Yeah a bit irreverent in the title but hey, I'll get over it in my life time; don't know about it in the afterlife though.
Ok so the last year has been a bit busy overall and I do need to get grounded once again. That however will come with time. A a brief time line of the past yevents leading up to now and the close of the year. Last year (2010), after I finished my 3rd Marine Corps Marathon, I traveled down to my parents' home in Mississippi to help out Mom & Dad. I didn't know how ill my Dad was and he wasn't letting on either. It wasn't till I arrived that I got an idea of how things truely were and even then not quite the understanding of things. Dad was dealing with cancer and fairly much stopped eating properly. Along with fairly poorly with Chemo he didn't want to relinquish control of life to others, that made things a bit more difficult to deal with.
As for myself, it wasn't a departure from where and what I knew; Nor what I really wanted to make, but one I knew was needed to make. November and December saw a slow yet steady decline in my father's health and even with the pain he was in he wasn't making use of the means available to diminish his discomfort. Add to that he had a heart attack on Christmas Morning of 2010, things got very interewsting for a while.
Perhaps the funniest incident in conjunction with that was when Mom & I went to visit him in the Coronary ICU and as he saw me walking in said " I don't want to talk to you!" I said OK turn on my heels and walked out. Mom goes in with a stuned look on her face and spends some time visiting with Dad. I learned that while under the influence of some very strong pain medications he was hallucinating and thought that while he was in the bed, I had come into the ICU room and started rearrainging the cabinets bolted to the walls and floor. Good times I guess and I wasn't even there to do that.
Well after he was released a Home Care Nurse & Physical Therapist were provided for a while and he seemed to make some progress. Yet pride goes before the fall and he was insistant that at times he did not need to use the walker and that he was still in charge even as he was less physically able to manage things.
Still in March & April of 2011 things were changing. My youngest brother made a quick visit down from NY and brought our Mother to Florida to visit with her older sister. My Aunt wasn't very well and was slipping away from our extened family also. Mom was most grateful for that last visit with her sister and I can't thank my youngest brother enough for that. My Aunt passed away in April and that was difficult on Mom, still Dad was holding on. Then Dad took a bad fall while Mom was off to church and since I was in the room next door I heard him fall and was able to respond immediately. No broken bones but heavy bruising, broken skin and bleeding. I tended to his immediate injuries and had him dressed and sitting when Mom came back in from church. At which point I convinced him that we should have him admitted to the hospital for a once over as I did not like his blood pressure and pulse. The paramedics on arrival were most helpful and accepting of my base line vitals after the fall incident.
At the Hospital Dad spent 3 days under observation and demonstrated noted weakness, not being able to walk 10 paces even with the assistance of two peole and his walk with a third following close behing with a chair for him to sit in. With the assistance of the Social Worker on staff, Mom and I had Dad admitted to a local Hospice. Even then I had to lie to Dad to get him agreeable to go, saying it was an extended care facility. I knew Mom could not assist him by herself and I had to return to NY for a few weeks with Jury duty nd VA appointments occuring in the same time frame. Jury duty I could delay if it was just that but my medical check ups are difficult to reschedule.
In April I returned to NY and was cooling my heels waiting on events I had no control over. Still my yougest and younger brothers made it down to see Mom & Dad, Though at the Airport there too was some drama as there was a screw up in schedulings. Finally they were enroute to MS and I was going to dog sit at the brother's home. Again plans changed. That afternoon I recieved a call from the Hospice as Dad's condition worsened and he began actively dieing (some how that is an oxymoron of epic scale). I was called as I was the second contact point if they could not reach my Mom. Knowing that Mom was picking up my brothers at the airport I called them. I told them the bad news and they went directly to the Hospice to be with Dad. I then talked with my sister-in-law, she placed the dogs in a kennel for the time and I went to my older brother's home to travel down to MS with him. Late in the Afternoon as he was packing we recieved word that our Father had passed. Two days later we were in MS and on Monday attended Dad's funeral in the National Cemetary nearby. I played amazing grace on the bagpipes at the conclusion.
After the funeral I returned to NY to finish my appointments & then traveled back down to MS. Now if you've never been to MS in the summer the weather is brutal, this past summer according to the natives it was more brutal than normal. even they were severly oppressed by the heat & humidity. Still with the way the weather is in MS I can't fathom why shools would start in August.
In the late summer, early Fall it was time for something different. I was to be the causative agent for that. My Mother's Father ahd passed away in 1942 while in command of the 86th Infantry Division. During World War 2 the U.S. Navy commissioned a series of ships as Troop Transports. The AP/TAP 111, General A.E.Anderson was one of these. As the Ship's Company was having a reunion in New Orleans I contacted them and asked if they would like some information on the person whom their ship was named for. So a night was spent in Metaire LA and Mom got to meet new people and talk a little about her father. It was a pleasant time as well and a needed diversion.
September, October and much of November settled into simple routines, yard work exercise, domestic chores and me suffering from the brutal heat & humidity of MS.
Thanksgiving was a enjoyable change with my cousin and older brother visiting for the holiday. As for myself Thanksgiving morning saw me enter and run a 5 kilometer race called a Turkey Trot. I'd like to believe I done very well as i won third place in my age group. I suspect however that I was the last of three in our age group as well. That was followed by participating in a Half Marathon the Saturday morning after thanksgiving, again the heat & Humidity reared their heats to make conditions worse than desired. But overall even with out proper training for the distance i completed it and was happy enough for that. For the 13.1 miles, 2 hrs 30 min 56 sec was the official time however with the massed pandamonium statrt of the Marathon, Half Marathon and 5 kilometer events (walk & race) I suspect my basicv finish tim was faster as I could not run for some distance due to the mobed throng of people all starting at once with people who should of stay to the rear of the start and walking the course ahead of runners & joggers.
the first week of November also saw me bringing my van to the local Ford Dealership with a suspected transmission problesm. The dealership diagnosed the issue as a problem with the ignition system and loaded catalytic converters. The Dealership also ran into a problem with Ford not having spares available for repairs.
Well this brings us now into December. I recieved a call from the Dealership saying that the expected shipping date of the items needed for repairs is now December 19th. I'm not certain but that doesn't seem like a reasonable time period for parts. A month & a half? then with installation time after the dealership recieves the parts geez Merry Freaking Christmas. And the Auto industry wants me to buy into new technoligies such as Lithium Ion battery powered vehicles... Wait the Army used LI batteries in the PRC77 radios those could ignite & rupture with devasting results when damaged. Ummm perhaps not for a few years till the systems have matured somewhat and after Ford resolves issues with it's supply chain.
So aside on using a borrowed vehicle and considering Nissan's NV Van as a future vehicle life goes on and I adapt.
Still regardless of my attitudes and issues; I trust everyone will have a safe and happy end of 2011 and easy Channuka & Christmas Tide later this month.
Cheers all!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Where is the Boogie Man? October & Halloween is a coming.
6 October 2011, Well its been a hot miserable summer since my last posting and the weather in the south still sucks. Regardless of how the loco locals feel, about weather improving. June, July, August, September and the beginings of October the weather effing sucks the life out of you with the heat & humidity. Give me cooler temps and a woodland canopy to hide from the sun under.
End of September found me in Tarpon Springs, Florida, probably for the last time. Not because of any great need to go sight seeing but as I brought my Mother over to see 3 nieces and a nephew and to pick up a few items from her sister's house. The 02 Ford Van made the trip with nary a groan or complaint. My next major trip with the van will be to northern Virginia the end of October to deliver an antique bar to my one cousin from her mother's house and to witness my Aunt's internment with her first husband at Arlinton Cemetery.
However, not all is death, expenses and taxes. I'll be seeing a few folks in NO. VA & DC on Saturday and wishing them well as they participate in the Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. I will not be participating as I had not signed up for nor trained up to run the distance. Not being acclimated to weather conditions in Hells foyer or entry room (and probably never being so) I chose not to sign up or train for the distance and with current weather conditions training for even a half marathon looks to be out of the question. 10 kilometers being about the furthest I may attempt. That and I'll need to get some new running shoes soon as well.
So why does Mississippi Suck? Apart from the brutal weather there aren't any Good German Restaurants or Irish Pubs nearby. The atmosphere in 95+% of the bars are toxic with heavy smoke and the humidity makes the stench even worse. Then like Alabama there is a tax on the poor where food items are taxed. Yepper that is progressive.
Still things could be worse, I could be working outdoors in the sun, heat & humidity for which the Gulf Coast is infamous. If you are to visit the region late October through mid April the weather is decent enough. But late Spring through early fall the weather SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS!
Also make sure you've got decent auto insurance coverage while in the south as the Meth heads and many locals won't carry insurance and if you get in an accident the burden becomes yours if you are hit by the local brainiacs, That and the Law doesn't really protect the driver not at fault. Yeah every day I become less and less impressed by these inbred miscreants.
Still supposedly Mississippi is one of the better states to retire to according to finacial planners. So its got that going for it.
Now if the laws would be amended to allow stronger beers to be sold.
Hey what about those Wall St. Protestors? aside from a few I'll wager over 95% of them are doing the right thing and the Moneyed elited blood suckers would have them all jailed regardless of the right to lawfully assemble.
Now if I could just get this damned journal entry to post when I hit the publish button
End of September found me in Tarpon Springs, Florida, probably for the last time. Not because of any great need to go sight seeing but as I brought my Mother over to see 3 nieces and a nephew and to pick up a few items from her sister's house. The 02 Ford Van made the trip with nary a groan or complaint. My next major trip with the van will be to northern Virginia the end of October to deliver an antique bar to my one cousin from her mother's house and to witness my Aunt's internment with her first husband at Arlinton Cemetery.
