RECOVERING

It almost time!!!

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WELL, Anna Mae had her back surgery, Tuesday morning we left at 4 am, got to syracuse, met the staff and into surgery she went, ME- I paced, read, paced somemore, fret and stewed and then the phone in her room rang, it was the Doctor who ststed everything was OK, it took longer than planned but she was well and in recovery, SO, I paced, read some more and finally they brought her back, thankfully it was a private room, she slept, and finally woke up and took a few sips of water.

Mostly she stayed in bed for the day and at evening time they came in and got her up to WALK!!! They had her pumped full of pain killers to stop any pain so she could walk, it was important that she feel no pain in the area they operated on so the muscles would be relaxed and they sure were!! They operated on 2 places on her lower spine, the words were to big and complicted for me, she had a pain pump installed in her spine that gave her meds, after a few bites of supper she was gotten up and walked again and once more she walked in between naps until they had me leave at 8PM.

The Doctor was great, nurses were fantastic, the gas passer who put her under was very nice, everyone one on all 3 shifts were fantastic to my honey and also to me.

Wednesday morning at 6am I got to the spine center, got to her room and they were discharging her to go home!!! The weather was cold, about 32 degrees and windy, we got about half way home and ran into a blizzard, white outs, unplowed roads, slush and every POTHOLE I managed to hit made my honey jump in pain!!

Wednesday was bed rest, pain killers and up every 10 minutes every hour to walk a little, all day thursday it was a walk for 10 minutes every hour and each walk she went a little farther.

Thursday morning I had to remove the dressing and remove the wire that was inserted in her back to give her the pain meds, I pulled gently and kept pulling and finally removed about a FOOT of hollow thin plastic that gave her meds, then the bleeding started, all kinds of liquids seeped out, scared the H3ll out of me but this was normal the doctor had said, Thursday was walks every hour on the hour and rest, today, friday she is walking with her 4 wheeled walker, doing fairly well and we go back tuesday for a recheck and get the stitches out.

The spine center has called, her doctor has called, and some of the neighbors have offered to babysit, cook, clean, do dishes, laundry but we are doing pretty good!!!!!

My Honey wants to go to the Easter Breakfast on sunday at the Nazarene church at 8am and then go to church at 11am, hopefully this will happen.

Thanks for all the prayers, emails and your concern!!!!!!

Also let us not forget our men and women serving their country!!!!!

When it Rains, it Pours!!!

No Joke: Winter Storm Watch Today-Monday April 6: Rain, mainly after 9am. High near 44. East wind between 11 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Tonight: Rain likely before 10pm, then rain and snow. Low around 34. North wind between 6 and 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New SNOW accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Tuesday April 7 : SNOW, High near 37. West wind between 11 and 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible. Right now it is cold, damp, dark and dismal and raining!!!

We are leaving at 3 AM for the Hospital in Syracuse Tuesday Morning so hope the roads are at least plowed so we can be at the Hospital at 6AM!!!!!

When I said "it don't rain but it pours", my daughter Sabrina fell while hiking Cat Mountain up in Wanakena and fell and broke BOTH her ankles!! The problem is the Grandson, Brent is a full blown, busy, active 8 year old who keeps her busy, I am gonna have my hands full when I bring Anna Mae home from the Hospital and I don't think Grandpa is gonna be much help to the daughter for a couple weeks!!!!!

Thankfully my son Jonathan is home now from Portland, Oregon and "Uncle" Jon can pitch-in!!!!!! and the Grand-daughter Shannon can help with her brother and my son-in-law, Ed works construction and will be home evenings and weekends!!!!

For those who sent me an email about our local news and news sites, Here is our local News Site for our area, http://newzjunky.com/ , this site has pretty much replaced our daily newspapers.

I have the house arranged for a wheelchair, walker and put in another phone in the bedroom, My Honey has the fridge loaded with food, salads, sweets and treats for me while she's laid up so I won't starve!.

Well, I am almost finished up here at the Legion, I am caught up on reports, finances, and communications so will be heading home to start packing. Hope your week is good and eventful!!! Take Care!!

