Looking like Christmas!

7.5 inches of fresh snow! And I fly out at the crack of dawn tomorrow!

21 years

Still in my heart!

World Aids Day

A time to remember those who have passed, and those who are living with Aids.

It ain't over folks. Millions are still dealing with this life threatening disease. Now is the time to come to their aid!

Hello, world!!

I am back… better late than never. And I do have exciting news:

The living room when I left to see the doctor on Wednesday. (Yes, almost a week ago. Don’t get your panties in a knot.

And the living room when I got home.

And the living room today. Looks almost warm and cozy, doesn’t it?

There was one tragedy. Well, the marble tabletop was in bad shape already, so it wasn’t a great tragedy. My right hand just didn’t work right as I was picking it up, and

CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!

It did hit one of my feet, I was sure the breaking noise was my foot, but I was truly unhurt. I don’t even remember which foot it tried to crush.

Good bye, Benson DuBois

and to Mr. Guillaume!

Bad News!

I have found another replica of Stonehenge.

This One is on the campus of the University of Texas-Permian Basin, in Odessa, Texas.

I feel a road trip coming on!

Ear candy!

Is there truly any other way to describe two hours in the marvelous MRI machine?

How the hell do lefties make it in this world?

Before I go any further, let me proudly crow that I have been in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. State number 50 was Vermont, for both Karla and I. We had a 50^th State Dash planned, but it fizzled, as the pilot and navigator (who were undoubtable bribed by Karla) screwed up and got us to Vermont on an unplanned bridge. Karla was in the front seat. I was in the back seat. Karla won. But, I am not bitter. Not me. But I know three sisters who had better watch their backs.

Okay, on to the main thesis of this post. For those of you unaware, I have lost much of the strength and coordination in my right hand. Trust me, I had no strength or coordination to lose. It wasn’t good in New England and it has gotten progressively worse. My right hand has begun to atrophy.

You know those medicine bottles with childproof caps? Well, I must be a child. I was contemplating getting out my chainsaw to open my bottle of Aleve, when I finally got the pliers to do the trick! And tying shoelaces, now there is a skill I can live without. Putting on socks is a 10-15 minute affair, hence I am on the third day with the same pair of socks. Zipping zippers and buttoning buttons are too much work when I am at home.

Okay, this may be tmi, but I can’t even masturbate anymore. It seems patently unkind to take away one of the joys I have, when there are so few left.

If you are somewhat prudish, please don’t read the last paragraph.

Okay, so I saw my doctor a week ago. I recognized her demeanor. An MRI of the brain and an MRI of the upper spinal canal was promptly scheduled for Monday morning. Sadly, I was too ill with a cold to take the tests. I will have the MRIs on Friday afternoon.

The reasons for the MRIs are fairly obvious. The brain scan is to check for tumors. 40% of lung cancer patients find that the cancer has metastasized to the brain. The upper spinal canal scan is to check for spinal stenosis.

Okay, behind door number 1 is… And behind door number 2 is… But what really scares me is what might be behind door number 3.

There is a side of me that wants to know the answers right now, but there is also a side of me that is screaming out, “Ain’t ignorance bliss!”

Okay, I know this post is tragically long. It is a number of posts scrambled together. I promise to be more timely and succinct in the future.

I just love this video

Stonewall. an organization in the UK, has started a new campaign, and they created this video.

Enjoy!

Strong west winds tonight

A bad omen!

I fall in love again

With Netherlands & Richard!

Party in Idaho!

I can’t believe I didn’t get any pictures of the beautiful house we stayed in, the view from the house down to Lake Pend Oreille, the views from the beach or the death defying trail we had to take! I could have bored you all for hours on end! (Okay, the trail wasn't that bad, even I could do it!)

But I did get some pictures of import!

Like Father, Like Son

Okay, this may have cost Shannon and John their chances for parents of the year! They aren’t even in their car seat! (But in their defense, the kids are wearing hats!)

Roc did like to jump!

The original Koszareks, or Family K’s backbone!

The Wells

The Rideouts

The Kohootes

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!

And I go on catlessly

Max is gone. He went to sleep this morning.

Sometimes

You find yourself left with a crotchety old black cat and you wonder, “Why me?”

