday Duchesse De Bourgogne

Happy Friday!.. and Happy Weekend, everyone!

The days are getting longer now and the end of winter is inevitable.  We will be warm again!  There will be more to life than work and cold and darkness!  Soon!  Well, relatively soon.
I promise...  *Sigh*

Actually the immediate forecast isn't so bad.  But I think it's just lulling us into a false sense of security, then - Bam!  20 more inches of snow!  We'll see. Mother Nature, I'm keeping an eye on you.

Tonight is Friday, still a reason for at least a small celebration in this household.  The Duchesse has been our Friday friend for some time now.  She is a pleasure indeed, and one of the luxuries we afford ourselves, my wife and I.
Duchesse De Bourgogne

More Misadventures Of Being Me

Two and a half weeks ago, on a Wednesday, I was bringing something up from downstairs, maybe laundry - I can't remember, but something requiring both hands.  I lost my balance a little bit but steadied myself as I was coming up, but I was off to the left side.  I stepped up right into a handrail on my left shoulder.  Me, rushing a bit up the stairs and my left upper quarter suddenly and unexpectedly stops dead.  Wow, that hurt!  But I didn't drop what I was carrying and, after a few moments and curse words, I shook it off and completed my task.  I don't think I even thought about it again after that, well, not until the next day.

Before I continue, maybe I should explain how it came to be that there is an odd handrail on the way downstairs.  There were no handrails for the first parts of the stairs when we moved in, only the one on the steps downstairs starting where the wall ends at the basement.  I added the two short pieces of handrail to cover the first 3 steps down and the first few steps after the corner until the handrail starts at the bottom of the wall.  When I bought the piece, 8 feet was the shortest length available so I had a good size piece left over.  So, being a tall person and admittedly rather clumsy I had the idea of adding it along the base of the wall, giving me something else to grab that may be more solid than the rail that starts below.  It may look a bit odd but I use it often on the way downstairs and I'm glad I installed it as it has helped me greatly in the past.

The next day at work, it was Thursday afternoon, my neck started to get a bit stiff.  The following day my neck was still stiff and my shoulder started to ache.  I still did not even remember that I hit it at all until later Friday night as it got more and more sore.  Over the weekend it affected everything I did and disrupted my sleep, so on Monday I went to work and let them know I intended to get in to the doctor that day.  My doctor was off so I saw a Physician Assistant that agreed with my assessment of a rather bruised shoulder.  I had full movement and it didn't seem like anything serious happened to the structure of my shoulder, just badly bruised soft tissue internally.  She gave me a prescription for painkillers, which is the reason I went in, and sent me on my way.  I got through the rest of the week dealing with the pain and taking pain killers as needed.  When it got to the weekend I had seen no improvement so I requested more pain killers and received a few more, but not many.  I rationed them as best I could but it was not feeling like it had improved at all.

The next week, now this last Wednesday, two weeks after I hit my shoulder, I left work again to go to the doctor.  This time I saw my own doctor.  My old doctor I had for over twenty years, until he moved up and became a Vice President so I had to find a new primary care physician.  This new doctor I have only seen a few times so I have yet to really trust him fully.  He looked at my shoulder and determined that it was the rotator cuff that I injured.  While he was going over the plan of care I was saying to him that that just didn't seem right with the pain I had.  He came over and started poking and prodding my shoulder again and Yowza!  He found the spot, all right.  He pushed his fingers in to check out my biceps tendon and I almost jumped out of my chair!  The diagnosis changed to Biceps Tendinitis.  He upped the amount of painkillers he was going to give me and mapped out exercises for me to do.  On the way out he had me stop for x-rays, later he sent me a message that they were normal.  He also wants me to consider physical therapy but I declined for now.

Last night I also found a lump on the outside of my bicep that is exactly where the base of the wall ends if my shoulder is under the rail, so I must have hit that pretty good, too.  In fact, that is the source of most of my pain, though I still have issues in my neck, shoulder and scapula.  For now there is nothing I can do but pain management, hot/cold packs, maybe a few exercises and hope it heals sooner than later.  If not, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Sorry to be long-winded.  I didn't write this to complain and I'm not asking for your sympathy, but I haven't written anything since it happened so I thought I'd share what I've been dealing with lately.  Now for some more painkillers and whiskey...