Thank you for all the emails and well wishes an prayers for Anna Mae, I printed them off and will give them to her Tuesday morning before surgery!!!!

Never forget those serving an those who have served!!!!!!!!!!


THE VETERANS!!!!!!!

WINTERS BACK

WELL!! "Old Man Winter" had reared his ugly head and with one big breath blew out the warmer air and replaced it with winds, snow, cold air, right now we have about 2 inches of fresh new S N O W !!!!!!!



"Mother Nature" has been nice to us with temps in the 60's and sunshine but she lost the battle and Winter settled back in for awhile, highs forecast for this week are in the high 30's, BBBBBBRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!.

What a SHOCK to hear about the shooting spree in Binghamton, NY which is about 2 hours from here, what a senseless tragic thing for 14 people to be killed, and then I see where 3 policemen were kiled in an ambush today, what a tradegy, this will give the Gun Control nuts more ammo for the Outlawing of guns!!!



Well, the laundrys all caught up, fridge is stocked up and it will be off to Syracuse Tuesday Morning for Anna's Surgery!!! The weather can do pretty much what it wants as Honey is confined to rest and relaxation for 4 to 6 weeks in bed or a hard back chair, no recliner or sofa!!!



Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend, we went to Marty and Penny's and played Euchre, ate cheese, chips, dip and snacked all after noon, this time the men played against the women and we won 3 to 2!!!

We went into his garage and cooked 8 big, juicy, 3 inch thick, 8 inch long SPARE RIBS, I made a sause of Vinegar, Olive Oil, Ketchup, and Brown Sugar and the Bar B Q sause was great, it took almost an hour to cook the ribs because they were so big but they sure were juicy and tasty, the girls cooked small salt potatoes, tossed salad, garlic bread, and an Apple Pie and we did eat very well.

It was a great afternoon, discussins and solving all the problems of the world and the community!!!!!!!



Lets not forget our Veterans!!!!

Surgery

Well, it looks like after all the tests, studies, poking, prodding, therapy, discussions and hundreds of miles in trips to Syracuse My little Darling wife is going to have surgery, it is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7th, we have to get up and be on the road at 3:30AM to have her there for prep for surgery at 6AM. I will be able to be with her right up till surgery but not afterwards as she will be in a private room, I can visit in the afternoon after recovery and be there with her till 8PM and then I have to leave so she can rest, They gave me the name of a Motel just down the street where I can stay at a reduced Hospital rate, I would hate to pay the full rate$$$$$, but I can be up early and go back in the morning. The reason I can't stay is security is tight and it's not allowed.

The Hospital is more of a specialized spine surgical center than hospital and their rules on visitors, guests is tough and they are very concerned with colds, flus, or any sickness being brought in by family or visitors.

They are going to try to repair one disc and remove part of another one. We talked about NOT having the surgery but there is a 10% chance it will ease some of the pain and discomfort, 10% does not sound like much but with her pain level any relief will be beter than none.

The weather has changed and has gotten colder but tomorrow is going to warm back up, the snow is slowly going, the robins are now here in full force and now we are awaiting the Daffodils to bloom, Bullhead fishing has started but we will not be able to do much fishing.

Recovery time for the surgery is going to be a long slow process and we have faith that it will be a good slow strong healing process. Time will tell!! She is taking "Sticky" and "Rags" with her to read again and I am taking my sneakers with me to help while I pace the floor!!!! We have gotten a walker and bathtub seat for after the surgery.

Hoping everthing is going well with everyone, Hopefully it will start warming up soon!!!!!

Let us not forget our servicemen and women in our prayers!!!!!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

WOW, the thermometer in the sun said 80 degrees, Beautiful day, sunny, warm in the sun, no breeze. We were up early and it was off to Croghan and the Maple Museum for Breakfast,, on the way we spotted a large flock of "Snow Geese" way off in the meadow....and "Deer" in the meadows, snow is going fast.

