A Friend In Deed

Thayne called. He noticed the lights in my Wyoming house were out. Bless him: he went in, climbed up in my attic and replaced two fuses. Now THAT is a friend. I am happy to report that he took up with a lady he had known for years last March after returning from his vacation here. They are still seeing each other frequently. In fact, as she is a bartender, the owners hired him to be a bar backup person so he has a social life with the lady and is not required to drink. He is enjoying the human parade. He is a good man-I hope she appreciates that.

I have been doctoring a little. My primary doc and my electrophysiologist were not in accord- I occasioned the conflict. I asked Dr. Cohn why I had to continue to take Warfarin because I had not had A-Fib since last March. He told me to discuss it with Dr. Rosenbaum.  Rosenbaum convinced me that one of meds was merely controlling the A-Fib and the statistics on quitting Warfarin and having a stroke are pretty alarming. I did get a medicine change to Xarelto which thins the blood through a different mechanism and doesn't require giving blood every three weeks. I didn't mind getting stuck but the hour and a half wait was wearing.  Cohn is wary of the new meds but says we can always go back. I feel good.

I, as usual, am reading prodigiously. Most recently The Autobigraphy of Mark Twain which he embargoed for 100 years after his death. I thought there would be some dynamite in there but it is essnetially a love letter to his daughter Susy who died young but had kept a biography of her father from her age of first literacy to age 24. That is not to say I haven't enjoyed it and learned from it.

I read the Legend of Wolfspear by Richard Stephenson who lives across the street. It is in the Fantasy genre and has some excellent virtues- Battle scenes and action are very good. He builds on historical facts too so the verisimilitude is strong.

ArtFest at Deerfield Beach



Multitudes of interesting art lovers for two days gawk and shop





Some very interesting  artwork and crafts





Live music at several venues.





The Atlantic Ocean is the backdrop

Jason and Lori and the O.F. took in the Deerfield Beach Art Festival. We looked and munched, saw some old friends (Richard Whitecloud, Zen, and Tekhala who has grown like a weed) and spent a little money. Jason had already been to the Pompano Nautical Flea Market with his friend Joe. When you run with Joe, you are going to drink a little. Lori kept Jason going. Next year I will go both days because the people and canine parade is wonderful to watch. Juneau got lots of attention and pats which is gratifying to dog and owner. Mine stayed home-thankfully. Honey would have eaten a snappy little dachshund.



Who Killed The Goose?

You will note the blog has gone ad-free.  After five years I was thrilled to received a check from Google for around $100.00. Then another one came- I still have it.  Then came a notice that my ADsense account had been disabled for fishy ad clicks- running up my account artifically they maintain. So someone killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. Frankly I will not miss the money but I am annoyed that Google thinks I am a shyster.  There were some domains sending traffic my way from Russia if that is what ru. means.  I have filed an appeal but my blog is not necessarily commercially viable so I may forever be ad-free. Boo-hoo.

The dogs have been itchy. Taking the path of least resistance, I gave Buddy a bath. He smells better and is fluffier. I am monitoring the itchy part and have washed dog blankets, etc. He wasn't really crazy about the experience but he was a good boy.  The girl may need a professional.

The kids came by and brought Pickle Barrel Sandwiches to order for lunch. I had an egg salad sand for lunch and supper-they are that big.  The kids are off to the West Coast tomorrow (of Florida- about 150 miles). They have friends from here who have a vacation/rental /investment home over there and there are a couple of weeks it is not rented.  (Weekly rent mostly to Germans- a good income)

Thing have been fairly quiet here- had the pip Wednesday and have been very drowsy for the last couple of days. Good R.E.M.sleep with dreams in which the live and dead people of my life interact freely. Curious.

Breathing a little easier

My breathing and oxygen levels have been very good for quite awhile. The numbers won't support a re-up on an insurance paid oxygen concentrator. Still, I grew accustomed to night-time oxygen and still have some vestiges of sleep apnea which the oxygen helps. Seeing the writing on the wall, I started checking Craig's List. I followed a few leads which led nowhere but finally located one in Margate.  That is far out of my usual haunts but I screwed up my courage and drove way west and some south. The guy offered me a chance to dicker so I did.  I got a good deal on a fairly high mileage concentrator.  I had checked with Dr. Cohn and he had no objection, in fact understood, my desire to continue but not to the extent of committing  malpractice by prescribing that which did not meet the guidelines.  So I am set for now.  Even if it just reassuring it is worth it to somebody who NEVER wants to suffocate in his own lung fluids again. Twice is twice too many times to go through that.

