Just a short entry to catch up on some comments kindly made on previous entries. Fred, that seems a bit high a quote for just a room, but if it is being added on to the outside it would cost more I guess, still seems high to me.
Maria, sounds like your husband and I would get along very well. I can sit right down next to work being done and not be bothered by it. Watching the two lads moving all that material from the garage to the basement last week was a joy to see.
Now lets see, the
A few days ago I had one of those days the readers of this know all too well. I woke up feeling very tired and just generally punky. I struggled thru the daily hour of exercise and that was it for the day. No explaining it, just a bad day. No work got done. Only rest and channel surfing. The next day I awoke refreshed and promtly over did work in the basement and felt tired all the next day. I still have a few lessons to learn in the "what I can do" category.
Today two young fellas are comi
We are finishing the basement now, and I am doing most of the work. Lesley, bless her, has insisted that I sub out some work, like the electrical, plumbing, and hiring help to carry the plywood panels and bathroom fixtures from the garage to the basement. I am still doing all of the construction work, and some of the wiring (the simple stuff, I am a simple guy). Saturday I worked all day and am paying for it today (super bowl sunday), a bit sore. Today I am relaxing, reading the paper, playing w
Just a short true story I must share with you all. I had the SUV parked outside for a week or so, and the doors froze shut. Fortunately, the drivers side door opened with difficulty. Yesterday it warmed near freezing, so I drove the car awhile and really warmed it up. I then tried all the doors, no luck. I then clicked the door lock button, and the "frozen" doors instantly opened. Sometimes the simple things are too obvious......
Another lesson on wishing for things. Around here we all were praying for snow and a normal cold winter. Well.... we got it. What was predicted to be 1 to 3 inches of snow Friday turned into 2 feet! It started snowing lightly Friday, and just didn't stop until Sunday noon. Fortunately our young neighbor (new father 2 weeks ago) returned my favor of clearing their driveway while they were in Duluth having the baby. With his snow blower and mine going at the same time, then me and the ATV plowing,
I have been reading with interest the 100 things lists some are doing, and have decided to do one with a bit different focus. Looking back on my first "survivor" year, the negatives are obvious and don't need repeating here. I have decided to start the new year concentrating on the things I am thankful for, so here goes. I am not going to set any particular number to it, we'll just see where it goes. Rather than retyping "I am thankful for" each entry, I will use " as ditto marks, please be sure
Am pleased to say I have survived one year from my stroke as of yesterday. Looking back on it, an experience I don't want to repeat, but I did learn some things about myself and Lesley. I am thankful that a few more neurons did not die, it could have been much worse, as many of you surely know. I still have deficits I would prefer not to have, but have learned to adapt and appreciate every day of life to the fullest. Had I been told a year ago that I would be where I am now as far as being able
Well winter has arrived. We had -20 below zero two nights ago, it warmed up the next day to 20 above, but with that came 18" of snow. I have been clearing the driveway ever since. 800' driveway is a long drive to clear with a snow thrower. Lesley and I are going to look for an ATV with a plow today. More snow is forecast today and this week. Fun is fun, but enough is enough. We have been wanting an ATV for ice fishing anyway, so a great excuse to get one now.
Lesley had to stay at the hospi
Ah, snow! Just a few inches so far, but more forecast. Cool and windy also, 1 degree this AM, wind up to 30MPH today. Winter is here!
The main purpose of writing today is exercise and recovery. I am firmly convinced that muscle stretching is vital, especially early on. After my stroke spacisity in the left arm and shoulder was a real problem. I asked my stroke rehab Dr. what to do about it. His answer was "if I knew what to do about spacisity I would be retired in the Bahamas". He prescribe
Feels like Christmas in November. This old body is coming around more everyday. I have started my winter exercise program now, and am amazed how much better things are. I am now trying to remember just how I "used" to do things so I can do them that way again. Still have a tiny bit of spacisity in the scapula area, but a quick call to my active release therapist resulted in some great advice and now it is less everyday. I am zooming in on the areas that still need improvement, and the results ar
Several things to talk about, first back to what this blog started out to be about. Two new gizmo's to talk about. We found a battery operated can opener and a battery operated jar opener. Both were in a Dr. Leonard's junk catalog, cost $30 each, use two AA batteries and really work well. We got them both for mum (she is 85) for her use in New Zealand. We opened everything from a coffee can to a bottle of salad dressing, both worked as advertised. I couldn't help but think about those that may o
Been our usual busy people around here lately. Lesley and her mum have been busy using the new oven and doing their best to make me fatter. I have finished the greenhouse, it was a kit, not terribly difficult. I am going to have to reinforce some of the panels because of wind, but not a big issue. All other outside projects are done for the year.