We got to Croghan about 8AM and got in line for Breakfast, it took about a half an hour and we were sat at a table with other people, friendship's were made fast and furious, and out came the ladies from the kitchen where the men were cooking huge griddles full of food and we were served Maple Flavored Coffee, Orange Juice, Fresh Milk, and then came huge platters of piping hot, steamy, golden brown, fluffy, light "Pancakes" and large bowls of steaming, lightly browned "Smoked Sausage" which were enjoyed once, then another plate full and then another platefull and we both had our fill!!!! I didn't think 3 plate fulls were too bad, the Old guy next too me made it thru 5 plates, what a "FEAST"!!!!!!!

We then took a nice drive to settle our bellies, the snow is going and there were plenty of large ICE CHUNKS" hanging off the rock cuts beside the road, some of the ice is up to 2 feet thick!!

and in other places its 4 FEET THICK!!!!

The "Spring Thaw" is not bad this year and the rivers and streams are not that bad, this is the Croghan Island Lumber Mill and Old Dam which was a beautiful sight to see as spring arrives!!

This is the "Oswegatchie River and its not running too bad!!

It's nice to walk around the complex and see the snow going, hopefully the dirty looking old stuff willl go faster tonight as it rains!!

We got home and it is nice to see bare ground and the receeding "Ice and Snow Packs" leaving!!!!!

Hopefully the Daffodils will start to pop thru the ground and we can get the Bar B Q grills out SOON!

Lets not forget to remember those serving and those who have served us in our Military!

Home

DE COLORES !!

Well I'm Home, what a time!!! The "Walk to Emmaus" was fantastic, Walk # 89, John's Good News Messengers, Table 5!



Arrived thursday night, settled in and what a ride!!! Got home late Sunday night to lots of hugs and kisses from the Honey!!!!



Monday was truely a day of rest!!!



Today it was up early and out to enjoy some sunshine and warmer weather!! Went for a ride and caught up on emails, messages, notes. Will be an early bed again tonight to get rested up!!

D E C O L O R E S







Let us never forget our Veterans who do not get to rest up like we do!!

NERVOUS

Well SPRING is coming, the ROBINS have arrived, saw 5 in the yard, Canadian Geese and Snow Geese are still flying in and thru, snow is melting and the Bullheads are starting to bite so some fishing is in order and April 1st starts TROUT season.

I am all packed and ready for a trip to Syracuse, I leave shortly for the ride down, I am going on "The walk to Emmaus", it is a mens retreat for 4 days, don't know much about it but have been asked to go!!!! The only thing that those who took the "WALK" told me is to "Let go-Let God take you"!! Its held from Thursday afternoon until Late Sunday night, and yes I am nervous!!! But like the good book says, "If He leads you to it, He will lead you thru it" and that's what I am counting on!!

I will miss my Honey, we have never been apart except for my Hospital stays and even then she slept in the room in a chair with me. Oh well, it's almost time to leave, "WISH ME LUCK and say a little prayer for me!!!!

Will tell you all about it Monday when I get back!!

Lets not forget to also say a prayer for our Troops!!!!!

S P R I N G ?

CAN IT BE HERE????? I hope it's coming, I'm sick of WINTER!! I managed to get thru all the 29 below zero weather, the wind chill's of 35 below zero, snow banks taller than I am and then thursday the 5th of March I got that #$%^ "FLU BUG"! I got my flu shot last fall, BUT the "Flu Bug" I got isn't one the shot protects ya from,

Thursday I went to bed, cough, hacking, nose plugged, cold sweats, got up once for a nature call, back to bed and got up friday, still sick and sore and went to the Doctors for some heavy duty Meds to try to knock this thing out, saturday was mostly in bed and up and in the recliner.

Today was a long one, I did get dressed and made it to church, the wife and I had to put on the coffee hour and I had part of the service to do, I took my box of kleenex with me!!! Lucky for me we had another couple show up and help us so I got to sit until it was my part of the service to do and I managed to get thru it!!

The Canadian Geese are still flying thru and stopping over on their way north, theres some more buds coming on the trees, BUT, still have not seen a ROBIN yet!!!!!

The sugar bushes are busy now collecting sap and boiling it down into golden Maple Syrup, we are waiting for March 27.