However, not all is death, expenses and taxes. I'll be seeing a few folks in NO. VA & DC on Saturday and wishing them well as they participate in the Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. I will not be participating as I had not signed up for nor trained up to run the distance. Not being acclimated to weather conditions in Hells foyer or entry room (and probably never being so) I chose not to sign up or train for the distance and with current weather conditions training for even a half marathon looks to be out of the question. 10 kilometers being about the furthest I may attempt. That and I'll need to get some new running shoes soon as well.
So why does Mississippi Suck? Apart from the brutal weather there aren't any Good German Restaurants or Irish Pubs nearby. The atmosphere in 95+% of the bars are toxic with heavy smoke and the humidity makes the stench even worse. Then like Alabama there is a tax on the poor where food items are taxed. Yepper that is progressive.
Still things could be worse, I could be working outdoors in the sun, heat & humidity for which the Gulf Coast is infamous. If you are to visit the region late October through mid April the weather is decent enough. But late Spring through early fall the weather SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS!
Also make sure you've got decent auto insurance coverage while in the south as the Meth heads and many locals won't carry insurance and if you get in an accident the burden becomes yours if you are hit by the local brainiacs, That and the Law doesn't really protect the driver not at fault. Yeah every day I become less and less impressed by these inbred miscreants.
Still supposedly Mississippi is one of the better states to retire to according to finacial planners. So its got that going for it.
Now if the laws would be amended to allow stronger beers to be sold.
Hey what about those Wall St. Protestors? aside from a few I'll wager over 95% of them are doing the right thing and the Moneyed elited blood suckers would have them all jailed regardless of the right to lawfully assemble.
Now if I could just get this damned journal entry to post when I hit the publish button
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Whats been going on? A rehash of the past few months.
July 2011, Blog entries
OK now just a little after 12:40 central daylight time as I start recording these entries. They may seem disjointed and jump a bit as I formulate my thoughts into words, still there is quite some ground to cover and it may well overlap previous entries.///
Well, I guess I can start with a rehash of things leading up to current activities.///
In November of 2010 I came down to Mississippi to assist my parents. My Father was very ill and wasn't letting on how serious his condition was. ///
Jumping forward to Christmas Morning 2010, I had Mom call the ambulance to transport Dad to the Hospital. His breathing was weak and he couldn't stand upon his own. He had wanted us to transport him in the sedan to the Hospital. Since he couldn't stand or walk that was out of the question. I used for the first time the Oxygen Kit I have for scuba diving emergencies on him. He was reasonably stable when the paramedics arrived however his condition worsened enroute to the hospital and he was diagnosed with a heart attack due to a blocked artery. A stent was emplaced through his left leg as his right leg was infected where he had a cancerous mass removed over a half year previously.///
So December went with him in the coronary ICU, being shifted to a private room after recovery and being released in January. The best part of the ICU time though was with him being on a lidocaine drip. Halucinations can be fun and he accused me of coming into the ICU room and moving about the cabinets bolted to the walls & floors.///
January, February, March and part of April saw me trying to assist to the limits imposed unpon me by my father. Also home nursing and physical therapy visits to try to get him up and moving. The Physical Therapist at her last visit was very prophetic and truthful. If my father wouldn't get up and walk he'd be dead probably within 6 months and a year at best.///
By mid April I had my father back in the hospital again, due to falls. Twice in january, once in February, twice in March and three times by mid April. This was the cause of much concern as his last fall he was less cognizent of his condition and had hurt himself enough to break the skin and bleed. By the time my Mom returned from morning Lenten Devotionals/Mass; I had my Dad cleaned up and dressed. He also agreed to be admitted to the hospital as I didn't like the quality of his pulse & blood pressure. Three days after admitting he was released but due to his condition we had him admitted into a Hospice Facility in Moss Point, MS.///
Perhaps the hardest aspect for my self was telling him he was going to be in a long term care facility, as opposed to the truth about being in a hospice. He was adamant about not wanting to be in a hospice, however in all honesty my Mom who is 84 years old couldn't care for him at home alone. Even I had things which required my attention back in New York State and wasn't going to be in Mississippi for about a month to a month and a half.///
April 18th found me back in NY state and reporting for Jury Duty. As the Defendent recognized me and knows my brothers I was dismissed from the Jury Pool. Later that week i went to my Dental and VA appointments which would provide reason to stay in NY state longer than I wanted to.///
May 4th; In the early morning I drove my two younger brothers to the airport so they could catch a flight to Mississippi to visit with my Father and Mother. About Mid-day i recieved a call from Hospice saying my Father had taken a turn for the worse and was actively dying. Since I knew that my brothers were supposed to be on the ground by then I called the Youngest on his cell phone. He had passed that onto the other brother to answer and I passed word on to them to go straight to the Hospice as there was bad news and Dad didn't have much longer.///
May 5th; Found me at my older brother's home in Pennsylvania waiting for him to arrive and pack and we's make the journey together to MS for our Father's last days. Well that journey wasn't to see him while he lived as we recieved word about 15:00/3:00PM EDT that he had passed on that afternoon.///
May 9th; Dad's funeral Knights of Columbus provided an cadre which also acted as Pall Bearers. Police escort from the Funeral Home to the Biloxi National Cemetery. My last act there was to play Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes. Then Mom, My Aunt (Dad's Sister) my brothers and myself went to a late luncheon.///
I drove my younger brothers to the airport again to see them back in NY state a few days later after my older brother & I returned back north.///
May passed uneventfully and after my final VA appointment I returned to MS for a handful of days just to fly back to NY again in June.///
June 15; flying to NY on a U.S. Airways express, travel time was supposed to be about 5 hours with arrival in the late afternoon. Uh right, we arrived about midnight and settled down after 01:00/1:00AM on the 16th. Time in NY was spent at graduation events for my oldest nephew and driving my mother about to visit friends. flew back to MS on the the 29th and what should of been about 5 hours travel time became another all day trip with a 6 hour wait sitting in the airport at Charlotte, NC (again).///
Finally July and what does it find me doing? Well, quite a bit actually; Stripping the shelves and clothes hanger rods out of closests patching screw and nail holes, getting ready to repaint the closet interriors, taking a bicycle over to a shop for repairs & service to make it ridable, trouble shooting a 16 year old dish washer (It may need replacingas the drain isn't functioning even after being checked for obstructions. and still trying to get out for a daily run. The worst part of Mississippi is the outdoors temperature. I find it too hot & humid outside to want to practice with my bagpipes.///
Well I guess that pretty much sums things up for me. Also I find it too hot outside to even consider riding the motorcycle... Now that means conditions are uncomfortable.
OK now just a little after 12:40 central daylight time as I start recording these entries. They may seem disjointed and jump a bit as I formulate my thoughts into words, still there is quite some ground to cover and it may well overlap previous entries.///
Well, I guess I can start with a rehash of things leading up to current activities.///
In November of 2010 I came down to Mississippi to assist my parents. My Father was very ill and wasn't letting on how serious his condition was. ///
Jumping forward to Christmas Morning 2010, I had Mom call the ambulance to transport Dad to the Hospital. His breathing was weak and he couldn't stand upon his own. He had wanted us to transport him in the sedan to the Hospital. Since he couldn't stand or walk that was out of the question. I used for the first time the Oxygen Kit I have for scuba diving emergencies on him. He was reasonably stable when the paramedics arrived however his condition worsened enroute to the hospital and he was diagnosed with a heart attack due to a blocked artery. A stent was emplaced through his left leg as his right leg was infected where he had a cancerous mass removed over a half year previously.///
So December went with him in the coronary ICU, being shifted to a private room after recovery and being released in January. The best part of the ICU time though was with him being on a lidocaine drip. Halucinations can be fun and he accused me of coming into the ICU room and moving about the cabinets bolted to the walls & floors.///
January, February, March and part of April saw me trying to assist to the limits imposed unpon me by my father. Also home nursing and physical therapy visits to try to get him up and moving. The Physical Therapist at her last visit was very prophetic and truthful. If my father wouldn't get up and walk he'd be dead probably within 6 months and a year at best.///
By mid April I had my father back in the hospital again, due to falls. Twice in january, once in February, twice in March and three times by mid April. This was the cause of much concern as his last fall he was less cognizent of his condition and had hurt himself enough to break the skin and bleed. By the time my Mom returned from morning Lenten Devotionals/Mass; I had my Dad cleaned up and dressed. He also agreed to be admitted to the hospital as I didn't like the quality of his pulse & blood pressure. Three days after admitting he was released but due to his condition we had him admitted into a Hospice Facility in Moss Point, MS.///
Perhaps the hardest aspect for my self was telling him he was going to be in a long term care facility, as opposed to the truth about being in a hospice. He was adamant about not wanting to be in a hospice, however in all honesty my Mom who is 84 years old couldn't care for him at home alone. Even I had things which required my attention back in New York State and wasn't going to be in Mississippi for about a month to a month and a half.///
April 18th found me back in NY state and reporting for Jury Duty. As the Defendent recognized me and knows my brothers I was dismissed from the Jury Pool. Later that week i went to my Dental and VA appointments which would provide reason to stay in NY state longer than I wanted to.///
May 4th; In the early morning I drove my two younger brothers to the airport so they could catch a flight to Mississippi to visit with my Father and Mother. About Mid-day i recieved a call from Hospice saying my Father had taken a turn for the worse and was actively dying. Since I knew that my brothers were supposed to be on the ground by then I called the Youngest on his cell phone. He had passed that onto the other brother to answer and I passed word on to them to go straight to the Hospice as there was bad news and Dad didn't have much longer.///
May 5th; Found me at my older brother's home in Pennsylvania waiting for him to arrive and pack and we's make the journey together to MS for our Father's last days. Well that journey wasn't to see him while he lived as we recieved word about 15:00/3:00PM EDT that he had passed on that afternoon.///
May 9th; Dad's funeral Knights of Columbus provided an cadre which also acted as Pall Bearers. Police escort from the Funeral Home to the Biloxi National Cemetery. My last act there was to play Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes. Then Mom, My Aunt (Dad's Sister) my brothers and myself went to a late luncheon.///
I drove my younger brothers to the airport again to see them back in NY state a few days later after my older brother & I returned back north.///
May passed uneventfully and after my final VA appointment I returned to MS for a handful of days just to fly back to NY again in June.///
June 15; flying to NY on a U.S. Airways express, travel time was supposed to be about 5 hours with arrival in the late afternoon. Uh right, we arrived about midnight and settled down after 01:00/1:00AM on the 16th. Time in NY was spent at graduation events for my oldest nephew and driving my mother about to visit friends. flew back to MS on the the 29th and what should of been about 5 hours travel time became another all day trip with a 6 hour wait sitting in the airport at Charlotte, NC (again).///
Finally July and what does it find me doing? Well, quite a bit actually; Stripping the shelves and clothes hanger rods out of closests patching screw and nail holes, getting ready to repaint the closet interriors, taking a bicycle over to a shop for repairs & service to make it ridable, trouble shooting a 16 year old dish washer (It may need replacingas the drain isn't functioning even after being checked for obstructions. and still trying to get out for a daily run. The worst part of Mississippi is the outdoors temperature. I find it too hot & humid outside to want to practice with my bagpipes.///
Well I guess that pretty much sums things up for me. Also I find it too hot outside to even consider riding the motorcycle... Now that means conditions are uncomfortable.
