Almost ready for pre Christmas visit to Flower-Mound. That is James and Joan's abode. Collection of some of our family in a pre Christmas soiree. We will bring some salsas that our house maid prepared. We will bring the chips. She is Honduran so we will have a touch of it from that part of the world. We will also have Ceviche, marinated Red Snapper with lime juice plus onions, Jalapenos, olives and green onions (décor I think). I will bring boiled shrimp and my dipping sauce, mostly Catsup and Horse Radish but a little of this and that added to it (it is secret ya know).
We will bring some wine for all to partake. And in the tradition of South Louisiana, we will pass a good time.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Winter Has Arrived . . .
We are starting a wet and cold weekend. Got up this AM to a gentle and persistent rain and temperatures around mid forties. No ice, no frost, just misery. The house is warm enough but without the brightness of sun light, it is just plain crappy. Supposed to rain on and off all weekend through to and including Monday.
As I look out the window I see more leaves have dropped out front. The two Shumar Oaks, red oaks, are dispersing their summer leaves and acorns (for the squirrels, ya know). The trees are not bear yet but they are shedding and you can see a little more daylight through their branches now. Soon they will be stark trees with just an errant leaf here and there that refuses to fall.
The little oak on the side yard has turned from green to a sort of golden brown. It dies not shed its leaves but instead pushes them off in the spring. So I may lose a few leaves but holds on to the bitter end. Its fellow Post Oak has been showering us with its smallish acorns (the squirrels are not interested in them, to small for their taste). I vacuumed most of them up yesterday, cut the grass out back (cut the leaves out back is a better description). The mulching blade takes fairly good care of them but out back where the Post Oaks most reside, the mower had a tough time with the leaves out back. It would push them up under the mower motor and front wheels. I found by reversing I could leave a pile of leaves, so moved a great deal of them over near the compost pile. Later I can rake them into the compost pile.
I will have to venture out again later on a good bright sunny day and vacuum up some more leaves of the drive way and side walks. I usually end up with eight or ten bags of leaves and the vacuum generally grinds them up as it sucks in the leaves. I toss the lot into the compost pile. We will have a nice collection of them and may haps some good soil in the spring.
I see the Narcissus poking up in their flower bed. Sure sign that winter is here. Will have to cut back the Clematis vine here shortly, it will return in the Spring.
Stay warm.
As I look out the window I see more leaves have dropped out front. The two Shumar Oaks, red oaks, are dispersing their summer leaves and acorns (for the squirrels, ya know). The trees are not bear yet but they are shedding and you can see a little more daylight through their branches now. Soon they will be stark trees with just an errant leaf here and there that refuses to fall.
The little oak on the side yard has turned from green to a sort of golden brown. It dies not shed its leaves but instead pushes them off in the spring. So I may lose a few leaves but holds on to the bitter end. Its fellow Post Oak has been showering us with its smallish acorns (the squirrels are not interested in them, to small for their taste). I vacuumed most of them up yesterday, cut the grass out back (cut the leaves out back is a better description). The mulching blade takes fairly good care of them but out back where the Post Oaks most reside, the mower had a tough time with the leaves out back. It would push them up under the mower motor and front wheels. I found by reversing I could leave a pile of leaves, so moved a great deal of them over near the compost pile. Later I can rake them into the compost pile.
I will have to venture out again later on a good bright sunny day and vacuum up some more leaves of the drive way and side walks. I usually end up with eight or ten bags of leaves and the vacuum generally grinds them up as it sucks in the leaves. I toss the lot into the compost pile. We will have a nice collection of them and may haps some good soil in the spring.
I see the Narcissus poking up in their flower bed. Sure sign that winter is here. Will have to cut back the Clematis vine here shortly, it will return in the Spring.
Stay warm.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
To Orgeron or Not to Orgeron . . .
Bebe Orgeron has been LSU's interim head coach and done a good job, not a great job but a very good job. LSU fired Les Miles early in the season and took a chance of Coach Orgeron to lead the Tigers through the remainder of the season. He certainly is a colorful man, a Louisiana native, and an experienced coach. He was a dismal failure at Ole Miss but came through at University of Southern California as an interim head coach.
He failed to best Bama this year and lost a tear jerker with Florida but he got the team's attention and they responded well. This time he was less of a screamer and more of an executive and leader. Did he scream, of course he did, but seemingly in the right manner. He used his staff and he did not do that at Ole Miss. He had learned his lessons well.
He can recruit and he will do a good job in that area. He has a first class talent in Coach Aranda and let's him do his thing. Now as a head coach he can hire some people that he knows well and perhaps change the style of the Tigers. The Tigers are a defensive minded team that likes to run the ball. That is not always the most effective way to win. He has great talent in quarterbacks and if he gets someone to really develop those young men, then look for LSU to start really throwing the ball.
With a wide open offense and great defense, he will have a most powerful and importantly, entertaining team.
I am sure Coach Herman would have been great too. But I think his cost would be high and frankly he did not look that good against Memphis Friday. Other coaches could do as well but they were not of the caliber LSU was looking for in the next few years. Coach Orgeron may not last more than two or three years but there will be change and now plenty of time to get the next great football coach.
Les Miles was and is a great coach. He just is hard headed and refused to change when change was needed. Coach Orgeron recognized the signs, took over and changed the entire processes. He could not easily side car the past of Miles and did use the running team talent that Miles developed. But he added more flash to the game and that made a big difference. He has seen and worked with West Coast offenses and understands the changes needed. Les Miles will go on and be a head coach somewhere - Baylor, Indiana, even maybe Norte Dame (unlikely in my mind). He too is a great recruiter. Time will tell but he is history now at LSU.
I am surprised that many of the news outlets, especially the big sports venues refer to LSU as one of the best places in the country. The alleged "storied" program that demands the best especially in football. That tickles me but I think it is a bit of hype. I would think it is a tough place to succeed.
Geaux Tigers!
He failed to best Bama this year and lost a tear jerker with Florida but he got the team's attention and they responded well. This time he was less of a screamer and more of an executive and leader. Did he scream, of course he did, but seemingly in the right manner. He used his staff and he did not do that at Ole Miss. He had learned his lessons well.
He can recruit and he will do a good job in that area. He has a first class talent in Coach Aranda and let's him do his thing. Now as a head coach he can hire some people that he knows well and perhaps change the style of the Tigers. The Tigers are a defensive minded team that likes to run the ball. That is not always the most effective way to win. He has great talent in quarterbacks and if he gets someone to really develop those young men, then look for LSU to start really throwing the ball.
With a wide open offense and great defense, he will have a most powerful and importantly, entertaining team.
I am sure Coach Herman would have been great too. But I think his cost would be high and frankly he did not look that good against Memphis Friday. Other coaches could do as well but they were not of the caliber LSU was looking for in the next few years. Coach Orgeron may not last more than two or three years but there will be change and now plenty of time to get the next great football coach.
Les Miles was and is a great coach. He just is hard headed and refused to change when change was needed. Coach Orgeron recognized the signs, took over and changed the entire processes. He could not easily side car the past of Miles and did use the running team talent that Miles developed. But he added more flash to the game and that made a big difference. He has seen and worked with West Coast offenses and understands the changes needed. Les Miles will go on and be a head coach somewhere - Baylor, Indiana, even maybe Norte Dame (unlikely in my mind). He too is a great recruiter. