Out Camping

Physical Therapy is going well, I have had one of my drugs changed, I went from Depakote to Gabbapentin, Depakote works on the brain to calm down the twitching and jerking from the stroke, but does not act as a nerve block, Gabbapentin works as a nerve block allowing more use to the left side.  SO, feeling a little better we went camping.
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We have camped here for 25 years, we have had tents, pop ups, tents and now a Hard-top camper.   Most of our Campers were large and we left them set up on Lake Bonaparte up in the Adirondack Mountains.
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Anna Mae in front of the tree with the "Old Man Face" on it, if you look close you can see the face, this tree has been here as long as we have been here!!
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All set up, didn't do too bad, hardest part is hooking up and un hlooking camper.
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These are the leveling braces, very heavy, the stack of lumber is a pain but the 4 bottom pieces are screwed togeather, once unhooked it is not too bad to level, trying to figure something else up to use.  I have to find something else as I left them at the campsite and someone picked them up.  It is a pain in the a$$ to hook and unhook, the receiver and Ball on the SUV weigh about 80 pounds!!! 
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Camper set up, fridge running, electric OK, fresh cup of 1/2 coffee/1/2 decaf.
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Lunch with my Honey, grilled cheese and bologna samiches on Pita Pocket Bread.
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Hot day, Anna Mae cooling her feet in Whetstone Gulf Creek, very cold water.
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My Honey putting up the night lights.
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We like the night lights, everyone it seems in the campgrounds have them.
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Supper was Venison, Potatoes and green beans from the gardem,delicious when you hunt it and kill it and grow it and eat it!!
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Anna cooling her heels in the creek.
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I love cooking over an open fire.  If Physical Therapy goes well we want to go south on a trial run hauling the camper.
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My honey making a list of things we need if we tow the camper to Myrtle Beach next month.
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. From sunny skys to clouds, thunder and lightning, up here on Tug Hill Storms can get pretty bad,  so after a couple days we are cutting the trip short and heading home.
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I was lucky and found this Poncho I bought in Myrtle Beach a few years back, never wore it till now and it did keep me dry.
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Don't Forget, Remember our Vets!!!.

August is a good month, August is usually warm/hot, we have the "Dog Days of August" as Grampa and Dad and the other Old Timers called them, it was because all the cow dogs dug holes and layed where it was cool.
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.August 7th is my Son, Jonathan's Birthday, the above picture was taken as he was being shipped off to Kuwait for the invasion, he is an excemmalt Marksman and a Computer Geek,  He captured 145 Iraq Soldiers, they were barefoot and sockless and had no water, they were put on outposts, their footware was taken so they could not desert or run away across the burning desert sand.
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.Thispicture of of My Son today, he works for a computer company in Portland Oregon, plays in several Bands, owns his own house in Aloaha, Oregon.  Travels around playing music.

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.August 9 is my Dads Birthday, he was born in 1908, he died when I was 35 years old, left a big empty hole in my Life.
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.August was when I transferred from Rocjester to Watertown, this was where I retired from, I had a total of 29 years in Law Enforcement.
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.These are some of the Patches I wore on my Uniforms and Badges that I wore..
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 Don't forget, remember our Vets !!! 

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Well, I went to Physical Therapy this afternoon, I was pulled, stretched, squished, tweaked, manipulated, bent, and moved on my left side to get things going, the stroke residual left me weak, fezzy and tingly, Physical Therapy for Stroke Survivors is different than for injury, I was on the table for an hour and 15 minutes, I am sore but delighted that there is still nerves connected to the brain.
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. This is Patches, well that's what we named her, she wanders around and likes to sit and wait by the back steps for a hand-out, we feed her and several others do also, she has been around for a couple of months but don't know what will happen come winter, I hope we can be on the way to Florida before winter.
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Above is a picture taken just outside of Fort Drum .  I think it is a C-130 or C-131, not sure, this plane is very large, it looks like it is hanging in mid air, it was doing what they call "touch and go" at Wheeler Sack Air Field on Fort Drum.
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. It looks like this is up there but from the ground it is loud and the trees to the left on the picture will latterly feel the draft of the plane and move like the wind blew them.  These planes bring our people home from Iraq and Afghanastian back to Fort Drum.
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I have made reservations for 4 days of camping next week, I am going to try it, we will only be about an hour from home and 20 minutes to nearest hospital.
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It's interesting to look back and realize how important our health is to us, I remember in the Navy I could do anything, any time, "No Sweat" as Chief Weary used to say.  In the picture below is Chief Weary, PO3 Cynthia Turnipseed, Po1 Williams, PO1 Weir, PO1 Wood in New Orleans.
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, then as a Police Officer I loved a good Bar Room Brawl or small Riot to keep in shape and my skills honed.  I was 6 foot 1 inch and 180 pounds of wire and brick.
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.Today after losing 25 pounds I am 6 feet having lost an inch and weigh 236 pounds.  I am very Blessed as I am in a lot better shape than a lot of the patients I was with in the Stroke Center, I am home and a lot of them are still in the stroke center.
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. Well, I still stand Proud, I am a Veteran, I feel I did some good and have no regrets.

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Gardening

Well, I am seeing improvement on the Stroke residual, I still have numbness on the left side on top of the head, face, left arm and left leg feels like it weighs 100 pounds!!
.  I see my Doctor tomorrow and hope for a majic pill to make me all better but know that is not going to happen so I will hope he can tell me something!!!
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I go to Physical Therapy Wednesday to see what can be done..

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Anna Mae is out picking more fresh beans out of the Garden.  everything is in full bloom, warm and sunny.
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Cucumbers are growing and will have some fresh ones soon!
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This is the view of the rear of our complex, below is the gardens, our patio and grill, anna mae is down there in the garden working.  There is 42 stairs from the bottom to the top, I can now climb all of them using the hand rail.
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Don't forget, remember our Vets !!

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Gardens and Flowrs

Well, I am set for Physical Therapy for the Stroke Residual to work on my Balance and to see if we can lessen the  radiating pain in my left leg, arm, face and head.

The stroke in 2010 I managed with PT and drugs and exercise, this time now it is a little rougher on the old body.  Oh well, we had a beautiful day.

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.This the side entrance to our building, Anna Mae and I plante d these flowers this spring, tonight I was able to use the water hose and stand for a while.

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This garden belongs to Mark, it has done fantastic this year, cukes, tomatoes and awesome beautiful flowers.
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This picture abve is of the gardens out back.
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These flowers are pretty but have no smell!!
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This a picture of Bruce's garden, they all grew really well this year.
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The above flowers were planted in June, really growing!!!
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This garden above is ours, we grew some flowers and the Beans were for anyone who wanted to pick them and they reallywere liked by residents.
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This garden belongs to the lady from Alaska, she used some sticks and yearn to make her stakes and growing platforms.
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Fresh Cucumbers ready to pick.
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Early Girl Tomatoes but not ready yet!!

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Anna Mae made me come in and put clothes on !!!
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I feel like this sometimes.

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