And then it slowly dawns on you; he is your ticket to the past. He is the only one, save you, who understands and remembers the intricacies of our mostly-gone family. And you remember that he and you have always had a tight relationship. And you realize that you love him.

Okay, I admit that I was always a little pissed that every time the devil called to speak to his second-cousin-once-removed, Max was always in the litter box. It is awkward making small talk with Satan on the phone.

And who do you think taught me all the foul language I use? Sure as hell wasn’t Ralph or Trixie or Spike or Richard or Tillie or Tom. Those credits belong to Max! He could make a drunken sailor blush!

Okay, let’s cut through the bullshit. Max is dying. He hasn’t eaten in days. He is weak and listless. He has troubles jumping up onto my lap. He is having troubles swallowing. I know what I must do, but I don’t like it.

It will be a horrific drive into Hood River to the vet. It will be an even more horrific drive home. But it must be done. Max isn’t comfortable.

And an update on Max and I!

Does anyone remember a time when I would write about thing more cheery than hospitals and doctors and pestilence and plague? Neither do I, but I have memory issues.

Max spent another night with the vet. He is responding to treatment but is not to the point where the good doctor felt he could get off his IV. Apparently Max was a bad cat on the 4^th. They had to sedate him. Dr. Foss said he is a sweet kitty when he is anaesthetized!  With that in mind, I am in the market for a tranquilizer gun. I should look on Amazon! Hopefully, Max will come home this afternoon, so I need immediate delivery on the drugs!

And as for me, my dosage of Gabapentin is going up slightly and I will begin using Cymbalta to see if it helps with the pain. It should be noted that Cymbalta is also an anti-depressant, so I may become a nice guy! Just imagine, both Max and I being kind, loving beings! That thought should rock your world!

Well, everyone have a Happy Wayno’s Birthday! 

19 years ago today!

Richard and I tied the knot!

We had an amazing 16 year run. So many great memories.

He’ll always be my kitten!

Max spent the night in the hospital. He will spend tonight there, also. He is in renal failure. The doctor used the word “acute” more than once during our discussion of Max’ condition. They are trying treatment (I think mostly just hydration) and they want to see if he responds.

I’m gonna say this once, and only once:

GODFUCKINGDAMN!!!

And a happy 4^th of July to you all!

For some reason this reminded me of someone! I just wish I could remember who!!

Damn I am good!

Best the garden has looked in years!

Ask the Gardening Guru

Many of you have been asking me many significant questions about gardening. While they are all earnest and heartwarming, I know the real answer to few, I manage to come up with reasonable facsimiles, that if you have never seen planet Earth before, you might actually believe.

Take a recent question and my precise answer.

Dear Gardening Guru, Sir,

How do I tell a weed from a plant that I sowed from seed. I am confused.
With warm regards,

A Real Loser in the Garden

 Dear Loser in the Garden,

There are three ways to tell a weed from a wanted plant.

 #1. If it collapses in the lightest evening breeze, despite being only 1.5” tall and it is protected by a berm, it is a desired plant.
If it can withstand hurricane winds for days on end without even losing a leaf, it is a weed!

 #2. If the slightest disruption of its roots system, say running a hand rake within four inches of the 1.5” plant, causes it to die instantly, it is one of your most prized plants.
If leaving 4 molecules of root in the ground after digging the plant out causes it to shoot out 24, two foot plants by morning, it’s a weed, but learn to love it, cause it ain’t going away.

 #3. If a deer in the yard walk past the plant and covers his nose in disgust, it is just another weed.
If there is a queue of deer lined up around the house and up into the woods waiting for a chance to nibble on the plant, it is a good plant, one you would dearly love if it weren’t for the deer!
(Did you catch my play on words!)

Whatever,

 The Gardening Guru

I await your questions!

The longest day of the year!

Don't let it ever end!

It has got to end!

The shooting of the Republican baseball team at practice, the shooting at the UPS facility in San Francisco, the attacks in Great Britain... the never ending violence must end.

People in authority must call for an immediate end... all sides must agree! There is no call, no driving reason to hurt one another. I know I sound like an old, almost hippie, but I am. Every side is to blame, innocent blood is on each of us. It is time for us all to speak out, to be heard, to do little things.

If you see something, no matter how funny or poignant, that somehow alludes to violence, ignore it. 

DO NOT PASS IT ON!!!

It is time, we the ordinary people called hate-mongering, hate-mongering. None of us is innocent!

Rachel Harry's acceptance speech

A moment of silence!

For the 49 people died at the Pulse in Orlando one year ago!

And the most important part!

THE SWAG!!!

St. Louis! I fell in love with the Cardinal!

Little Rock Central! Too good to pass up!

Tunica, Mississippi! Well, I was so close and needed a Mississippi cup!

And Memphis! Totally cool city!

The travelogue

The Awakening Giant in Chesterfield, Mo.

And just to give you an idea of the size! (It was the first time I ever sat in a man's mouth!)

The world's largest rocking chair in Cuba. Mo.

Stonehenge in Rolla, Mo. It was our third Stonehenge. Karla and I were kind of "meh"!

The world's largest gift store. Not exciting enough to get us out of the car!

49!!! I've made it to almost all the states!

The grand canyon of Arkansas. Pretty, but.... it ain't no real Grand Canyon! 

Hot Springs. AR... really cool!

Little Rock Central High School! Well worth all the wrong turns!

Handy Park on Beale Street in Memphis!

The Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, at the Lorraine Hotel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Moving beyond belief. Karla and I spent nearly 4 hours there... rushing through the last part, and missing one whole building! Worth every minute! 

This is the bus that Rosa Parks rode on in Montgomery, Al... refusing to give up her seat!

And the bus that the Freedom Riders rode, that was burned just outside of Anniston, Al!

And Graceland.

Karla and I spent hours trying to find the Tina Turner museum, which may or may not exist. But we did get to Nutbush, Tn and the Tina Turner Highway!

And the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis!

Great trip! Great times! Great sister to travel with!

Rachel Harry's nomination video for the Tony Award!

And note: Nicole Scribner is my former neighbor, although she was very young when she moved away!

Amazing news!

Rachel Harry, the theatre teacher at Hood River Valley High School has been selected by the Tony's to receive the award for educator of the year!

Richard and Rachel worked together on many projects. She is now teaching Richard's classes at CGCC. I am blown away. I may have to watch the Tony Awards this Sunday on TV!

What an honor for Rachel!

And more greetings, this time from Memphis!

We've visited Little Rock Central, Beale Street, the Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel, almost found the Tina Turner Museum (we were close, saw the Tina Turner Highway and her home town of Nutbush, Tennessee)!

It has been an amazing time!

Pictures when I return to civilization!

Greetings from Little Rock!

I would share some amazing photos, but my skills are limited!

Imagine visiting the awakening giant in Chesterfield! Picture the world's largest rocking chair! I have seen Cuba on Route 66!

And I have now been to 49 states, crossing into Arkansas this morning! The Arkansas Grand Canyon was quite beautiful, and Hot Springs was quite impressive!

A good rainstorm or two, and we are bedding down for the night in Little Rock! 

Tomorrow we are off to Memphis!

And.....

Siding is going up on the bump out!

And the garden isn't embarrassing this year!

Wild cat alert! Wild cat alert!

A rare and extremely dangerous black panther has been spotted in the Upper Hood River Valley!

He is armed and dangerous!!! (Okay, technically clawed and dangerous) 

DO NOT PROVOKE HIM!!!

I got in a fight yesterday!

Some belligerent bush slapped me in the eye!

If you think I look bad, you should see the bush!

It was the Oregon chainsaw massacre! 

Remember that hideous, worn floor I had in the pantry?

Well, forget it! I got me a brand-spanking new floor! And I put it down myself!

Okay, the trim boards still need to be put down, but I am claiming a moral victory!

Exciting new pictures of the house!

Logan has been doing really boring stuff, like plumbing (oh, and for the record, I did the plumbing), taking out the dry rot under the front door, and connecting to the East Fork Irrigation again (oh, and for the record, I connected to the irrigation). I am so talented!

But there are finally some pics of importance:

The cover over my soon to be new front stoop from the northwest!

And the view of the cover over my new front stoop from the southwest!

And I just because I love this season! The lilacs are about to bloom in full force!!!

5:30AM

The view from my back porch. It is going to be a beautiful day!

I'd like to thank my beloved Max for waking me up at 3:30AM, so that I could be fully functioning and thoroughly enjoy the sunrise. He is such a good cat.

And a Happy Day-After Monther's Day to you all!

I even got you a bouquet of flowers!