Aches, Pains, and Mundane Things

Paul and I had a good laugh when we were comparing our bodies to our cars. Sometimes we have creaks and squeaks, and sometimes we have a flat tire or engine failure. We're working hard to keep our bodies "cars" in the best shape possible, but often it's a challenge.

I rarely have any kind of physical problem. I think I pulled a groin muscle on our vacation. I've been on the Internet and have about decided that's what I did over having a sciatic nerve problem or an abdominal hernia. (Those are two possibilities.) Since I'm such a good self diagnostician, that's my opinion. ;-)

The results of this problem are not fun. I'm limping like an old lady, and it's hard to lift my right leg without pain. I plan to get some compression shorts (read about these on the Internet) or some kind of tight support in that area like elastic wrap bandages or some such. And when I can remember to do it, I take a couple of Ibuprofen tablets. Helps.

Thankfully, I haven't slowed down. I made my weekly trip to Austin and did okay. I'm just moving a little slower. Grrrr. . .I do not like physical problems.

Then while I was gone Monday evening, Paul had a nosebleed that wouldn't quit. After several hours not being able to stop it and starting to feel weak, he headed for the emergency room at midnight. Interestingly, he had just had one side of his nose cauterized at the doctor's office last week to try and help with the nosebleeds. He's worse than I am about thinking he can fix it himself. We had a fun argument over the phone about why he's not going to do what the doctor said. Of course, I'm one to talk. Oh, well. . .

Paul was at the emergency room over three hours. They almost killed him, he said, when they stuck this mechanism up his nostril and then inflated it. He had major claustrophic reactions and made the doctor remove it. She found a smaller one and it worked better. They wanted Paul to leave it in for 24 hours and then come in and have it removed. He refused. He said it was totally goofy with the end of the thing hanging out on his face and taped to his cheek. He was feeling nauseous (sp?) and ill. He just couldn't do it. He had the doctor remove it. He decided to leave and try a self cure. He got home about 4 a.m. and did what he could and he was successful. No more bleeding so far.

My doctorly advice was to quit blowing his nose so passionately. Paul does everything with great zest and passion and that's one of his traits I love. I've told him repeatedly that he's going to blow his brains out. He says if something's worth doing, it's worth doing with gusto! We laugh and laugh!! No more passionate, gusto nose blowing for him, at least for awhile. Dainty, feminine, Kleenex dabbing has got to do it. We'll see.

Are we typical old folks or what? Writing on our blog about our aches and pains. But that's the most interesting thing that's happened to us of late. That's way off the charts, identifying us as old folks. Right?

Mundane things are like comedies: Paul made a deposit and kept some cash out. He called me late Monday (before the nosebleed) and said he'd lost the cash. He'd gone through the trash twice and through his car and through the house. It was gone. Lost. And it was quite a bit. I told him not to worry, it's just money. It's replaceable. Much later, he sat down in his chair and felt something in his shirt. He had put the deposit slip and cash in the cuff of his sweatshirt sleeve (no pockets) and it had slipped up into the sleeve of his shirt and when he sat down he felt it. Found! Relieved! We were rolling!

My comedy happened on the plane. I was reading along and then started smelling that awful smell of vomit. (Reminds me of the olden days on the school bus when a kid would throw up. The smell was unbelievably bad and you couldn't get away from it.) I looked around and the guy behind me had just leaned over into the aisle and tossed his cookies. Yuk, yuk, yuk. Doesn't he know what urp bags are for? I turned the air vent on high and began the mental antics of keeping my mind off the smell and popped two pieces of gum in my mouth. That's quite a trick to keep yourself okay and not get sick from the smell. When we stopped, the guy across the aisle stood up in his seat and wouldn't step on the floor. Everyone was assuring the guy who was apologizing that it was okay and not to worry, but it was a fast exit off that plane. LOL

And that's the end of my aches and pains and silly things blog post. Life is good, albeit at times somewhat challenging. ;-)

Looking forward to Dal and Megan's Thursday wedding. Will be our first grandchild wedding. I love firsts!
MB

Fall in New England

Everyone should make this trip at least once in a lifetime. There's nothing like seeing the turning leaves in the New England area.

We're back. Got home early last evening. We headed straight to Edmond to deliver Sierra's seventh-birthday gift. We had picked up a cute pair of pajamas and a polartech vest in New Hampshire for her. Today, October 14, is her seventh birthday, but we have an OU football game at 11:30 a.m. (kickoff time, which means we leave for the stadium about two hours prior). After the game, Paul heads for east TX for a four-day meeting in Linden. We knew we had no time today to go to Edmond.

Our trip was wonderful. We flew to Manchester NH on Sunday and drove north to the White Mountains to the Twin Mountain KOA. We had rented a Kottage, not a Kabin and not the K-Lodge. The Kottage has a small refrigerator and most important has an in-house bathroom, complete with shower. We took our bedding and towels and coffeepot and early the next morning made a trip to Wal-Mart to fill in what we needed and didn't want to buy beforehand. Made our little Kottage our home for five days. We built a campfire a couple of nights and sat out under the stars wrapped up in afghans and warming ourselves around the fire. FUN!

