Stuff of interest to Don, and I hope to you!

The ramblings of a frustrated writer and storyteller.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

My goodness, I'm ashamed, and it is clear that I should be! I have been very busy, but not to write on my blog for this long? Just inexcusable. Well, let me give you some idea how things have been with me since my last writing. About three years ago, I had my first (and fortunately, my only, so far) experience with sciatica. I can assure you, it is not a pleasant experience for a man, 72 years old to be on his hands and knees on the kitchen floor, crying and unable to get up. My primary care physician discussed various treatment options with me, and all had some significant drawbacks, along with less than encouraging prospects for long term relief. Finally he suggested I might want to consult with a chiropractor as he had known of some success using methods he did not really understand. I did, and fortunately, after three or four visits and some stretching exercises done twice a day, my symptoms nearly disappeared. I won't bore you with the details of my situation, but I had excellent results.

That caused me to discuss with my wife the wisdom of moving to a more temperate climate. Barbara had been suggesting such an idea for some time, but I had been putting off such an idea. In Maine, the weather is very unpredictable (this is March 31 and we have a forecast for up to a foot of snow tonight) and it was unlikely I could continue to shovel, plow, and keep up with the maintenance of our home much longer. So, we have been considering where we might live in a more hospitable climate and find a community we were comfortable and a considerably smaller house in which to live. We have spent a couple of years doing research, and making a few visits to locations we felt might be desireable. At this time, we think we have found the right place and will try to move there soon and rent a place to live to be sure it is right.

Of course, all of this was not without it's interruptions. In May of 2009, I had a heart attack, and lathough mild, it was a good warning that I needed to take better care of my health. I have been doing so, and I continue to do well. More seriously, just two days before Thanksgiving that year, my wife, Barbara, had a serious automobile accident. For several years we have owned a 2003 Audi TT roadster. It was a glorious car to drive and just a ball! She was on her way to work and encountered a Dodge Ram truck, serverely damaging the driver's side front of the TT. All systems worked and the air bags deployed. Unfortunately, she suffered a broken sternum, and contusions of both lungs. Those injuries were very difficult to completely recover from, as continual and recurring infections of her lungs recurred while they were compromised. 2010 was a very difficult year as she battled continuing problems. She suffered with recurring infections to her lungs and had numerous doctors visits to allergists, pulmonologists, and other specialists. In the past three months, she seems to have turned the corner and is making very good progress. Could 2011 prove to be better?

As I write this, we are sufficiently optimistic that we are about to list our home for sale, and try to successfully sell, and move further south.

Labels: update

Wednesday, January 07, 2004

Posted 2:41 PM by don
My goodness, is it possible a whole year (and a bit more) has gone by since i was last here? Well, I told you I was in "overload" when I last wrote, and a years absence sure proves it. Last years holidays went very well, and we provided a White Christmas with a twenty two inch snowfall starting late Christmas morning. It turned out to be a very nice time for everybody, including me, as the new 10HP snowblower worked flawlessly all winter!
Fast forward to the most recent Christmas holiday which was green, but nonetheless a very nice holiday. The decorating was much less this year, as we did not have out of town guests for Christmas. We did have a very nice small celebration with the neighbors, and had a frien in for New Year's Eve, but no big party here this year.
The past year was good to us, and my wife seems to be completely recovered from her treatment for breast cancer, and life is returning to normal. Much more work has been accomplished around the house and it is actually nearing completion. We are now down to the things that turn a house into a home, like custom colors in the rooms, decorating, some art work, a little custom music closet, and the like. Not things that are necessary to have, but the nice touches! Well, I am going to try to be more regular about my blog, and will hope to be back soon!

Friday, December 13, 2002

Posted 3:56 PM by don
Well, Christmas is nearly upon us again, and I am in the usual "overload" condition. I just took a few minutes from Christmas decorating and baking chores to sit down for a break. I have been meaning to start a blog for some time now, and felt that this was the day! It turns out that it wasn't at all confusing to get signed up for my own space to blog, and I suspect the biggest problem will be the time to do it! We just got back from a nice long vacation to Florida (Key West for a week and then my sister in St. Augustine for ten days), but we are paying the price in trying to find time to do everything to get ready for our Christmas guests. You know, decorating (my wife is an artist, so it is more than the usual trouble), baking, housecleaning, etc. with her parents coming for five days for the holiday! Oh dear, there, I'm being paged already. well, more soon.
Don

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