As of this time tomorrow, I will be at the surgeon's being preped to repair the rotator cuff on my right shoulder. We have no idea when it happened, but I have been in pain for at least the last year and a half. (There are suspicions that the problem may go back six years.)
I finally got around to talking to the doctor when I started waking up every morning feeling like someone had driven a nail into my shoulder. Not that I hadn't been seeing a doctor about it, but the x-rays and such over the last year never found anything that would cause the pain.
This time I got a referal to an orthopedic surgeon which resulted in an MRI. (Yes, I did fall asleep during the MRI, even if it is kind of loud.) The MRI showed major damage in the shoulder, so we have reconstructive surgery scheduled.
Seeing as I'm right handed this is going to cut even further into my posting and commenting while the shoulder heals.
TTFN
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Won't Be Around Much
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Summertime 1968
The following are two pictures amongst the variety of items my parents discovered when cleaning up to move to their condo. This is from the "musical" put on at my Junior High when I was in ninth grade. It was called "Summertime" and was a no-specific-race version of Porgy and Bess. Apparently we had two sets of leads in the musical. This was undoubtedly done to keep as many parents happy as possible.
(back) ??, dan, ??, jim, scott, cindy, rick, ??, kay, rick, tom, tom, mike
(front) ??, john, ??, ??
(back) ??, ??, sherry, jim, jim, nancy, rick, mary, kay, rick, tom, tom, mike
(front) ??, john, ??, rick
Yup, I'm in both pictures and I can name three quarters of the people without resorting to looking at yearbooks. It would be nice to find the program for that musical to help me identify every last person.
Updated Added the names of the people I recognize.
Double Nickel
Yup, that's me. I've reached it.
This year's interesting gifts from the parents include old campaign buttons from things I ran for back in school and pictures/programs from old school plays. I must scan the pictures.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
H A W T W Y W H
(Have a wonderful time, wish you were here)
Last Thursday we visited the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse. Until it was turned over to the Lighthouse Keepers Association, this lighthouse was closed to the public. Now you can climb the three ladders to visit the top. This lighthouse has also been converted from high voltage to low voltage/solar powered and the LOUD fog horn replaced with an equally "green" low power version.
Yesterday we visited the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Although we did not climb the dunes, we did take the trail that puts us at the top so that we had a good view of the lakes.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wow, That was quick
So, I dropped off my Passport Book/Card application at noon on Monday, July 21st, at the City Clerk's office and received my new Passport Book via Priority Mail today.
No special rush processing or anything.
The State Department web site claims to caught up on their back log and promises Expedited processing in under two weeks and Routine processing in under four weeks.
I got mine (with just Routine processing) in 10 days. Something like 4-5 business days between receipt and shipping.
Wow.
The Passport Cards are only promised in the next two months. They just got that production line going and they still have a back log.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Photo for New Passport
Well, my last one expired back in 1983. That picture looks like a mugshot. At least this one will be a little bit better.
Yes, there are some signs of aging.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
I'm Having A Root Canal
No actually not me. This is a song by Glenn Bulthuis which goes like this:
Ah-ah-ah I'm having a root canal, oh, oh, oh, I'm having a root canalThe dentist drill provided an odd accompaniment.
Oh you can drill in my face, any time, any place, to replace any space in my mouth
Oh, I'm having a root canal, I'm tellin' ya I'm having a root canal
I can not tell a lie, I am felling rather high, as the plaque, starts to fly in the sky
I'm having a root canal ....
My head begins to swoon, in the waiting room
The chill, the thrill as he begins to drill, drill, drill, drill
Oh I'm having a root canal, I'm telling ya I'm having a root canal
I don't mind telling you all, I'm buying my mother-in-law
A root caaaaanaaaaal .... a root .... caaaanaaaal
I't thrilling, and chilling and drilling and drilling, I'm having a root canal. Hey!
Here is a sample of this song from his Greatest Hits CD.
Glenn is now producing CD versions of his vinyl releases, so I can now buy a copy of his Misled album from 1980 as a CD and don't have to record the vinyl to MP3 myself.
A couple of the songs from Misled that are included on the Greatest Hits are LA Girls/Michigan Girls and Cruzin Down The Beltline.