Fishing is unfortunately done for the year, (until ice fishing anyway) got chased off the lake the last time out by wind and lightening. Put the c
The oven is finally finished! Hopefully attached to this entry is a photo of Lesley in action and a bonus pic of Tippy a few days ago. Putting on the metal roof was a challenge, but between Lesley and I we got it done. Even with leather gloves, a few nicks and cuts, but nothing serious. The mason was kind enough to leave the scaffolding for us to use putting on the roof, a real help. The bread and assorted goodies have been coming out fine so far, no disasters yet. We are still learning how hot
The last few weeks since mum has arrived have been busy! Where to start... well let's see, the chimney on the bread oven is done, only the metal roof remains to be installed. Hopefully will be done sometime next week. Now that the chimney is done, the oven can be safely used. Lesley and mum are busy brainstorming baking plans for next week, after the masonry dries. Many bread books, flours, supplies, etc, have appeared at our house the past few weeks.
My friend "Mike" visited us the past fe
The latest great news is that mum from New Zealand has arrived! Her trip was uneventful and all is well. Her permanent immigration papers went thru fine and she is now a permanent US resident if she chooses to be so. It took 9 months and about $1,000, but it is done. At the moment we have her here for three months, then back to New Zealand, we'll see from there. She is learning to love Tippy as we do.
Speaking of Tippy, I have to just stand back and admire in awe the miracle of life. Watchin
Ahhhhhh, a day of rest. Working where I can on the oven has indeed been a lot of work. The mason is to come back this week to finish the chimney now that the roof is on. It is not complete, but is now covered with tar paper. Should have it completed in a few weeks. I built a wooden platform in front so we will not have to stand on the gravel and dirt (or snow soon). The thermometer is installed and working. The first bread, scones, and pizza have come out of it and all were yummy. Lesley has st
Just a short note to congratulate Dickons on impending marriage. The wedding will be almost due east of us several hundred miles. That is a beautiful part of Ontario, the wife and I passed thru there a few years ago. Dickons, if you and new hubby are looking for a neat place to spend a few days, come on over and meet Tippy. We are due west of where you will be, just past Thunder Bay.
The oven for Lesley is nearly done. The mason has finished the outside bricking, now we must wait a week or
Haven't blogged for awhile, so a quick update on life up north. I left you last entry with my friend and I heading to our secret lake full of anticpation of a great day of fishing. Not to be. We got there OK, my friend caught two nice walleyes right away, and we licked our chops looking forward to a day of fast fishing. Then a thunderstorm popped up, lightening chased us off the lake. We went ashore, got away from the aluminum canoe, and waited it out. Storm ended, we went back to the hot spot,
A short entry today. To those who were kind enough to comment on yesterdays marathon story, I answered your comments on that blog. Thank you. Today so far, a good day. Last night Lesley and I booked mom's trip from New Zealand to here in August. She will stay until mid November. I can already taste the bread from the oven and other goodies she always fixes. She will be staying in Los Angles for a few weeks on each end of the trip visiting relatives there.
Today I am off to another lake with
The outdoor brick bread oven has been built. The class was held the last three days and all went well. We met some really neat people, the dogs (especially Tippy) made many new friends. We made sure she was still with us as they left, a few really took to her, and she would have willingly gone with them. We had a neighbor cut a few cedar logs for us lengthwise to sit on, Lesley and I cut some short logs for the logs to rest on, and the site in general was looking good. She also got all of her s
Reading Spacie 1's blog I couldn't help but chuckle. A few days ago I took Tippy and our boat to a nearby lake I know pretty well. Fortunately my stroke affected my left side and I am right handed, so I can still cast fairly well. A few times fish have knocked the rod out of my hand and I nearly lost it, but I am getting better. Anyway to the story. I was casting near a shoreline I have not fished before when a nice sized bass took my lure. The fight was on but he went into some underwater brush
Heartfelt thanks for all the encouragement to continue blogging. It won't be particularly stroke survivor oriented now, but rather just our daily living and overcoming challenges. The big news here is Lesley is getting her outside brick bread oven built next week. The mason showed up today and evaluated the site, all OK there.
She also had a bit of luck. The local whole foods coop is closing it's bread bakery. They are selling all the equipment at bargain prices. She bid on what she wanted
Lesley, the two dogs, and I all fit into the boat the other day, fished a bit, but mostly ran around just to get the feel of how to do things. The motor needs some work and the trailer must get rollers put on it to make the boat easier to launch and recover. Otherwise, all went well. Caught a few fish, Lesley caught the biggest, and the dogs were perfect. Just laid in the bottom and slept. Both got excited when a fish was caught. Cleaning the fish is now much more difficult and dangerous. I wear
Hopefully attached are pictures of a new gadget we are using around the house these days. We have several and they are really neat. Make opening and closing frozen veggies, bread, etc, very easy. They have a strong grip, yet are easy to remove. Lesley got them thru one of her junk catalogs.
I have held off blogging for awhile until I completed a few things so I could report on them. I finished the Active Release therapy in Canada this week. The therapist said that I was a personal success
Had a minor setback the other day. Picked Lesley up from work in the morning, we went out for a breakfast after her three night shifts. As we were leaving I got my wallet out to pay the waitress, my credit card fell onto the floor. I reached down to get it, and over I went onto the floor on my left (bad) side. Most seriously damaged part was my ego. A sprained left wrist and a hip bruise, all else OK. Reminded me not to get too rambunctious, I did have a stroke six months ago. I guess these thi