Friday, June 24, 2011
OK This has been getting surreal
Since my father passed on in May, I've been connected and unconnected with many things. The whirlwind trip to MS for the funeral Then back to NY for my medical appointment followed by going back to MS to see about starting some house repairs for my mother to flying back to NY for 2 weeks for my nephew's graduation from high school and a graduation party on the following weekend (tomorrow, Saturday June 25th).
Well I have made it into Manhattan once this year and I realized I haven't missed that type of day trip at all and won't be missing it. But this time in NY I've been busy as its not just myself but I've been escorting my Mother and acting as chauffer. No issues but I'll be happy to get her back to her current home next week.
Went to the movies yesterday and saw Green Lantern (3D) nice escapist fair for a rainy day.
Well not too much else going on in my life, too much travel and crazy business. I'm almost hoping July will be a quiet and uneventful month.
Also in July I'll try to post some photos and put words to the pictures but as for now; who knows where I'll be or what I'll be doing next. The one thing I can say with some certainty is that I'll not be running a full marathon this year. Too may distractions from training properly. Though I should be able to train up to a 1/2 marathon for Thanksgiving.
Cheers & be safe everyone.
Well I have made it into Manhattan once this year and I realized I haven't missed that type of day trip at all and won't be missing it. But this time in NY I've been busy as its not just myself but I've been escorting my Mother and acting as chauffer. No issues but I'll be happy to get her back to her current home next week.
Went to the movies yesterday and saw Green Lantern (3D) nice escapist fair for a rainy day.
Well not too much else going on in my life, too much travel and crazy business. I'm almost hoping July will be a quiet and uneventful month.
Also in July I'll try to post some photos and put words to the pictures but as for now; who knows where I'll be or what I'll be doing next. The one thing I can say with some certainty is that I'll not be running a full marathon this year. Too may distractions from training properly. Though I should be able to train up to a 1/2 marathon for Thanksgiving.
Cheers & be safe everyone.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Who what where....uhhh say again?
Well its been crazy for me as of late. Been through NY, PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, GA, AL, MS, SC, GA, NJ and CT all within the past 30 days and a few of those states two or 3times. All by road trip too. Gaaack!
I had come back to the North East in April for jury duty, dental and medical appointments. May 4th I recieved word from the Hospice that Dad was actively passing on from this mortal plain. I had just gotten my 2 younger brothers to the Airport that morning so they could see him before the end that morning as well.
Well the call came to me about noon time and I contacted my brothers immediately via cell phone gave them the bad news and they along with Mom went straight to the Hospice. The situation for them was grim and I was in NY at the younger but not youngest brother's home to look after the dogs during this visit. Change of plans the Sister in Law took the animals to a kennel and I went to my older Brother's home to get with him for the road trip south.
On Thursday May 5th while at my older brother's home we recieved word that our Father had finally crossed the threshold of life and joined with his Parents, sister and other family members. Slightly later we started our journey to MS for the funeral
Paul & I arrived at our Mother's Home in MS on Sunday morning and joined with our brothers Pierre & Andrew already there as I had brought them to the airport the preceeding Wednesday. A bit of a madhouse would best describe the emotional states of all.
Well the Funeral was on Tuesday with the internment at the National Cemetary in Biloxi, MS. Immediate Family, Cousins and Neighbors all attending.
I really can not express my Thanks to the neighbors enough for all the assistance they provided my Mom & Dad over the preceeding months.
At the end of the services provided by Fr. Bob, Ex Airforce Chaplain, I stepped away from the mourners and played Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes.
But seriously everything was occuring so quickly the events seem as a blur. On Wednesday Afternoon I took My two brothers and one sister-in-law to the Airport in Gulf Port MS for their flight home and on Thursday morning Paul & I departed for MS.
So that is a quick run down of what I've been up to for the past few weeks.
So if you hear me ask "What am I doing in this Hand Basket and Where am I going"....
You'll at least understand why.
Well be safe all and now to see what happens next.
Cheers.
I had come back to the North East in April for jury duty, dental and medical appointments. May 4th I recieved word from the Hospice that Dad was actively passing on from this mortal plain. I had just gotten my 2 younger brothers to the Airport that morning so they could see him before the end that morning as well.
Well the call came to me about noon time and I contacted my brothers immediately via cell phone gave them the bad news and they along with Mom went straight to the Hospice. The situation for them was grim and I was in NY at the younger but not youngest brother's home to look after the dogs during this visit. Change of plans the Sister in Law took the animals to a kennel and I went to my older Brother's home to get with him for the road trip south.
On Thursday May 5th while at my older brother's home we recieved word that our Father had finally crossed the threshold of life and joined with his Parents, sister and other family members. Slightly later we started our journey to MS for the funeral
Paul & I arrived at our Mother's Home in MS on Sunday morning and joined with our brothers Pierre & Andrew already there as I had brought them to the airport the preceeding Wednesday. A bit of a madhouse would best describe the emotional states of all.
Well the Funeral was on Tuesday with the internment at the National Cemetary in Biloxi, MS. Immediate Family, Cousins and Neighbors all attending.
I really can not express my Thanks to the neighbors enough for all the assistance they provided my Mom & Dad over the preceeding months.
At the end of the services provided by Fr. Bob, Ex Airforce Chaplain, I stepped away from the mourners and played Amazing Grace on the Bagpipes.
But seriously everything was occuring so quickly the events seem as a blur. On Wednesday Afternoon I took My two brothers and one sister-in-law to the Airport in Gulf Port MS for their flight home and on Thursday morning Paul & I departed for MS.
So that is a quick run down of what I've been up to for the past few weeks.
So if you hear me ask "What am I doing in this Hand Basket and Where am I going"....
You'll at least understand why.
Well be safe all and now to see what happens next.
Cheers.
Monday, May 2, 2011
May 2011, Missives & Musings
May 2011 and the Long Strange Trip continues.
Yesterday was the old Celtic Festival of Beltaine a holiday welcoming in the spring, a day of feasting and joy at the end of winter and the time to welcome the returning warmth of the growing season. For the Germanic Tribes the name of Walpurgis should ring similarly.
In our more modern times the Pagan or Traditional Holidays have taken an altered form. Thanks for this turn of events should be given to the likes of Karl Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and a host of others. For the confirmed communist and the departed Soviet Block we had Military Parades in Red Square of Moscow and as an Alternative we had the more bucollic and pastorial Loyalty Day Picnics at Parks and Open Spaces here in the U.S. Either way some one was having a party claiming how one system was better than the other.
Over time the U.S. Loyalty day has mellowed and the May Day Parades of Military Hardware and Massed Troops have faded with a couple of noticable exceptions where a dictator grasps at control still.
Regardless some tribal groups still cling to May Day as a time to gather and experince fellowship. For myself this includes the annual Chicken Bar-B-Que hosted by A.B.A.T.E. of Pike County Pennsylvania, Chapter 41. As for why this date is chosen, Its generally one of the first really nice comfortable days of springs and much of the winter annoyances of snow, ice, salt and sand have vanished from the roadways making 2 wheeled travel fun and enjoyable. What, you wanted something deeply profound and philosophical?
Well That is a bit of how May has started for myself. April on the other hand has been a rather busier than desired month. Between placing my father into a Hospice, doing about a 1300 mile road trip to; be dismissed from jury duty, too close and association to the defendant; have my semi annual Dental check up and get a crown on a tooth broken on Christmas Eve; Make the Lab appointment and have my annual skin cancer screening; and other odd bits of life which constitues membership in a civilized society.
Speaking of Civilized Societies, This morning I read in the local News Paper that A world reknowned terrorist and mass murderer by the name of Osama Bin Laden, whose family has connections to the Saudi Royal Family, has been killed in a military action. While this brought forth some actions speaking of the magnitude by which he was loath by U.S. Society. I propose that we should not exault at his demise. As he has lieutenants and sycophants who would gladly hasten to his grave as an homage site and to continue his plan of action to cause grief and harm to any nation they conclude refuses to heed their message of hate. I suspect as does the Intelligence Agencies of the various Nations on this planet we shall see acts in retribution for the death of this assasin called Bin Laden.
Now with storms pummeling the interrior of the U.S.. A nuclear crisis in Japan after the Tsunami severly damaged an electric power generation station. Increasing fuel and food costs. One might wonder why a nation supposedly as advanced as the U.S.A. hasn't taken action to prepare its citizens for even harsher realities. Well the truth be told we're a nation of Idiots. Oh I'm not talking the congenital defective window licking short bus riders. They aren't the problem causing agents. No I'm refering to the Extremist & Polarizing Politicians and the Electorate that places & returns them to power.