Buddy has appointed himself "air warden." Being a little fella he looks over his shoulder a lot. He takes umbrage at the Goodyear Blimp which sails across our airspace at least twice a week.  He will raise a fuss until the thing is well past our horizons. He knows how it sounds now. It is pretty funny for the first 10 minutes but since he always succeeds in chasing it off, he gives it the 20 or 30 minutes it requires then grumbles for another 5.

The Bronco Loss Explained

Click the link

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/tebow/1374394

Christmas in January

Nasty colds kept the John Prince Park people in their campers for the festivities of the season so we held our own last Saturday. Drinks and canapes at Andre and Nicole's, then a lunch at the Old Key Lime House. We had a beautiful day for it and as usual, some good laughs and photo ops.

Jeanne's idea and photography. Others were taking snaps too before it was over.

All five of us-we are ever mindful that we used to be seven. Lots of pleasant memories and more coming..

Since that time I came down with the dreaded cold-probably from Jason who had a rough time of it. I think I am mostly over it and did not have a very bad time of it. Perhaps Dr. Cohn's administration of a flu shot helped me. Dr. Rosenbaum's office did not care that I had a cold and I had another good report from Rob and Melissa. (I haven't actually seen Rosenbaum since the word Medicare passed my lips) My battery will last for another 8 years making it highly likely a defibrillator will become available on eBay. There were no cardiac events since last time-It will be a year in March since my Cardioversion and I haven't skipped a beat.

Greg and Lew came by yesterday-the puppy has arrived and it proving a tonic for the whole outfit. Even Pupper is less mopey. After an easing in, all four doggies played a little. It surely is a cute pup. Greg hardly lets it walk.

We are in the midst of another cold spell which means jackets. Some of the plants are feeling it. It is nice for long walks with the doggies and not at the crack of dawn. Jason and Lori are in the throes of home maintenance and improvement. They will take a weekend trip to the other coast for R&R with some friends.

Shiver Me Timbers!

I had to figure out how to get my air conditioning  system to produce heat. A first time in over a year and first for me ever. It is a little different. Instead of hot air coming out of the registers, first comes cool, then comes warm and that is pretty much it. The air handler recirculates the air  pretty frequently and each time the air goes through it gains some heat. After awhile it is comfortable. It has not frozen here but is is very brisk out there.  Should be nicer this weekend. The days are very nice-Honey is frisky. Buddy is too, then he thinks a lap is a nice place to be.

The John Prince people have been sick! Serious colds, sore throats. They have stayed home and I am glad for that. Jason succumbed to a cold bug day before yesterday. Hope it leaves him more quickly than it did the geezers.

Jerome of the rasta hair and gold teeth delivered a used file cabinet from Crazy Roger's used office equipment. It is heavy wood and he worked hard and got it just right. He said, "You have a cozy crib here." He is right. I do-what a difference a year makes. Trying to make sense of the office/den. Jason's mantra is "Make it look intentional."  I try. My "give a sh.."  attachment takes a holiday sometimes. I think it is on its last legs.

12312011 FL New Year Eve at David and Jacqui's

Click on the picture to see the WebAlbum

Happy New Year!

Another Fabulous New Year Eve at David and Jacqui's.  A fantastic band-Weedline, enough Italian Food to feed an army- Nice people and pretty people (sometimes they are the same!). The wine flowed freely. If you didn't have a good time, it was your own fault.



Is She or Isn't He?  Some are saying transexual others not.

The college boy dancing with s/he might have been in for a surprise (or not).

In any case they crashed  the party and were certainly well turned out. Everybody is welcome. Certainly charming and more than willing to be photographed.  A first for me.

A profusion of great food. Jason scored ample leftovers for me and delivered them last night.  Glad tohave them.

Weedline sets up in the living room. They rocked.
I'll post an album after I get it finished.