Hospital

reasons why I don't sleep
Originally uploaded by MDH, II.

The surgery went just fine -- finishing early. Getting her into room, longer, getting her out of pain -- mostly unsolved. She is animal tranquilized, but that may not be enough. Today was very difficult.

Father rested in her room last night. He didn't sleep. When he came home, he got little sleep. Beth and Marcus were there with her, then Marcus picked up Diane's Jessica and later Jennifer came to see Lois.

It was just not good. More in later post.

Pain, strain, wait

Lois was in pain last night, but missed it this morning until ... she was ready to go to doctor's. She had made an appointment with her pain management doctor for 9:15 today. He guessed it was back spasms and offered her some sample drugs to see if they worked. Lois was worried that her rehab would be frought with tears of pain doubled from her back.

She rested and had a chance to pack up what she wanted for the rehab. Thankfully, Thomas and Marcus can do laundry service for her.

Thomas is on a cloud ... drifting uncontrollably. He can't concentrate on anything. Marcus has saved bits, and I do mean bits, of sanity with obsessing with a few items. No one will be in good shape tomorrow. Beth is coming up tonight and Diane plans to come to hospital upon ensuring that Jessica is at school.

The pastor called and indicated that he would be around the area in hospital to offer prayer and love, hopefully before the surgery. That just kicks it, doesn't it? There you are in gown, maybe covered in sheet, and church persons come by -- well, either accept the well-wishing or prefer your pride. I'd say skip the pride.

I plan on taking just about anything to get to sleep tonight. If I could hit myself with a mallot, I would.

Agony of defeat

Wicked week, but better than the last.
Lois had painful bouts, but kepts tears to minimum. Thomas is tripping over ideas and his own feet. Marcus appears calmer, better, but is "little boy" the atom bomb -- prone to fits of anxiety ... pouncing on tidbits of frustration. Soundbites and news -- little discussed.

Of disgust, Lois' liking of pain. She's worried about her rehab, considering her back pain. In either a moment of panic or clarity, she called a pain management doctor, with whom she's worked before, to handle the pain. She hopes that perhaps upping the Oxy will put moxy in her step. She hopes at least less grit in her teeth.

Upswells of hope and love are offered as a friend, now adrift in feelings of helplessness, dropped by today. She wondered, hintingly, if I would wake Lois to chat with her. I didn't, as Lois was in pain and my main concern is and was that she get to hospital on Thursday without knocking herself out with pain. Friend, Betty is in hospital (previous post) and will be in rehab at the same time as Lois. Perhaps they will meet each other in their efforts there.

Father's golf, as cathartic as it might be is no substitute to mother's well-being. He is as capable of thinking as a clam ... open sometimes, but mainly filtering. Marcus is a bit more capable, but stressed. Lois' health is primarily his worry. Onto that, money and job and a few other things that are left undiscussed.

I'm glad I don't smoke as now, I would be a Pennsylvania steel mill belching out smog and soot as surely as I exist. Mother rests poorly, father poorly ... thankfully, a spit of good news

Father's bone scan, though more intensive than planned, turned up nothing, according to father. Still, his shoulder is a mild wreck, he prefers not to drive and his knee was the focus of the bone scan. In my heart, my mind ... doubt. Cynical and skeptical to the last ... Marcus drags doubt, concern and sorrow, in every step.

Mother's confession of procrastination was a welcome laugh. She delcared today that it was great that she'd be in rehab center where they don't take excuses, no passes, no, "no"'s. She'll have to do the work; pain and all. And in that, I am glad that pain ahead she's mandated herself to assistance.

It's plastic, it's rectangle, it's filled with sand

and poop. This week is viewed in litter box.

Tuesday: rotten, really nothing more to say on it, other than plain rot. Father had a chance to play golf and poker.
Wednesday: slightly better, but Father didn't golf
Thursday, almost as rotten as Tuesday.
Friday: Thomas, Lois and Marcus went into hospital for Lois' pre-admission testing. Lois claimed it was to be 30 minutes, but that was far off. It lasted nearly 4 hours. She learned some, as did Thomas and Marcus. In leui of lunch that they missed they caught some 4:30 dinner.
Saturday: Sluggish. Father and I went to look at convalescent care items and bought a couple of things. Two salespersons were at the one store. One wanted to sell everything, the other was less pushy.

Father and Marcus replaced a toilet seat which took herculean efforts, six tools and 40 minutes. The old metal bolts were rusted and the plastic nuts didn't move. After making no headway with the dremel, Marcus hacked away slowly with a sawblade, 4 sheets of paper thick.