Why is it when the vast bulk of the working population has been forced out of defined pension programs for 401K and 407K retirement programs. Our politicians still have a pension for life that they protect mightily? Why when Health Insurers refuse to pay bills while they have been paid in full each month for the services we are supposed to have; they aren't investigated by our Governmental watch dogs? The radicals of the Left and the Right rail and scream propose changes in plans which would cripple those who've been paying into and supporting for years & decades but yet would be unaffected themselves. Why are we returning our politicians to office where they become ensconced and the monied lobbyists become their guiding light? Its because we've become lazy as a whole and entitlement programs have become too generous.
OK that last line would and could get me pilloried in a different era. Today it sets me off as an extremist to the Extremist Liberals. However at what point has anyone considered the implications of our current governmental policies? The Government has programs to support the poor and marginalized, yet when you look upon the people paying the Tax burden They are also being taken down to poverty levels by the inherent corruptness of a system which does not tax all fairly. For example Exxon Mobil does not pay the same level of taxes I pay and every time I purchase their products I'm paying the taxes on it as a consumer. Meanwhile the Senior executives have tax loopholes aplenty due to the influences of paid lobbyists paying off the elected represntatives of the electorate. What the nation needs is a Lobbyist Tax. Yes a tax on Lobbyists. Oh hey lets use a Billion Dollars a head as a real number for individuals representing Multinational Corporations. Why I'm sure the U.S. Budget could be balanced by the equitable redistribution of Corporate Wealth. Add to that Tort reforms and Government investigative oversight of the Health Insurance Industries and Iwould suspect Millionairs and Billionaires would be screaming for my head on a silver platter.
But anyway that diatribe out of the way i'll progress to more mundane matters. Seeing and being with a few of my friends and former co-workers over the past weeks has been a most pleasant of diversions. Getting together for a few meals of beverages in areas as far apart as Danbury, Connecticut; West Point, New York; Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania; and points in between where up lifting and actually eased my mood & raised my spirits. Yes I can be off putting by making horrific jokes about the placement of my Father into Hospice last month. Yet by the same token thats just a way I find of coping with a difficult situation. Yes, Its difficult being seperated by 1300 miles from people you care about and doing whats correct. Also I see this as potentially leading up to a more semi permanent change in locations from the northeast to the south. So while I haven't the same problems the younger work force has concerning relocation I also find it troubling just the same.
So for my friends and family in NY, CT, & PA. This appears to be the beginning of another adventure for this Accidental Tourist. While I'll keep this blog as a method of communications I'll also be mucking about on Facebook as well. By June I suspect I'll have a hurricane watch station and won't concern myself with snow storms and blizzards.
Also a few photos I think were warranted.
Cheers All.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
If this is Tuesday.......
Well to put it bluntly I've been moving across the eastern U.S. in rapid fashion.
Lots of events and the world was coming at me fast & furiously.
On Wednesday morning, April 13th, My father fell again this time he was in trouble. Blood pressure low and pulse erratic along with some mental confusion. Not good signs for a older person weakend by cancer, poor dietary habits and related problems. He was admitted for observation and by Friday, April 15th, he was admitted into Hospice. One of the more difficult decisions any family would ever make. I still harbor some guilt about it.
Regardless, after his last fall he wouldn't/couldn't even walk with the aid of a walker and it was an effort on his part to move about 12 to 15 feet with the aid of 2 physical therapists. Putting any weight on his right leg would cause him enough pain not to want to bear weight on it and move the left leg forward.
So between mental confusion and the fact he was going to need more in te way of care givers it was time to make that difficult choice. Mom is 2 years older than Dad and in reasonably good health. But she wouldn't be able to care for him in the proper fashion alone and home health aids would get expensive very quickly.
As for my self, I'm back in the NY, CT and PA region for a few weeks as I've got Dental and Medical appointments to make. That and I was summond for Jury Duty from which I was dismissed. Any ideas on the odds of having a passing aquaintence with the defendant and having been in high school with his sister 36 years previously?
Came back to NY following the last string of storms that rocked the central regon and carolinas. There was a great deal of evidence of its severity as I drove up I-95.
Not that I was there to partake in disaster tourism. Then once up by Washington DC it was detour time again as traffic became bumper to bumper and stop & crawl. A pit stop at Quantico VA and then around to Manassas VA to avoid much of the I-95 stupidity. Where years earlier I might of made it as far as Fort Belvoir and detoured around to Fairfax instead. Oh well its going to just get worse there and maybe this new Fuel Crisis will start forcing the changes we as a society are unwilling to make.
So that covers much of my experinces and tomorrow its drilling, filling and new crowns for the teeth....Oh boy oh boy oh boy. followed by a run up to Pennsylvania.
Hmmmm, Hey Benny up for brats & beer friday night?
Lots of events and the world was coming at me fast & furiously.
On Wednesday morning, April 13th, My father fell again this time he was in trouble. Blood pressure low and pulse erratic along with some mental confusion. Not good signs for a older person weakend by cancer, poor dietary habits and related problems. He was admitted for observation and by Friday, April 15th, he was admitted into Hospice. One of the more difficult decisions any family would ever make. I still harbor some guilt about it.
Regardless, after his last fall he wouldn't/couldn't even walk with the aid of a walker and it was an effort on his part to move about 12 to 15 feet with the aid of 2 physical therapists. Putting any weight on his right leg would cause him enough pain not to want to bear weight on it and move the left leg forward.
So between mental confusion and the fact he was going to need more in te way of care givers it was time to make that difficult choice. Mom is 2 years older than Dad and in reasonably good health. But she wouldn't be able to care for him in the proper fashion alone and home health aids would get expensive very quickly.
As for my self, I'm back in the NY, CT and PA region for a few weeks as I've got Dental and Medical appointments to make. That and I was summond for Jury Duty from which I was dismissed. Any ideas on the odds of having a passing aquaintence with the defendant and having been in high school with his sister 36 years previously?
Came back to NY following the last string of storms that rocked the central regon and carolinas. There was a great deal of evidence of its severity as I drove up I-95.
Not that I was there to partake in disaster tourism. Then once up by Washington DC it was detour time again as traffic became bumper to bumper and stop & crawl. A pit stop at Quantico VA and then around to Manassas VA to avoid much of the I-95 stupidity. Where years earlier I might of made it as far as Fort Belvoir and detoured around to Fairfax instead. Oh well its going to just get worse there and maybe this new Fuel Crisis will start forcing the changes we as a society are unwilling to make.
So that covers much of my experinces and tomorrow its drilling, filling and new crowns for the teeth....Oh boy oh boy oh boy. followed by a run up to Pennsylvania.
Hmmmm, Hey Benny up for brats & beer friday night?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Ahhhh No Social Media!!!! and its April too.
OK today I jumped into facebook; Social Media is a different direction but as the web has connections to connections to connections, Well it might of been just a matter of time. Still exposing myself in public like this is less damaging and more legal than walking about in a rain coat with pants legs tied around at the knees.
I'm still in the third world coastal region of the lower 48 and will be on the road back to the damnable socialist soviet style republic of NY on the 16th day of this 4th month
Well anyway things with family have been like a roller coaster ride what with My Aunt passing away this past Tuesday; Dad dealing with cancer; Youngest brother making a fast trip down the week & 1/2 earlier so our Mother could be given the opprotunity to visit with her sister before the final event and what not.
Well as I'm sort of preoccupied with several issues, I'm not going to be training for or participating in a marathon this year. Let along getting out and performing with the Stepehn P. Driscoll Memorial Pipes & Drums Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 704, Putnam County, NY.
But till I depart MS next week I'll be busy.
Well just this short blurb and I'm of I've been on the computer for way too long already today.
Ein prosit Alles!
I'm still in the third world coastal region of the lower 48 and will be on the road back to the damnable socialist soviet style republic of NY on the 16th day of this 4th month
Well anyway things with family have been like a roller coaster ride what with My Aunt passing away this past Tuesday; Dad dealing with cancer; Youngest brother making a fast trip down the week & 1/2 earlier so our Mother could be given the opprotunity to visit with her sister before the final event and what not.
Well as I'm sort of preoccupied with several issues, I'm not going to be training for or participating in a marathon this year. Let along getting out and performing with the Stepehn P. Driscoll Memorial Pipes & Drums Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 704, Putnam County, NY.
But till I depart MS next week I'll be busy.
Well just this short blurb and I'm of I've been on the computer for way too long already today.
Ein prosit Alles!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
March Madness and I ain't talking Basketball.