Tuesday we drove through New Hampshire, made a big circle around in an area we knew to be the prettiest. It's definitely a crap-shoot whether you hit the foliage just right or not. We were a tad disappointed because the leaves were just a little dull, not brilliant. The area had had an overabundance of rain, so one forecast was that this would be the best year in many. A different forecast was that there would be mold and the foliage would not be good. The yellows and golds were alive and brilliant, but the reds were already brown or a dull red. It was still beautiful and beat anything we would ever hope to see in our area.

Wednesday we drove over into Vermont and made a big circle through the Green Mountain area. It was cold and blustery and a true Autumn day. The foliage there was also beautiful and the further south we went, the prettier it got.

When we had called ahead and rented a car, Paul had asked for one with Sirius radio. When we picked up the car, they didn't have one the size we ordered with Sirius radio, so they upgraded us to a small SUV with a sunroof. Oh, the serendipities of life!! We kept the heater on our feet and kept the sunroof open for the cool air and the smells of autumn. Loved it! And, the SUV color was OU crimson red. Could it have been any better? ;-)

On Thursday we drove over into Maine and found the prettiest scenery of all. Last time we went into Maine there wasn't much there. This year the trees were magnificent. Maine has a lot of evergreens and those blended with all the colors made a spectacular view.

Tuesday while we were making our big circle through New Hampshire and were heading back to the KOA we got tied up in traffic and snailed through a couple of miles at zero miles an hour through the mountains. When we got up to what was causing the slow-down, it was very sobering to see a motorcycle in the middle of the road crushed to pieces. It was a two motorcycle and a one car accident. There was at least one casualty, perhaps two. New Hampshire doesn't have a helmet law, and a lot of cyclists don't wear helmets unless they have to. Being cycle riders, we observed the scene carefully and probably felt it a little more than a typical rubberneck. Very sobering. Took any irritation about the delay quickly away.

Friday the 13th we headed home. Took us all day. The view from the airplane was absolutely spectacular. Ranges of mountains full of color. Our flight path was over the northern USA and maybe part of Canada. Got to see our first snow on the ground. We now feel like we've ushered in 2006 autumn in fine fashion.

This is the first time I've been gone a full week from work since I started with Harcourt two years ago. I called in at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning and answered questions and got an update on what was happening. They did great without me and got quite caught up on things. What a relief. Yeah!! I've got a great team of ten who are now well trained and trustworthy and do a great job. Life is good!

That's our update on our fall trip. Tony, hope you had a great birthday and got our card. We're eager to hear about your trip to CA. Soon?

I fly to Austin Monday evening, but just for the day on Tuesday.
We're staying caught up via your blogs and e-mails. Keep 'em coming.
MB

2partners

People are different aren't they. I don't have a thing for cards of any kind necessarily. Oh don't get me wrong, they're nice. And I certainly appreciate them, especially from the family. I'm just saying they don't do for me what they do for others, say for example, Mary. She loves them. I've seen her face light up when reading one whether it's funny, or simple, or serious, just any kind of card. She loves them. They represent thoughtfulness, love, sincerity and a host of other things to her. Me! Give me a cake, gift, money, whatever, and I'm happy. People are just different.

People are special too. No one is as special to me as Mary. And there is no more special day in the life of a special person than their birthday.This is her birthday.

Then there are special birthdays in the lives of special people. This is her 65th birthday. That's special. You can tell I think there is just something special about Mary. I'm not talking about her looks. Although she still is being mistaken for my daughter all the time and then tries to comfort me in my devastation, her youthful looks and beauty are not what I'm speaking about.

It is not her energy of which I'm speaking. But, boy is that part of who she is as a special person. To work 8-10 hours a day, to fly to Austin regularly, to oversee 10 ladies at her office here in Norman, and then to go to Mystic Conn. to periodically meet with the author of the material she works so hard to get published, talk about energy. But I haven't spoken of clogging, dancing, motorcycle riding, and a host of other things that, time permitting, she loves doing. She is special in looks, energy, and how can I name the ways?

That's my point. How can I? Give her a card? You have got to be kidding. Wait. Cards are special to her. Maybe if I could find a card that said some things I mean but don't know how to say. Maybe the fact that cards are special to her, a special girl, a special card would be just the thing. Well, I found one. I gave it to her. She's in Austin today. So I'm posting that card for her to read...again. Because she's special and I love her in ways I can't seem to express, maybe that dumb card can say it again...to her.

Mary, happy birthday..here's how and why I love you.



"For my wife, my best friend,

You've been there to laugh with me,
to cry with me, to be proud of me,
and to be happy for all the good
things in my life.

You've also shared my disappointments
and listened as I worked out my thoughts
and feelings about so many things that
troubled me.....

You're the most important part of my world,
and you always will be....I love you."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY....Paul