We finished today with Lois' back hurting again. This week bit me already, otherwise I would have invited it to do so.

Also, we found out that an old friend, Betty, was in hospital for other checking when she had a grand mal seizure. I know little else. Her daughter is due to come down tonight or tomorrow. Betty was worried about getting old and having to be in a nursing home ... this might eliminate choices.
....
Marcus still hasn't found a job. He will now be fighting with MetLife to process his paperwork that they have had for three-five weeks, to give him some of HIS money. He's none-too happy. The Tums corporation has opened a new branch due to increased sales, in a related story.

Goodnight sweetheart, well, it's time to go.

No monuments this week. No grand vacations or leaps. There was one giant leap for Jenny-kind Saturday in that she left for freshman year at Purdue. This week only (sounding like an ad) is strictly freshman orientation. Jenny and Jessica haven't been truly apart from each other in a a long, long time, though wtih Jenny having a steady (serious) boyfriend, Gary, the sisters have spent less time together. This will be a hard separation for both.
I'm not too worried for Jenny, she'll either stick with her core (Vetrinary Science) or pursue something else. Schoolwork wasn't a terrible problem for her.

The Freygangs borrowed Thomas' van. Father and I went to prepare it for the move -- yank seats, vaccuum and wash. The vaccuuming was long-since needed, but it looked better quickly. The auto wash did an okay job, but father and I noticed not one bubble of soap during the wash, leaving us with skepticism. Jenny wasn't packed well for the trip and her room looked like either:
A: earthquake focussed on her room, sending everything everywhere, mostly to the floor
B: all personal belongings were put in blender andit was set on maximum spread

This week, Thomas and Marcus did a little painting. On Friday, Lois got a coumadin level check and Father picked up a new Lutheran Hospital map with the parking garage and two buildins that Lois will visit during surgery and rehab. After that, Thomas, Lois, and Marcus ate a lunch at Cracker Barrel, which was noisy enough to deafen the deaf. Conversation wasn't really possible.

Unstated to anyone, Marcus took a look around and saw, what looked like a partially filled soda bottle on a table. The bussers (table cleaners) didn't attempt to move it. I thought this gross, until ... 20 minutes later, I noticed one on another table. "Think rabbit ... think!" They were, instead, snapple-shaped bottles that contained syrup for breakfast meals. I'm scho schtupid!

Thomas and Lois got threee plates of food each. They didn't eat it all. Had the meat been not as dry, surely they would have had a better meal. They each disliked the grits and the sausage gravy. I ate fish, some of which was fried in oil with fried chicken, giving it that chicken flavor -- yuck! It wasn't all bad.

After the vehicle exchange on Saturday, the three went to an Italian restaurant, Casa Grill. The service was slow, the table uncleaned in a spot, which I didn't mention to anyone. Father got their signature salad -- large bowl that he couldn't finish (bottomless?) Mother got a hoagie fillet of sole sandwhich that she didn't finish that came with side pasta. Marcus finished all of his lunch at 2:30 (very late lunch) as he didn't eat breakfast.

After that, Lois plummeted into Stephen King's Misery, in that her captor "pain" delivered well her doses of pain -- back aching to the point of near tears. Her dialogue with the pain sounded mantra-like or hail Marys. Unable to sleep but spots, she failed to make it to church again. Father, sleeping only a bit better had to attend as he was head usher.

Marcus read through more, this time completely, worthless job postings. Tripling the number of postings today wasn't a good trade for quality. Quantity only helps at particular times.

Jessica is to come to mow father's lawn, but we'll find out if that happens. It being only the three of them at the house this weekend -- I would guess that they'd go to see a movie together, their family enjoyment. In contrast, Thomas, Lois, and Marcus played cards with mixed results. Father typically lost, especially when playing King's Corner. Playing 7up (card game), he fared better.

Circling Hell?

Try as I might, I can't find out why she's there!

I called Diane today about her and Mom's appointment with sewing. Apparently Hell hath no fury like ill fortune.
She was calling from the road to pick up her son, Joseph, who got pulled over twice in the same day. His offenses are unknown to me, at this time. Last night her husband James (my brother-in-law of course) got into an accident and might have whiplash. Her elder daughter, Jennifer, might have a bladder infection again. Yikes!
I guess that if you are LIVING in hell, it really isn't Hell, as Hell is continual death and absence/distance from God -- mett out as you did in life. Here, Diane has the upside down horseshoe birthmark, She calls it Murphy's Law extreme. If something can go wrong, it will -- twice in one day.

The folks were doing okay yesterday. Father played iron well, but putted terribly. Overall, he had fun, but disappointed with his, "short game". Lois had some difficulty with soreness and rest. Amazingly, few doctor appointments this week. Next week -- anew.

Father has a bone-scan scheduled, midtime between here and Lois' surgery. Today marks the two-week mark before her double bionic knees, being the $6 Billion Woman, or at least that's what is billed to Medicaid/Medi-Care and other supplements.

weekend

Beth and Tom came up this weekend with their dogs Samson (in photo lying next to father) and Argos, black German Shepherd (not shown here). Tom wanted to exercise them a bit and work on training. Argos is larger than Samson, and is less than a year old. Tom hopes to get him trained for Schultzhund -- canine sporting.
While Father, Tom, dogs and I were at the park, Lois, Beth, Diane were out drinking tea and choosing fresh bread. Though not too hot, Marcus was chewed apart by mosquitoes.

It was very nice to have the Loves come up to visit, however short it was. The Loves and the folks watched Pride and Prejudice, well, not father as he snoozed through it. I declined.

Bethy emailed me, wanting me to call Tom, for she grabbed his keys and her new building couldn't make outside calls at that time. Sounds like the building was all ready, right?

Wet paint

Father and I were painting again. This time, it was the upstairs hallway walls. It seems to be my lot in life to paint. The seemingly thousands of corners from five doorways took a long, long while. In the middle of painting I got a call about a sales job that I likely don’t want, selling financials to senior citizens.

We finished and when we were cleaning out brushes and trays, the outside well (not where one gets water) was filled with paint water and plant material. Water went nowhere, because of the plant waste. I thought that it would eventually drain and went in to wash my hands then shower.

I went to the basement (opposite side of well) and the paint water had crept in, along the floor. I dropped scrap towels to hold back what could have been a flood. I went outside and bailed the excess water from the well while Father dropped more towels on the floor. After the well was 5 mm filled with water, very safe, I returned to clean up the mess.

It had crept under a storage cabinet, thankfully plastic and easier to move. It also went under the clothes washer, so we had to move it and clean the mess there. Yikes! It had been a while seen the cabinet and the washer had pulled back. Goo, eww ... and gross! Suffice to say that the energy I had for the second coat of paint today, was spent on the water disaster. I am spent. Father had a sore back, so we called it a day at the half (12:00)

The good news is that God was looking out for us, in that it rained heavily in the afternoon and the plugged well would have been an issue, perhaps.

Mother was a little more energetic today and spoke with hospital about appointment. Diane was supposed to come over to work with Mom on some small patches for their sewing tomorrow. At the time of this writing, she had yet to show.

To make walking difficult, most of the walls upstairs were wet, but dried fairly quickly. At 3:00, the rails were up and it was as good as it was going to be for today. Father thought that one coat would do, but Marcus wasn't sure.

The wound that would not heal

Mother has an August 24th surgery appointment.  Mother complained about a leg injury that hasn't successfully healed for 3 years.  Nice -- a nurse who doesn't check into it.  Against her will, Father took her to the doc.

According to the doctor, they need to take a biopsy to verfiy his suspicions that it's pre-cancerous.  Since an incision might bring on an infection, he suggested that she not take this action now, so close to surgery.  Some more about which to worry.

 

Today was a long one.  Lois is sore, Thomas is plain bushed.  The news isn't good.  Welcome to the weekend.

In lighter news, Diane and family are supposed to take a mini-vacation to lovely Monticello, Indiana for a day at Indiana Beach (large, long lake with rides, etc.)

 

Beth, Tom, and their canine companions Samson and Argos are due to come up this weekend.  It should be fun, much more fun than the drive, wait, bad news.

Books, interview, appointment

Lois now has a surgery appointment -- 6:30 a.m. August 24th. Good golly, miss Molly! Following this, P.T. and convalescent care for weeks. All of this in consideration, Lois has chosent to dive right in.

Father, tired of his recent book -- "dry" as he called it, found a book at the library, the basis for the movie, End of the Spear. It should be, well, potentially more interesting, depending on authorship.

Marcus had an interview today -- short, simple, "I might call you next week" was the ending statement. Granted, I didn't come into the new-smelling of new carpet office, dressed in either tie or suit in the 96 degree humid, rainy weather. I suppose that had I perfectly shaved before, that might have lent itself to a better first impression. I have no high hopes for this job.

Lois was too sore to successfully go sewing today, so she didn't. Diane, who was to sew with her, chose not to go, in favor of better using her time to sort out the Purdue affairs as Jenny has dubious housing for college. Jessica was with her, but spent much time, quietly sitting -- seemingly bored. It was, however, good to see them.

Happy Anniversary to the folks today

My father called today after Mom saw the doctor.  He has okayed the double knee replacement surgery.  It might be another month or so before it happens, but it was joyous news, none the less.

 

Today is their anniversary, so in celebration they are going out to a fancy-schmancy meal somewhere ... I was not given that info.

 

My sister sent me an electronic (e-card, via hallmark) for the folks.  Laptops are great, as I can tote that bad boy around and show them -- hey!  Here's your romance card, c/o my little (but older) sister.

Monday musings

We went to Cheng's Chinese Buffet for dinner; Thomas, Lois, Diane (above), Jessica, Jenny, Jenny's boyfriend Gary, and Marcus. When we got back, Jenny and Gary went to do their thing, meanwhile Jessica mowed the grass in slightly cooler temperatures. The morning is the only cool time of day, but she's sleeping.

Diane's ear is healing -- cotton here to limit visual seeping. She's doing okay, hearing fine and in fairly good spirits. Lois is in pretty good spirits, having done another Coumadin test today and due to have another on Friday. Diane and Lois are to sew in a class on Thursday. Thomas still has a sore shoulder, which is ever-so-slowly improving -- so he says. The new house potpourri is something like IcyHot or BenGay, but generally smells strong and works weak (ly).

Marcus is still resume posting and getting poorer and poorer sleep, as well as poorer and poorer in general. After a short email from Uncle Jack, I know that Dorothy is still in pain, though on pills -- not much change or good. Weather's not, health is not -- summer 2006 is hot sweaty, smelly and in need of improvement.

Sadly, I have little chance to speak with the Orozcos, so I'm not sure how well they are doing. Johnny is set to do football practice for school -- though possible that stomach injuries will hurt greater until fully healed.

Beth's job is moving 15-30 minutes East. She has an even longer drive. She's darn-near a scenic highway to get to Fort Wayne in a much shorter time than on I-69, but that shows how far she is from her NW Indy home in Zionsville.

Today is Tuesday -- golf day, let us hope that it marks a start of GREAT HEALTH FOR EVERYONE, that Father can golf and that no one has ditch-digging duties today.

Board stiff

Lois is still having back pains, intermittant as to degree. Thomas decided, blast it "I'll firm up that mattress with wood" and so he and Marcus went to Lowes and got a 5/8" thick piece, cut had it cut once and placed the proverbial pea under the mattress. Father claimed that it did firm up the mattress a little, but the mattress is already firm.
Much to Lois' disappointment -- I caught this, a photo of her lurking about. She later had long, nice conversations with daughters Beth and Debbie at different times. This summer, she's putting away sweaters. She got them out for a particular restaurant that is typically colder than the Arctic circle, but this time -- not. Jessica was with Lois, Thomas and Marcus at the time.

Returning to a greater level of normalcy, Lois was up for more hours today either dealing with the pain or experiencing less of it. It was a great relief to see her moving and existing. Father too, was more at ease, as her bed rests sit poorly on his heart and mind.

This afternoon, they spent some time watching super-exciting ... golf. Yeah! Didn't I title this bored stiff, well it rhymes anyway.

Marcus has spent now years at the computer reading help useless ads and creating accounts with six some companies apart from the recruiting companies for which he already has accounts. I think now I remember teaching two half-days kindergarten, in teaching virtually the same thing twice. Each day different, each child different, yet sometimes reading a very long-winded tale as prescribed by the lesson, boring the snot out of the kids and you, despite my Robin Williams like attempt to liven the puppy.

I think that the math textbooks were animated next to reading job postings. My word! Also, the jobs often boast poor pay, lots of travel and "duties include, but aren't limited to ..." Marcus, in no uncertain words, has said he hates it.

Entertaining themselves last night, Thomas and Lois watched British comedies on the local PBS. They didn't favor Monty Python's Flying Circus, but liked the "older generation" comedies. Some should just be thrown onto TV Land, gaining yet another earnest viewship.