March Madness isn't just Basket Ball it defines my life in Mississippi.///
Some days I'm busier than a proverbial 'One Legged Paper Hanger in the Ass kicking Contest'. On other days, life is good and the living is easy. Still with the emotional rollercoaster ride with Sybil at the switch of dealing with Senior Citizen family members one of whom is showing signs of weakened mental faculties has been trying upon me. I am looking forward to mid April when I return to NY for my medical and dental appointments. I need the emotional vaction.///
Trying to hold a conversation with my father is hard as he pauses so long to formulate his thoughts that the pregnant pauses last minutes. It is especially frustrating when he comments on a TV program fifteen or twenty minutes after a specific portion of a program hads passed. As for living down here Meh its warmer than the environments I'm accustomed to but the people really make the place and I miss the folks I've formed friendships with over the years.///
Well the High Holy days of the Irish have passed and its becomes a confusing mess when the revelry of Mardi Gras leads into St. Paddy's day. But its an interesting time none the less.///
Leading into March I've been going to different locations to practice with my Bagpipes, It gives me free time away from my famial responsibilites and for that I am happy enough as the mental focus needed to play the tunes allows me time to de-stress my mind. Yet St. Patrick's Day became a strange stressful and stress free (both) day for me. i started the day with a simple performance at the St. Martin Public Library of playing the bagpipes for the Children's Story Hour. That was followed by returning to my Parents' home for a quick bite to eat and then going over to the Biloxi VA Hospital and performing for the folks living in the domicillary care facility. Those two performances were easy enough with non-critcal audiences. The evening performance in The town next to where my Parents live though was physically challenging and felt as stressful as completing a full marathon. Mentally not physically but both take their toll.///
Regardless I shall also be playing my bagpipes again on Saturday for a Childrens' Interactive Learning Center and Museum in another Coastal City west of where I'm staying. That should also be a stress free event.///
In addition to playing around with the bagpipes while on the Gulf Coast, I've also been keeping up with my running and trying to work out on a regular basis. I've been running circuits in Ocean Springs, St. Martin and Gulf Islands National Park. Along with those efforts to keep active I also observe and watch my environment. By knowing what appears normal, I also see the unusual.///
And for now as Spring is coming into the for I see in the local wilds the signs of nature coming out of it's winter dormancy. This also includes an Alligator resting on a modest mud island in Davis Bayou. So yes I can say i've seen dangerous wild life in the natural setting even though it is surrounded by urban and suburban environments.///
Speaking of Animals, On Sunday March 13th, I came across a small black stray dog. Cute and personable? Absolutely! One I seriously considered keeping, enough so that I took her to the local vet clinic and ensured she had rabies vaccination and a basic physical. OK heart worms too but nothing that can't be treated. So I start the process to get her under my care. A few days later while walking her on leash I finally meet her family and relinquish her to them. On friday March 18th I get a phone call from the Veternary Clinic the dog is roaming and could I please get her. Done and done. So I made reasonabe attempts to return her and ended up leaving her at the family's Parent's home. Since she has a tendency to roam I may become her adoptive family yet again. Still I can only hope that the family becomes more responsible for her. Each time she has been collected across the street from the High Scholl where the Town has recreational facilities of Tennis Courts and a Softball Field. I do like that dog who knows....///
Ah Tennis Courts that keys onto another thing I've been up to. Since my Father's heart attack and subsequent recovery he's been using a walker to some extent. He should use it more often but since pride leads to the fall and he is a very prideful person and doesn't like to use the walker he is certain to take a fall again at some point. Yet, I digress, it seems most walkers use tennis balls as glides for the rear feet. To this end they are easily replaceable but depending upon useage they need to be replaced fairly often. So what to do to avoid purchasing Tennis Balls to replace the worn ones? Why check the Tennis courts in the mornings after they've been used at night and look for any thing laying around. Well I've hit pay dirt with that and collected more balls than I'll probably ever use on my father's walker. What to do with the excess? The Answer came to me in a flash (No not a flask, not that I didn't look in one). As a benificary of the Pyhsical Therapy and Prosthesis Facilities of the Veterans Administration, I knew I had a population that probably had the need for those balls. So I've been making trips to the VA with the excess of balls I collect for the ambulatory residents there. The Balls are actually more welcome than Books and Magazines and with a more immediate use.///
So in addition to collecting tennis balls and playing with the bagpipes as recreational pursuits what have I've been up to? Well running , yes. Still I also have been socializing at the various VFW Halls and Public Houses. I've suggested to the one VFW leadership that approaching the local city government about placing containers for played out tennis balls for donation to the veterans may be a easy enough program to implement as a activity assisting the local Veteran population. Additionally I am hating yard work and Southern Pines with a passion. Pine needles is not straw and to call it pine straw is raising it to a status not worthy of the title. The crap doesn't even make good mulch. I've been raking my Parents' yard on a regular basis to get that crap and the duff up before mowing season begins. As for additional yard work I even had started to remove vines and choking weeds from along the back fence and in the trees there. the worst part is trying to reduce the size of the yard waste so I can fit it into bags for curb side pickup. I hate, with a passion, yard work like this. Give me my chainsaws and let me fell trees. its a damned site easier.///
Well that about sums up what I've been up to for now and who knows, maybe I'll get the motorcycle out for a few more rides and a trip over to Kessler Airforce Base on Sunday for the Airshow commemorating its 70th Anniversary.///
Sunday 20 March 2011; And March Madness marches on!///
I won't be making it to the airshow this afternoon as I'll be going over hopefully and finally to get Suzie/Oprhan Annie a small mixed breed dog I found on her owner's records and off of mine. still a most decent little dog I wouldn't mind keeping. She is a people person of the animal world.///
Continuing on with the March Madness, I've been cleaning my Parents' yard very thoruoghly and have been removing overgrowth that was near impenatrible (yeah my spelling sucks). In the course of doing so I've also uncovered debris going back to Hurricane Katrina. I'll be filling a few more contractor bags with yard waste later but I needed to quite after the termometer was indicating close to 115 in the sun. Yes, It was that miserable and at 11:30 in the morning I was done with the yard for the morning.///
My father is going to be the death of my mother. Pride goes before the fall and thinking he can get around without the aid of his walker is an additional reason he falls. So when I go to get him up I ask my mom to bring his walker around for when I have him up and he starts grabbing for it. He does listen to me when i tell him not to reach for it and to just keep still as I lift him to his feet. Nope He's got to reach. Well the next step is the velcro restraints for when he needs to be lifted. I'm not going to put up with him throwing me off balance by being a stubborn old fool who takes his own advice and no one else's, not even the Doctors. Well, I do whats right and what I can, still, he is trying my patience.///
St. Paddy's Day activites are done yeaaaaaa. Saturday afternoon was my last day of piping and scored 3 complimentary passes to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Those will be given to one of the neighbors as I won't use them. The LMDC is an interactive childrens' center in Gulfport, MS. and is gear for the toddler to pre-teen set. I was providing some entertainment before a children's production of a play and made a day of it.///
Well as it is now 1 PM I'll call it a day on this and get dressed to see what the afternoon brings in the way of misadventure.///
23 March 2011. The calendar shows spring however here is Miserablesippi its frigging hot. 70 degrees farenheit as i ran at 06:30 this morning. Ugggh. Between not wanting to be in full sunlight at mid day and overly humid weather already I can say this place sucks. But atleast the birds singing in the morning make it more tolerable.///
Assholes in the news; Like could give a shit about a potential future King of England. People get married every day of the year. That crap ain't news its putrid pablum for morons. Elizabeth Taylor Kicking the bucket; Not News worthy enought to justify a breaking news announcement on national TV. People die every freaking day and there aren't breaking announcements for them. Now if Mr. Barack Hussien Obama, The President of the United States of America were to be assinated; or Osama Bin Laden were to give him self up and urge extremist Muslim radicals to lay down their arms and persue peaceful meaningful dialog. That would be worthy of Breaking News interruptions. But since the national media chains have lost grasp of what real news is and how to report important breaking events I don't bother with broadcast television any more. TV the saccarin laden pablum for morons.///
In other personal events I've gotten the parents back yard looking more presentable and need to march about with the weed whacker to knock down some begining tendrils for the vines. There is a reason some people should not be home owners; and failure to maintain property while not a major reason should surely be an item on a list of reasons. To hear him say it he's done yard work. When not in this past decade. He had his child slaves in NY state. His idea of yard work is to let things go out of control and have some one else do the work. The worst part is I'm still picking up crap from Hurricane Katrina circa 2005. Yes, I have added incentive now never to be a property owner. unless its a reinforced concrete structure with no trees nearby especially these worthless southern pines. They provide damn little shade and drop needles and pine cones all the time. Only good for paper pulp as its too soft for furniture or construction purposes.///
Still no information on the status of the dog, ohwell at least its in a yard it knows and is comfortable with.
Finally I purchased a new camera having broken one and lost another. So with closing of this and adding it to my blog I'll post a few photos as well.///
Orphan Annie aka Suzie.