March 27th is the Maple Sugar Fest held in the Croghan Maple Museum. The Place is a museum showing the History of Making Maple Syrup, forestry, managing a sugar bush, and antiques to modern day methods of sugaring, It starts at 7AM, people line up about 6:30AM and wait in line to get in, and once inside you get to wait for a place at a big long table in a room that holds about 75 people then you are seated and then the MAJIC!!

They first bring you a fresh hot pot of coffee, a picture of orange juice, THEN a huge plate of Pancakes, a platter of smoked sausage, not pork sausage but a very tasty sausage between smoked and polish sausage, very tasty!!! and the eating begins, ALL YA WANT!!! My best is about a 2 dozen pancakes and 9 links of sausage covered in real butter and fresh Maple Syrup then I waddle to the car so the wife can drive me home for the recliner, glad its only once a year!!!

I like the Kitchen, they have 3 large grills, they cook about 50 pancakes on a grill, one man does nothing but pour batter, the next man comes thru and flips them, then another man comes thru and piles them high on platters and sends them out to the dining room, another 2 griddles do nothing but cook sausage, these men have a system where they cook from 7AM straight thru to 11AM with the dining room full all the time till 11AM when they shut the doors and feed the line still in the building!!

Well I hope everyone's upcoming week is a good one!!!

Let us keep our Service Men and Women in our Prayers!!

THE O P E R A

The Opera??? screeching women, foriegn language, men in tights wearing cattle horns and women the size of wrestlers??? *(NOPE) *(WRONG)... Anna and I had the unique opportunity to meet her brother Marc today, (sunday) in Syracuse, The morning started with the long drive to syracuse where we met Marc at his Hotel Suite and went to *(Brunch) even wore my best sunday suit an tie!!!!!.

We arrived after the hour and a half drive an went to a nice restaurant, looked at a menu that had words I could not understand, much less say BUT I ended up with fresh sugar cured bacon and cheese wrapped in an egg omlet with a side sause, real home fried potatoes with onions and crispy, fresh strawberries, home-made bread toast, jams and jellies and a delicious coffee an the wife had a delicious dish called eggs florentine, with fruit, excellent meal!! Thats me, Anna, Michael and Marc waiting fer grub!!!!!

Michael works for "WALT DISNEY" and sets up productions of Walt Disney shows and preformances like "Beauty & the Beast, Mickey on Ice, Ice-Capades and also travels all over the country.

After Brunch we walked around a bit and headed for the Syracuse Opera House with tickets in hand. No waiting in line for us!!!!!

This is Anna Mae and her brother Marc on our way to the Opera House!!

Anna Maes brother Marc is an "Opera Director", he worked, struggled and went to the best schools in Boston and New York City and now lives in New York and travels around the country directing Opera's. As he was going to be only a short distance from us we were invited to attend his show, free tickets and after some talking to, pleading, and coaxing by Honey I agreed to "go to an Opera"!! HEY, there's a first time for everything.

Marc has done many Opera's, TOSCA at the Virginia Opera, SAMPSON & DELIHA in St. Louis, HANSEL & GRETEL in Nevada, and RINALDO at Central City Opera in Colorado, LE NOZZE di FIGARO at the NY Metropolitian Opera, MACBETH at the Granite State Opera and traveled around the states doing many many more too numerous to mention.

WELL!! we walk into the Opera House with me in my sunday finest, pass the line getting tickets as Marc had special seats for us, we were escorted to DOWN FRONT & CENTER!! Best seats in the house.

We watched an excellent performance of "ROMEO & JULIETT. As a matter of fact we met the lead Soprano, Juliett, *(AMANDA PABYAN) at the Hotel Brunch, she has also traveled all over the country doing leads in Opera's and other shows, very nice young lady.

If my Brother-in Law, Marc was going to do another OPERA near-by I think I would go again, I was surprized at myself as I actually enjoyed the show!!!!! As a matter of fact, there were about 2500 people in the Opera House, at the final curtain call after the show there was a "Standing Ovation" by the audience and even ME, hundreds of shouts of "Bravo", whatever that means?