Fair Tales

Glass Sliver

Mother has had some back pain for some time and the other night it was terrible and she spent a lot of time out of it. She got up to get sherbert, as the Germanic Cinderella did -- or in this version she did. In getting it she knocked over her glass -- really glass, into the sink. As fortune would have it, she found a large piece with her foot. She called out to her fairy Godmother, but she was on vacation in Quebec, so her substitute Marcus came to help. Upon inspection, she was bleeding from the broken vessels -- flowing like a river. Anyway, with some luck, Marcus found the large piece and yanked it out. Mother winced and forgot the pain. Despite patching the flood with band aids, she bled. I cut apart a sock of mine to keep her sheets from running red. It worked. Cinderella, awoke in the morning without the prince pursuing her, but she did find that her glass sliver was found. She now lives happy unbloody after.

Diane went to hospital for ear surgery and did okay. Sadly, she didn't take well to the anestesia and spent her time home puking and resting poorly under lots of fans.

....

We finished the evening with poker games, a visit to the Liberty Diner and finally the DVD of TV show Gross Anatomy. It's not my type of show, but Jessica liked it.

Poker

Tuesdays are Thomas' poker nights with friends, every other Tuesday and they rotate turns as hosts. It's interesting to note that while they have been playing for maybe 10+ years like this, why they would argue about poker. Last night, while not serious, there was a dispute about poker. Father laughed off the rock-paper-scissors battle with, "We've only been playing for years. You'd think we'd know the rules by now." In the end, I think there was "no fault" and the game continued.

In mid-game, around 9 o'clock, the adult kids come up to feast and feast and feast. I have included this picture because it reminded me of Disney's Bug's Life, "They come; they eat; they leave." Later this was a mantra. This is what I saw when they left to continue playing. What I don't get is why, if the trash in 22" from you, why you don't throw stuff away. I guess it just doesn't make sense to me.


Also, there was in Father's case; ... he eats, he pains like mad. There were hot wings as well as BBQ wings and they fluttered in him though alive -- according to father. In re-using my chicken statement--ran like a chicken to the medicine cabinet. After a night of unrest, he declared, "I think we're gonna be pitching out the hot wings". He dared not let Mother try them as she doesn't like hot and responses poorly to it.

Lois was again, so very sore that she spent much time unavavilable. Earlier in the day, using an ice pad -- simply a honey packet sheet (30 x 50) filled with water, then frozen; broken in a few areas soaking some parts of the bed. Mother was ejected from her rest due to the levee breaking. Anyway -- change of sheets -- good as new -- ice sheet went to trash. There is another one, but empirical data shows it's prone to puncture.

Marcus went out on a trek, prior to returning to help with food prep/settings. On my trip I got a few interesting pictures. I saw two muskrats eking out a living on the very low, dirty river. To my surprise, there was also a duck -- common, and a stork. It was a good photography day.

The directions on the wings was 20 minutes at 400. That didn't work worth squat! I think either the oven is wrong in it's setting or the instructions were a bit off. The wings took double the time and were still .. not fully warm. Nuts! The food, as you can see above, was eaten and everyone, I guess had a good time. There were two smokers who left their butts somewhere no one could find, as they weren't in the ashtrays father set out for them. Come time for mowing and I'll suppose we'll see them in the street or somewhere.

I twice played poker with these guys. The first time, I lost $20 in two hours, then quit. I lost only $5 over four hours the next time. I might play sometime later when they are missing a person, but that ratio isn't so good.

Poker

Tuesdays are Thomas' poker nights with friends, every other Tuesday and they rotate turns as hosts. It's interesting to note that while they have been playing for maybe 10+ years like this, why they would argue about poker. Last night, while not serious, there was a dispute about poker. Father laughed off the rock-paper-scissors battle with, "We've only been playing for years. You'd think we'd know the rules by now." In the end, I think there was "no fault" and the game continued.

In mid-game, around 9 o'clock, the adult kids come up to feast and feast and feast. I have included this picture because it reminded me of Disney's Bug's Life, "They come; they eat; they leave." Later this was a mantra. This is what I saw when they left to continue playing. What I don't get is why, if the trash in 22" from you, why you don't throw stuff away. I guess it just doesn't make sense to me.


Also, there was in Father's case; ... he eats, he pains like mad. There were hot wings as well as BBQ wings and they fluttered in him though alive -- according to father. In re-using my chicken statement--ran like a chicken to the medicine cabinet. After a night of unrest, he declared, "I think we're gonna be pitching out the hot wings". He dared not let Mother try them as she doesn't like hot and responses poorly to it.