Some days I'm busier than a proverbial 'One Legged Paper Hanger in the Ass kicking Contest'. On other days, life is good and the living is easy. Still with the emotional rollercoaster ride with Sybil at the switch of dealing with Senior Citizen family members one of whom is showing signs of weakened mental faculties has been trying upon me. I am looking forward to mid April when I return to NY for my medical and dental appointments. I need the emotional vaction.///
Trying to hold a conversation with my father is hard as he pauses so long to formulate his thoughts that the pregnant pauses last minutes. It is especially frustrating when he comments on a TV program fifteen or twenty minutes after a specific portion of a program hads passed. As for living down here Meh its warmer than the environments I'm accustomed to but the people really make the place and I miss the folks I've formed friendships with over the years.///
Well the High Holy days of the Irish have passed and its becomes a confusing mess when the revelry of Mardi Gras leads into St. Paddy's day. But its an interesting time none the less.///
Leading into March I've been going to different locations to practice with my Bagpipes, It gives me free time away from my famial responsibilites and for that I am happy enough as the mental focus needed to play the tunes allows me time to de-stress my mind. Yet St. Patrick's Day became a strange stressful and stress free (both) day for me. i started the day with a simple performance at the St. Martin Public Library of playing the bagpipes for the Children's Story Hour. That was followed by returning to my Parents' home for a quick bite to eat and then going over to the Biloxi VA Hospital and performing for the folks living in the domicillary care facility. Those two performances were easy enough with non-critcal audiences. The evening performance in The town next to where my Parents live though was physically challenging and felt as stressful as completing a full marathon. Mentally not physically but both take their toll.///
Regardless I shall also be playing my bagpipes again on Saturday for a Childrens' Interactive Learning Center and Museum in another Coastal City west of where I'm staying. That should also be a stress free event.///
In addition to playing around with the bagpipes while on the Gulf Coast, I've also been keeping up with my running and trying to work out on a regular basis. I've been running circuits in Ocean Springs, St. Martin and Gulf Islands National Park. Along with those efforts to keep active I also observe and watch my environment. By knowing what appears normal, I also see the unusual.///
And for now as Spring is coming into the for I see in the local wilds the signs of nature coming out of it's winter dormancy. This also includes an Alligator resting on a modest mud island in Davis Bayou. So yes I can say i've seen dangerous wild life in the natural setting even though it is surrounded by urban and suburban environments.///
Speaking of Animals, On Sunday March 13th, I came across a small black stray dog. Cute and personable? Absolutely! One I seriously considered keeping, enough so that I took her to the local vet clinic and ensured she had rabies vaccination and a basic physical. OK heart worms too but nothing that can't be treated. So I start the process to get her under my care. A few days later while walking her on leash I finally meet her family and relinquish her to them. On friday March 18th I get a phone call from the Veternary Clinic the dog is roaming and could I please get her. Done and done. So I made reasonabe attempts to return her and ended up leaving her at the family's Parent's home. Since she has a tendency to roam I may become her adoptive family yet again. Still I can only hope that the family becomes more responsible for her. Each time she has been collected across the street from the High Scholl where the Town has recreational facilities of Tennis Courts and a Softball Field. I do like that dog who knows....///
Ah Tennis Courts that keys onto another thing I've been up to. Since my Father's heart attack and subsequent recovery he's been using a walker to some extent. He should use it more often but since pride leads to the fall and he is a very prideful person and doesn't like to use the walker he is certain to take a fall again at some point. Yet, I digress, it seems most walkers use tennis balls as glides for the rear feet. To this end they are easily replaceable but depending upon useage they need to be replaced fairly often. So what to do to avoid purchasing Tennis Balls to replace the worn ones? Why check the Tennis courts in the mornings after they've been used at night and look for any thing laying around. Well I've hit pay dirt with that and collected more balls than I'll probably ever use on my father's walker. What to do with the excess? The Answer came to me in a flash (No not a flask, not that I didn't look in one). As a benificary of the Pyhsical Therapy and Prosthesis Facilities of the Veterans Administration, I knew I had a population that probably had the need for those balls. So I've been making trips to the VA with the excess of balls I collect for the ambulatory residents there. The Balls are actually more welcome than Books and Magazines and with a more immediate use.///
So in addition to collecting tennis balls and playing with the bagpipes as recreational pursuits what have I've been up to? Well running , yes. Still I also have been socializing at the various VFW Halls and Public Houses. I've suggested to the one VFW leadership that approaching the local city government about placing containers for played out tennis balls for donation to the veterans may be a easy enough program to implement as a activity assisting the local Veteran population. Additionally I am hating yard work and Southern Pines with a passion. Pine needles is not straw and to call it pine straw is raising it to a status not worthy of the title. The crap doesn't even make good mulch. I've been raking my Parents' yard on a regular basis to get that crap and the duff up before mowing season begins. As for additional yard work I even had started to remove vines and choking weeds from along the back fence and in the trees there. the worst part is trying to reduce the size of the yard waste so I can fit it into bags for curb side pickup. I hate, with a passion, yard work like this. Give me my chainsaws and let me fell trees. its a damned site easier.///
Well that about sums up what I've been up to for now and who knows, maybe I'll get the motorcycle out for a few more rides and a trip over to Kessler Airforce Base on Sunday for the Airshow commemorating its 70th Anniversary.///
Sunday 20 March 2011; And March Madness marches on!///
I won't be making it to the airshow this afternoon as I'll be going over hopefully and finally to get Suzie/Oprhan Annie a small mixed breed dog I found on her owner's records and off of mine. still a most decent little dog I wouldn't mind keeping. She is a people person of the animal world.///
Continuing on with the March Madness, I've been cleaning my Parents' yard very thoruoghly and have been removing overgrowth that was near impenatrible (yeah my spelling sucks). In the course of doing so I've also uncovered debris going back to Hurricane Katrina. I'll be filling a few more contractor bags with yard waste later but I needed to quite after the termometer was indicating close to 115 in the sun. Yes, It was that miserable and at 11:30 in the morning I was done with the yard for the morning.///
My father is going to be the death of my mother. Pride goes before the fall and thinking he can get around without the aid of his walker is an additional reason he falls. So when I go to get him up I ask my mom to bring his walker around for when I have him up and he starts grabbing for it. He does listen to me when i tell him not to reach for it and to just keep still as I lift him to his feet. Nope He's got to reach. Well the next step is the velcro restraints for when he needs to be lifted. I'm not going to put up with him throwing me off balance by being a stubborn old fool who takes his own advice and no one else's, not even the Doctors. Well, I do whats right and what I can, still, he is trying my patience.///
St. Paddy's Day activites are done yeaaaaaa. Saturday afternoon was my last day of piping and scored 3 complimentary passes to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center. Those will be given to one of the neighbors as I won't use them. The LMDC is an interactive childrens' center in Gulfport, MS. and is gear for the toddler to pre-teen set. I was providing some entertainment before a children's production of a play and made a day of it.///
Well as it is now 1 PM I'll call it a day on this and get dressed to see what the afternoon brings in the way of misadventure.///
23 March 2011. The calendar shows spring however here is Miserablesippi its frigging hot. 70 degrees farenheit as i ran at 06:30 this morning. Ugggh. Between not wanting to be in full sunlight at mid day and overly humid weather already I can say this place sucks. But atleast the birds singing in the morning make it more tolerable.///
Assholes in the news; Like could give a shit about a potential future King of England. People get married every day of the year. That crap ain't news its putrid pablum for morons. Elizabeth Taylor Kicking the bucket; Not News worthy enought to justify a breaking news announcement on national TV. People die every freaking day and there aren't breaking announcements for them. Now if Mr. Barack Hussien Obama, The President of the United States of America were to be assinated; or Osama Bin Laden were to give him self up and urge extremist Muslim radicals to lay down their arms and persue peaceful meaningful dialog. That would be worthy of Breaking News interruptions. But since the national media chains have lost grasp of what real news is and how to report important breaking events I don't bother with broadcast television any more. TV the saccarin laden pablum for morons.///
In other personal events I've gotten the parents back yard looking more presentable and need to march about with the weed whacker to knock down some begining tendrils for the vines. There is a reason some people should not be home owners; and failure to maintain property while not a major reason should surely be an item on a list of reasons. To hear him say it he's done yard work. When not in this past decade. He had his child slaves in NY state. His idea of yard work is to let things go out of control and have some one else do the work. The worst part is I'm still picking up crap from Hurricane Katrina circa 2005. Yes, I have added incentive now never to be a property owner. unless its a reinforced concrete structure with no trees nearby especially these worthless southern pines. They provide damn little shade and drop needles and pine cones all the time. Only good for paper pulp as its too soft for furniture or construction purposes.///
Still no information on the status of the dog, ohwell at least its in a yard it knows and is comfortable with.
Finally I purchased a new camera having broken one and lost another. So with closing of this and adding it to my blog I'll post a few photos as well.///
Orphan Annie aka Suzie.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
What its still winter?
24 February 2011, Ahhh noting like cloud cover building to add a stormy effect to the end of the daylight hours. But T-storms are in the forcast and with the humidity coming off the Gulf I would not be too surprised.///
Well since I last posted in January my disposition and attitude haven't much. They still suck. But I've been busy and active with several different small projects to help bide my time here in purgatory.///
The first is my Tennis Ball Collections, Yes, I've become an active collector of tennis balls since my father's release from the hospital following his heart attack. Oh I don't keep them for myself. I really haven't the need of them for myself unless I were to build a Papillon type raft to escape from here upon. No. rather I started collecting the left over ball from the tennis courts to use as replacement glides on my father's walker. But since I've been collecting more balls than I need the excess have been given to another neighbor with a walker and to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Biloxi for the Recreation and Physical Therapy staff.///
I have been attempting to get out and practice with my Bagpipes on a regular basis. I really do need to reconnect with other Bagpipers to expand my abilities and selection of tunes, still, I'll do what I can. In regards to the Bagpipes, The owner of Kwitzkis Bar in Ocean Springs suggested I talk to a member of the Chamber of Commerce about a potential gig. i left my name and phone number but haven't heard back from them. So I guess they aren't all that interested. Additionally when I made my last ball drop at the VA, I offered my services as a Piper for the Recreation Division if they'd like to have a Piper for St. Patrick's Day. Since its for Veterans it would be at no cost to the VA Facility.///
Running, which is what originally got me to making posts in this blog, well I still am running. Just not at the distances I was doing back in November, December and January after finishing my 3rd Marine Corps Marathon. Towards the end of January I pulled my achilles tendon while on an 8&1/2 mile run. So I took a week off to let that recover and been keeping the daily mileage under 4 miles. February will top over 60 miles but not by too much.///
Still Physical activity is important and I've added more this month as well. The question becomes will I maintain the added physicality? I don't much like doing push ups but i've added those to help keep from loosing upper body strenght. Additionally since the weather is improving I do want to get out more on the Paddle Board. I intend to start using that on the days I take a break from running in the morning///
Another thing I should do is find my digital camera and add some photos to my blog. Its probably just floating about in my van some where.///
Toys, Boys have got to have them. Now my toys may be taking on a more functional purpose but recreational is still a primary goal with physical fitness & health a nice benefit. Still something as simple as a MP3 Player makes running easier to perform. ///
Ahhh as for dealing with Passive Agressive Personalities and Control Freaks. Hate it! But they need a sounding board to vent their frustrations and I prefer to get mine out by being physically active. So I guess I'll survive even though there are days I feel emotionally broken from this shit. Well at least I do go out in the evening hours for some socializing and that is probably the one thing I need to do. Going to Church Services when you've lost interest in it does not make for a happy camper but at least Mom is getting out and away from the Old Man for a while. As for myself; I call it the Fr. Bob Karioke Hour. Oh I follow along but I don't make the effort. For some reason Religion has become hollow for me. Not that I've given up belief in a Supreme Being. Its just that the organized crap doesn't hold me. Maybe its due to being forced through my youth to go to services, even after being physically assaulted by a member of a religous order. Yeah I have warm and fuzzy feelings about organized religion.///
Well I'm thinking it is almost time to get out for a few hours this evening. Where I don't know I really haven't any one I'd call a friend down here. But I'll see how the evening pans out regardless; preferably without watching TV for a substitute for real social contacts.///
Hey its still winter according to the calendar. Well the past few days have felt like winter has ended. High humidity and warm nights along with very warm days. The Peepers have been making noise in the late evening and early night hours. Haven't needed a jacket but long sleeves are needed not due to temperatures but to the Gnats. Those miserable little buggers have come out in force.
Well that is about all for now. Looking to get some SCUBA diving in next month. I'll see how that pans out.
Well be safe everyone and Benny, think of this as a book in serialized form.
Cheers.
Well since I last posted in January my disposition and attitude haven't much. They still suck. But I've been busy and active with several different small projects to help bide my time here in purgatory.///
The first is my Tennis Ball Collections, Yes, I've become an active collector of tennis balls since my father's release from the hospital following his heart attack. Oh I don't keep them for myself. I really haven't the need of them for myself unless I were to build a Papillon type raft to escape from here upon. No. rather I started collecting the left over ball from the tennis courts to use as replacement glides on my father's walker. But since I've been collecting more balls than I need the excess have been given to another neighbor with a walker and to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Biloxi for the Recreation and Physical Therapy staff.///
I have been attempting to get out and practice with my Bagpipes on a regular basis. I really do need to reconnect with other Bagpipers to expand my abilities and selection of tunes, still, I'll do what I can. In regards to the Bagpipes, The owner of Kwitzkis Bar in Ocean Springs suggested I talk to a member of the Chamber of Commerce about a potential gig. i left my name and phone number but haven't heard back from them. So I guess they aren't all that interested. Additionally when I made my last ball drop at the VA, I offered my services as a Piper for the Recreation Division if they'd like to have a Piper for St. Patrick's Day. Since its for Veterans it would be at no cost to the VA Facility.///
Running, which is what originally got me to making posts in this blog, well I still am running. Just not at the distances I was doing back in November, December and January after finishing my 3rd Marine Corps Marathon. Towards the end of January I pulled my achilles tendon while on an 8&1/2 mile run. So I took a week off to let that recover and been keeping the daily mileage under 4 miles. February will top over 60 miles but not by too much.///
Still Physical activity is important and I've added more this month as well. The question becomes will I maintain the added physicality? I don't much like doing push ups but i've added those to help keep from loosing upper body strenght. Additionally since the weather is improving I do want to get out more on the Paddle Board. I intend to start using that on the days I take a break from running in the morning///
Another thing I should do is find my digital camera and add some photos to my blog. Its probably just floating about in my van some where.///
Toys, Boys have got to have them. Now my toys may be taking on a more functional purpose but recreational is still a primary goal with physical fitness & health a nice benefit. Still something as simple as a MP3 Player makes running easier to perform. ///
Ahhh as for dealing with Passive Agressive Personalities and Control Freaks. Hate it! But they need a sounding board to vent their frustrations and I prefer to get mine out by being physically active. So I guess I'll survive even though there are days I feel emotionally broken from this shit. Well at least I do go out in the evening hours for some socializing and that is probably the one thing I need to do. Going to Church Services when you've lost interest in it does not make for a happy camper but at least Mom is getting out and away from the Old Man for a while. As for myself; I call it the Fr. Bob Karioke Hour. Oh I follow along but I don't make the effort. For some reason Religion has become hollow for me. Not that I've given up belief in a Supreme Being. Its just that the organized crap doesn't hold me. Maybe its due to being forced through my youth to go to services, even after being physically assaulted by a member of a religous order. Yeah I have warm and fuzzy feelings about organized religion.///
Well I'm thinking it is almost time to get out for a few hours this evening. Where I don't know I really haven't any one I'd call a friend down here. But I'll see how the evening pans out regardless; preferably without watching TV for a substitute for real social contacts.///
Hey its still winter according to the calendar. Well the past few days have felt like winter has ended. High humidity and warm nights along with very warm days. The Peepers have been making noise in the late evening and early night hours. Haven't needed a jacket but long sleeves are needed not due to temperatures but to the Gnats. Those miserable little buggers have come out in force.
Well that is about all for now. Looking to get some SCUBA diving in next month. I'll see how that pans out.
Well be safe everyone and Benny, think of this as a book in serialized form.
Cheers.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Missing in Mississippi
Its been a while a long while since I've posted any updates or missives well today i aim to rectify a portion of that.
Thats the good news; The bad news is I'm also ranting, quite a bit too.
So her we go my first compliation for 2011.
19 January, 2011
Dear Friends;
Today finds myself in Southern Mississippi and its a truely stupid and moronic location. I'd rather be with the drunken tourists, sun addled faggots and tourist shop operators of Key West, FL getting some scuba diving in and just running for a few miles each morning. But alas I'm not. So what has kept me in this most miserably insipid of states for the past several months? Employment? Easy money? Loose women? Debauchery and a lecherous life style? Sadly, it is none of those fun sounding excuses for a hedonistic lifestyle. The issue is more mundane than many would suppose.
I am providing free services to the most parsimonious tight ass on the planet. One who seldem and practically never says a word of thanks to anyone and acted though praise of his sons for exceptional
support to the entire family was beneath himself. I am of course refering to my Father who is practically a recluse in his own mauseleum or should I say his home? For as much as he may ever venture out doors these day he may as well be dead now.
I am the free foot brother who never acquired a family, so I am not tied down to one geographic location in my retirement. Yet I am burdened with old fashioned sensabilities of being responsible for family. I came down to Shitholesippi because my parents are in their 80's; Moses uh Dad has Cancer and Mom couldn't care for the old imbecile alone. So after I completed my thrid and final Marine Corps Marathon, I departed NY state for the foreseeable future and came south to assist. Of course with me came some of my toys, H-D motorcycle, scuba gear, computer and camping supplies but not my redneck camper which I used at Key West last year it is snow bound back in NY at my younger brother's place acting as an interim storage shed while the concrete floor in his barn finally dries. Still I digress.
I've been in this effing hell of a stae since early Novemeber and have gone to several functions and activities in order to have some recreational persuits. Basicly I'm competed in several foot races and a 1/2 marathon and have done well in those. But I've still not found the quality of people I knew in NY. So between an imbecile father who does not believe in being a social creature and keeping less company than I prefer I find myself less than a happy camper.
Adding to my troubles are some other issues. Christmas morning found me breaking out my Diving First Aid supplies (which includes an Oxygen kit fron the Divers Alert Network) and providing oxygen to my father and having my mother call 911 for an Ambulance. He was having a heart attack and yet as he is parsimonious he would of had us drive him to the hospital telling us he didn't feel well. Thankfully he couldn't even hobble out to the sedan to attempt dying in there. So while he had an weak and erratic pulse all i could do was supply O2 untill the paramedics arrived. My Mother rode with them to Ocean Springs Hospital and it wasn't untill the paramedic got a EKG set up on him and saw the heart irrythym that the gravity of the situation was understood. He was preped for surgery in the ER, and moved immediately to surgery where in addition to recieving a stent he was diagnosed with an untreated infection of where he had surgery previously for the removal of a cancerous mass.
So that said the old ass is lucky to be alive to make people miserable today and in a way its my fault the miserable person himself is still alive; that and visitations in the hospital was pretty much how I ended the year 2010 untill the evening of the 29th when he was discharged for home recovery. Oh and it was happy happy joy joy to learn of that event as when my Mother and I arrived at the hospital that afternoon we were informed that "We should of called before coming as he was being discharged that evening". Right like we would of known? Fucking asses should of called us and given us that neccessary bit of information. Fucking morons and my imbecile father.
Still there was one high point during that episode of life; He was halucinating and delusional while in the ICU and its the only time in my life I can recall the bastage as being humorous. Too bad we're not allowed to medicate the pompous ass like that at his home.
So now its late/mid January and the most critical thing in his miserable life isn't working to develop strenght to facilitate movement and life. No his 13 inch cathode ray TV set which was in the kitchen died this past monday, I took it to the recycling site today.
20 January 2011,
Woke at 05:00 and while I'd prefer to dress for and go running I'm holding off till later in the morning as I'm driving the Father to his occularist appointment. Ol' Cyclops will be having the orb removed cleaned and the eye socket inspected and examined. After that he'll probably ask me to drive him to Walmart, joy.
As for today and myself well, I've got one new pair of running shoes and I might even get out to run in them. But as for races this year, that seems a less likely proposition as most here will interfer with life revolving around Moses.
So with life revoloving around the person who knows everything, especially if it pertains to the Moron State, I had opprotunity to display to him that he doesn't by using side roads he's never considered to get around a road construction detour. It is much less frustrating to move at slow speed in a residential area than be stuck at a dead stop on a main road with inconsiderate bastages disrupting a sensible flow of traffic as they are mor important than anyone else on the roadways. Freaking Mississippi Morons.
So what do I think about a state full of Imbeciles which doesn't even have decent Irish Bars? Oh I'm less than impressed. What do I think of a state where all food items are taxed, yes a poor tax, I'm less than Impressed. What do I think of a state where the two main east west roadways in the southern most section are both life lines and primary escape routes incase of disaster, I'm less than impressed.
What do I think of a stae that doesn't have margins or shoulders on the road ways and they drop into drainage ditches, I'm less than impressed. What do I think of a state where one can't be comfortable outdoors in the evening due to a preponderance of biting flying insects, I'm less than impressed.
Yeah southern NY state near NYC might suck but it doesn't suck like MS sucks. But there is a bright spot to MS and that is something the general population here may not consider. The local Police and Sheriffs Officers are every bit as professional as the officers I've met in the many states and countries I've ever traveled in. So while I may rail about the Insipid over paid, over exposed, over praised and under taxed politicians. You know the assholes who'll never cut their own salaries to help balance a budget. I can't thank the Police and other Public Safety Professionals and Volunteers enough for performing jobs that are mostly thankless and undervalued by the rest of society.