Wonder how I understood what they were singing in this foriegn language? The words were put up in english on large side monitor so you could easily read them without distracting from the show, "Great-Day!!

On the ride home we say some great signs of "SPRING", the fields had deer out browsing, counted about 24 of them, saw lots of dead skunks on the interstate, saw a couple of road killed racoons and 3 dead deer, 1 coopers hawk and 1 porcupine and as we neared carthage we saw litterly HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of "Honking" Geese in huge flocks landing around in the open corn fields!!!

Hope your week starts out great!!!!!

Lets never forget our Veterans!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LENT

We had our monthly meeting here at the "Old Folk's Home last night and it was busy, interesting and got a lot done!!!

Well, we went to Stone Soup Supper thursday night and had a nice evening, there was a good turn out of about 60 people for Meat Loaf and Scalloped Potatoes and deserts. It was OK, BUT I'm used to feeding people huge portions and plenty of them!!!

I am getting a big ole Bottom Round Steak, taters, carrots, onions, and going to make about 150 big, tall, flaky bakin-powder bisquits and making some Beef Stew for our next dinner, I know we ran out after 100 servings at our last one so am cooking for 150 this time!!!

Well, we are in the Lenten part of our yearly journey. During the 40 days of Lent all of our local churches put on a short 20 to 25 minute service every wednesday at noon, then we serve a luncheon, we try to keep it to just an hour so the people that come from work can get back to work on time!!

We hold the services at the Chruch of the Nazarene, they have the most parking and nicest kitchen to work in. Each Church takes a turn at doing the service and also putting on the luncheon!!

Next week our church will be doing the service and we will be making the lunch, there will be MEAT in our sandwiches!!!!!. The luncheon is kept to sandwiches, chips, pickles and beverage.

The weather has warmed up all the way up into the high 40's!! We have had a little rain with it but theres still lots of snow!!! Redfield still has about 20 FEET OF SNOW even after the warmer weather and rain! What is going to be interesting is what type of warming we get for spring, hopefully it will be slow then the flooding will not be so bad. Flood statge here is 10.5 feet but we have had it go to 16 and 18 feet above flood stage which was a mess and costly both to home owners and farmers.

The good news is my son has moved back to New York from Oregon, HOORAY!!!, today Honey and I had lunch with my son and daughter, Jonathan and Sabrina. Nice Lunch!!!

Went to the eye doctors and after sitting for about 45 minutes they called my name, I stood up and bang, down I went like a "Drunken Sailor"

"DOWN I WENT FLAT ON THE FLOOR", my legs would not work as they were asleep, not too embarrassed as they were only about 45 people, nurses and Doctors who watched the whole event!!!!! They were nice as 2 nurses came out and helped me up and got me moving, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN A NICE SHOW!!!!

well, we finished there and I got an appointment with my friend the Doctor who got me right in!

I had a doctors appointment yesterday, my legs are losing their circulation and I fall down, you would think an "Ole Sailer" could handle "wobbly legs" but theres some other issues so I had to sleep with a wire in my arm connected to a mini-computer to monitor my oxygen levels and heart rate and rythm and then first thing this morning I was at the hospital so they could read the computer results and then I had to go int in for a contrast dye test of the Brain and neck with a MRI. "YUP, they found my Brain!!!

Being on Blood thinners and aspirin, I'm a bleeder so when she went to put in the IV for the contrast material I bled like a stuck hog!!!! Now we wait for results.

We got Anna Mae back down to the Spine center after some more tests, then we met the Neuro-surgeon and it looks like Anna Mae is going to finally have serious back surgery in April to hopefully ease some of her pain and agony.

One GOOD sign is the other night we were lucky to have that sweet scent of a "swamp kitty" drift thru the air, Spring is not far away when you smell the first SKUNK as this means they are out of hibernation, the meadows are now getting deer out in them, The robins are late, they were home by this time last year according to my journal and so are the Canadian Geese late in making their way North back to canada!!!

Hope everyone has a Great Weekend and dances to the music!!!!!!!

Lets not forget our Military still serving and those who have served us!!!