Lois was again, so very sore that she spent much time unavavilable. Earlier in the day, using an ice pad -- simply a honey packet sheet (30 x 50) filled with water, then frozen; broken in a few areas soaking some parts of the bed. Mother was ejected from her rest due to the levee breaking. Anyway -- change of sheets -- good as new -- ice sheet went to trash. There is another one, but empirical data shows it's prone to puncture.

Marcus went out on a trek, prior to returning to help with food prep/settings. On my trip I got a few interesting pictures. I saw two muskrats eking out a living on the very low, dirty river. To my surprise, there was also a duck -- common, and a stork. It was a good photography day.

The directions on the wings was 20 minutes at 400. That didn't work worth squat! I think either the oven is wrong in it's setting or the instructions were a bit off. The wings took double the time and were still .. not fully warm. Nuts! The food, as you can see above, was eaten and everyone, I guess had a good time. There were two smokers who left their butts somewhere no one could find, as they weren't in the ashtrays father set out for them. Come time for mowing and I'll suppose we'll see them in the street or somewhere.

I twice played poker with these guys. The first time, I lost $20 in two hours, then quit. I lost only $5 over four hours the next time. I might play sometime later when they are missing a person, but that ratio isn't so good.

Folks in unrest?

Father reads a book -- notice where the glasses are!

Mother calling people -- after getting the pink slip.

...

Or perhaps, not so.

not chicken

nervous perhaps, but not chicken.  Okay, chicken.  Lois went to the Red Dragon today, which is the pseudonym for the nurse practitioner at her endricrinologist's office.  Mom generally fears her retalitory hissing, breathing fire and admonishments.  Today, perhaps partly due to her "forgetting" her meter, fire breathing wasn't fascilitated.  Aparently a dragon has to be agnry for it to work.  Lois' levels seemed not too far out of line.  Good news!

 

I met Thomas and Lois for lunch today at Richards where they had an all-you-can-eat chicken lunch/dinner.  Lois had that and I had the smell of it in my car on my secondary run -- errand to pick up a couple things for Father's poker party.  Smells like chicken.  I used to eat that?

 

Now, emboldened by the carpool lane of surgery, Lois plans on scheduling for knee replacement.  She's not sure now, but plans on getting both of those buggers done at once.  Later she will sew with Diane at a class.  Jessica plans to come over to mow father's lawn for a bit of cash.

 

Marcus plans on reading more job listings.  I read 500 some short, some detailed job listings.  Many were not for me -- either "proven sales record", or ambiguous, or I didn't have the proficiency in some design programs, Adobe, inDseign, etc.  I'm still looking.

 

I understand that Uncle Jack has a great heart.  Well, I knew that, but the doctor stated that he was envious of Jack's healthier heart.  Though Jack gets winded, he's doing fine.  Noew; we need to get Dorothy out of pain and we're all on the track to better health!

earning badges

Thomas earns a new badge or rank. The tricky chipmunk that has eluded Marcus for so long, has been caught. After a quick incarceration, the chipmunk was deported to another region, far, far away. A spokesperson for the chipmunk remarked the the chipmunk, having illegally obtained a large cache of seed and food would have to start over, in a more competitive area with other chipmunks and similarly ranking mammals.

Lois is still sore and resting more. Father took over food to the church food bank/pantry and was an usher again and head counter. I suppose that's better than a bean counter, in some respects.

On Tuesday, Father will host poker, and so there is going to be a mad dash to put this away, that away ... and prep for mass consumption which may or may not happen. At times, the poker guys eat like Ethiopians on their vaction in America, other times sparingly. Who knows what will happen. With the potential for players, it might be baseball -- ninth inning with nine players.

watching and waiting

doll collection
Originally uploaded by MDH, II.

Lois felt lousy last night -- too many hours in uncomfortable charis. She was restless and spent much of today resting.

Father got a chance to read some of one of the two books he's started.

Thomas and Lois got to see English lampooning with a British comedy, c/o Netflix.

Marcus worked on a few things, but seemed to accomplish nothing, but not necessarily so.

The animals have graced the house with their presence in that the hummingbirds have again found the food, the squirrels were naughty and crawled onto the bird feeder and the rabbits nicely cleaned up the mess. Marcus has been trying to catch a couple of nefarious chipmunks, to no avail. Rascally critters always run away from danger -- well away from Marcus. Some time he will prevail.