Ah a second bright spot Mississippi Beers, The Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. in Kiln MS, puts out some nice and a few interestingly different products. If one ever gets the opprotunity to try some please do. Just don't ever let the assholes from Annhueser-Busch, Miller or Coors try to replicate the stuff. All they know how to do is make watery thin rice infused ersatz tastless near beer.
Note to the local Southern MS Bars for lack of a more precise term of derision. If you have Guinness on Tap do not serve it in frosted glasses. Regardless of how local management thinks that is not the way to serve a proper stout. Morons.
Don't bother trying to find a professional Dentist here in MS either; a listening to numerous answering machines after I broke a tooth during a holiday weekend leads me to believe that they may be educated but I'm less certain about their communication skills. If your operation is closed from Christmas Eve till after the NEW YEAR state that on the message Assholes!
Health Insurance and the Federal Government is another JOKE. If the feds want to really help they'll do forensic audits of all the Insurance Companies and fine them when they refuse claims at a value of the full claim as charged by the medical establishment plus interest penalties and taxes as well as a personal fine for all the CEO's COO's CFO's and make sure it cuts into the shareholders profits too. That will go a long way to cleaning up health care in the U.S.A. Those monies collected can go towards a national health care pool of cash. Hey lets piss off more bottomfeeding lawyers too one phrase does it all 'Tort Reform'!
Yeah I'm on a friggin role here. yet this is a safer way to vent off some of my frustrations. Of course watching a public caning of a criminal federal politician might be just as good. The FBI should start a section just to keep the Congress and Senate in check, both sides of the Aisles extrem leftist Democrats and extreme rightwing Republicans.
So I guess 3 pages of commentary, rants and ramblings are enough for now. There are many other things I would rather do than be Driving Mr. Dippy and running off for his prescriptions as he waits till the last pill before reordering; but when you deal with fuck headed morons who are control freaks even when things are out of their control, you will end up angry and frustrated. And the moronic bulk of society and news readers wonder why road rage is all the rage.
06:18 20 January 2011. and thus I begin my day expressing my anger and frustrations. Not a good way to begin.
Thats the good news; The bad news is I'm also ranting, quite a bit too.
So her we go my first compliation for 2011.
19 January, 2011
Dear Friends;
Today finds myself in Southern Mississippi and its a truely stupid and moronic location. I'd rather be with the drunken tourists, sun addled faggots and tourist shop operators of Key West, FL getting some scuba diving in and just running for a few miles each morning. But alas I'm not. So what has kept me in this most miserably insipid of states for the past several months? Employment? Easy money? Loose women? Debauchery and a lecherous life style? Sadly, it is none of those fun sounding excuses for a hedonistic lifestyle. The issue is more mundane than many would suppose.
I am providing free services to the most parsimonious tight ass on the planet. One who seldem and practically never says a word of thanks to anyone and acted though praise of his sons for exceptional
support to the entire family was beneath himself. I am of course refering to my Father who is practically a recluse in his own mauseleum or should I say his home? For as much as he may ever venture out doors these day he may as well be dead now.
I am the free foot brother who never acquired a family, so I am not tied down to one geographic location in my retirement. Yet I am burdened with old fashioned sensabilities of being responsible for family. I came down to Shitholesippi because my parents are in their 80's; Moses uh Dad has Cancer and Mom couldn't care for the old imbecile alone. So after I completed my thrid and final Marine Corps Marathon, I departed NY state for the foreseeable future and came south to assist. Of course with me came some of my toys, H-D motorcycle, scuba gear, computer and camping supplies but not my redneck camper which I used at Key West last year it is snow bound back in NY at my younger brother's place acting as an interim storage shed while the concrete floor in his barn finally dries. Still I digress.
I've been in this effing hell of a stae since early Novemeber and have gone to several functions and activities in order to have some recreational persuits. Basicly I'm competed in several foot races and a 1/2 marathon and have done well in those. But I've still not found the quality of people I knew in NY. So between an imbecile father who does not believe in being a social creature and keeping less company than I prefer I find myself less than a happy camper.
Adding to my troubles are some other issues. Christmas morning found me breaking out my Diving First Aid supplies (which includes an Oxygen kit fron the Divers Alert Network) and providing oxygen to my father and having my mother call 911 for an Ambulance. He was having a heart attack and yet as he is parsimonious he would of had us drive him to the hospital telling us he didn't feel well. Thankfully he couldn't even hobble out to the sedan to attempt dying in there. So while he had an weak and erratic pulse all i could do was supply O2 untill the paramedics arrived. My Mother rode with them to Ocean Springs Hospital and it wasn't untill the paramedic got a EKG set up on him and saw the heart irrythym that the gravity of the situation was understood. He was preped for surgery in the ER, and moved immediately to surgery where in addition to recieving a stent he was diagnosed with an untreated infection of where he had surgery previously for the removal of a cancerous mass.
So that said the old ass is lucky to be alive to make people miserable today and in a way its my fault the miserable person himself is still alive; that and visitations in the hospital was pretty much how I ended the year 2010 untill the evening of the 29th when he was discharged for home recovery. Oh and it was happy happy joy joy to learn of that event as when my Mother and I arrived at the hospital that afternoon we were informed that "We should of called before coming as he was being discharged that evening". Right like we would of known? Fucking asses should of called us and given us that neccessary bit of information. Fucking morons and my imbecile father.
Still there was one high point during that episode of life; He was halucinating and delusional while in the ICU and its the only time in my life I can recall the bastage as being humorous. Too bad we're not allowed to medicate the pompous ass like that at his home.
So now its late/mid January and the most critical thing in his miserable life isn't working to develop strenght to facilitate movement and life. No his 13 inch cathode ray TV set which was in the kitchen died this past monday, I took it to the recycling site today.
20 January 2011,
Woke at 05:00 and while I'd prefer to dress for and go running I'm holding off till later in the morning as I'm driving the Father to his occularist appointment. Ol' Cyclops will be having the orb removed cleaned and the eye socket inspected and examined. After that he'll probably ask me to drive him to Walmart, joy.
As for today and myself well, I've got one new pair of running shoes and I might even get out to run in them. But as for races this year, that seems a less likely proposition as most here will interfer with life revolving around Moses.
So with life revoloving around the person who knows everything, especially if it pertains to the Moron State, I had opprotunity to display to him that he doesn't by using side roads he's never considered to get around a road construction detour. It is much less frustrating to move at slow speed in a residential area than be stuck at a dead stop on a main road with inconsiderate bastages disrupting a sensible flow of traffic as they are mor important than anyone else on the roadways. Freaking Mississippi Morons.
So what do I think about a state full of Imbeciles which doesn't even have decent Irish Bars? Oh I'm less than impressed. What do I think of a state where all food items are taxed, yes a poor tax, I'm less than Impressed. What do I think of a state where the two main east west roadways in the southern most section are both life lines and primary escape routes incase of disaster, I'm less than impressed.
What do I think of a stae that doesn't have margins or shoulders on the road ways and they drop into drainage ditches, I'm less than impressed. What do I think of a state where one can't be comfortable outdoors in the evening due to a preponderance of biting flying insects, I'm less than impressed.
Yeah southern NY state near NYC might suck but it doesn't suck like MS sucks. But there is a bright spot to MS and that is something the general population here may not consider. The local Police and Sheriffs Officers are every bit as professional as the officers I've met in the many states and countries I've ever traveled in. So while I may rail about the Insipid over paid, over exposed, over praised and under taxed politicians. You know the assholes who'll never cut their own salaries to help balance a budget. I can't thank the Police and other Public Safety Professionals and Volunteers enough for performing jobs that are mostly thankless and undervalued by the rest of society.
Ah a second bright spot Mississippi Beers, The Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. in Kiln MS, puts out some nice and a few interestingly different products. If one ever gets the opprotunity to try some please do. Just don't ever let the assholes from Annhueser-Busch, Miller or Coors try to replicate the stuff. All they know how to do is make watery thin rice infused ersatz tastless near beer.
Note to the local Southern MS Bars for lack of a more precise term of derision. If you have Guinness on Tap do not serve it in frosted glasses. Regardless of how local management thinks that is not the way to serve a proper stout. Morons.
Don't bother trying to find a professional Dentist here in MS either; a listening to numerous answering machines after I broke a tooth during a holiday weekend leads me to believe that they may be educated but I'm less certain about their communication skills. If your operation is closed from Christmas Eve till after the NEW YEAR state that on the message Assholes!
Health Insurance and the Federal Government is another JOKE. If the feds want to really help they'll do forensic audits of all the Insurance Companies and fine them when they refuse claims at a value of the full claim as charged by the medical establishment plus interest penalties and taxes as well as a personal fine for all the CEO's COO's CFO's and make sure it cuts into the shareholders profits too. That will go a long way to cleaning up health care in the U.S.A. Those monies collected can go towards a national health care pool of cash. Hey lets piss off more bottomfeeding lawyers too one phrase does it all 'Tort Reform'!
Yeah I'm on a friggin role here. yet this is a safer way to vent off some of my frustrations. Of course watching a public caning of a criminal federal politician might be just as good. The FBI should start a section just to keep the Congress and Senate in check, both sides of the Aisles extrem leftist Democrats and extreme rightwing Republicans.
So I guess 3 pages of commentary, rants and ramblings are enough for now. There are many other things I would rather do than be Driving Mr. Dippy and running off for his prescriptions as he waits till the last pill before reordering; but when you deal with fuck headed morons who are control freaks even when things are out of their control, you will end up angry and frustrated. And the moronic bulk of society and news readers wonder why road rage is all the rage.
06:18 20 January 2011. and thus I begin my day expressing my anger and frustrations. Not a good way to begin.
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