Yet another update: Be sure to check out his videos and you can see many places around where I live.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Happy Anniversary, my Love
Today we celebrate the 28th anniversary of our first date and the 26th anniversary of our marriage. Here's wishing for many, many more.
Update: Well, we celebrated our anniversary with dinner (sans children) at Louis Benton's and a good time was had by all. Note that the menu listed on their web site omits prices. If you have to ask, you can not afford.
And, yes, this picture is from the copy of our engagement announcement that I carry in my wallet.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Saturday, May 03, 2008
We have another Graduate
Today our middle child, "Merry", graduated from college. She is part of the 4th generation to attend Land Grant University on her father's side and the fourth person to graduate from college on her mother's side (all from this generation). None of her maternal male cousins have gone to college.
At the end of the graduation ceremony we sang the Alma Mater.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Wally Bronner has died (1927-2008)
Wally Bronner was known as Mister Christmas and was the founder of Bronners CHRISTmas Wonderland, a three football field sized store in Frankenmuth Michigan.
More can be found at the Detroit Free Press, the Saginaw News, and Flint's WJRT ABC12.
The Bronner's web site can be found here as well as the history of Bronners.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Second Snowiest Snow Season On Record For Grand Rapids
From the desk of the National Weather Service:
Second Snowiest Snow Season On Record For Grand Rapids
With the addition of 1.7 inches of snow on March 27th, Grand Rapids has had 107.0 inches of snow for the snow season. That moves this snow season into second place for the snowiest ever for Grand Rapids. The snowiest season on record was 1951-52 with 132.0 inches of snowfall. The previous second place season was 2001-02 with 105.2 inches of snow. This also means Grand Rapids now has six seasons with over 100 inches of snow. Two of those six have happened in within the last seven years.
Below is a list the current top ten snow seasons for Grand Rapids: (note the snow season is from July 1st through June 30th on the following year)
Wow. I've been around for almost all of them.
Isn't It Lovely
Last night we attempted to fetch our middle child home from college for her elder sister's birthday.
We got to the college, but were not able to get home until this morning. We tried last night, but it was hard to see the road and slippery. Even this morning there was black ice on all the bridges and throughout much of Ionia county. Note that all of this snow came down between 7 PM and midnight. To top it off, most of the county road commissions are out of salt for the roads.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
And More Snow
Well we got another 6 and a half inches of snow overnight. Yet another daily record, previous one was 6.3 in 1963.
We now have had 105.1 inches of snow this year, extending the record. A 38.4 inch departure from normal.
Over by the lake at Muskegon, they have had 109.2 inches, but it is not a record. Their record was 140.7 inches in 1977, another year when we had a major blizzard.
Friday, March 21, 2008
A Couple Inches of Global Warming in Spring
Its Spring ... I've shaved my beard off and now its snowing outside as evidenced by the mourning dove sitting next to our pool deck.
The robins have been burrowing into the leaves under the bushes to keep warm.
We are currently under a Winter Storm Warning. We have already set a new record for total snow in winter this year (and its not done snowing) with 98 inches. A departure of 32 inches from normal and 21 inches over last year.
I can't wait to see April.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Project Valour-IT Interservice Challange
This has been described as the equivalent of 21st-Century Candy Stripers or as More Than Just A Laptop.
Project Valour-IT (Voice-Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops) provides an external connection between "our injured troops" and the outside world. These laptop computers with a voice activated interface allow the troops to communicate with friends and family.
More information can be found at About Project Valour-IT at the Soldier's Angels web site. The History of Project Valour-IT can also be found there.
Its time once again for a little "inter-service" rivalry to raise money for Valour-IT. The challenge is split into four teams:
- Army lead by Black Five,
- Navy/Coast Guard lead by Chaotic Synaptic Activity,
- Air Force lead by Mudville Gazette, and
- Marine Corps lead by Holly Aho of Soldiers Angels
Not that I would want you to contribute to them, but the other teams are:
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Here They Come Again
This year will mark the 30th year that Grand Rapids has hosted the "River Bank Run". This is the premier 25K run in the US.
Why 25K? It makes a nice out-and-back route along the Grand River.
And, yes, they are using the clock-wise route this year that puts the awful hills near the end.
This morning they hosted a Training Run that covered much of the course. Most of the runners were bundled up for the cold.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
April 12th Climate
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Wednesday, April 11, 2007
April 11th Climate
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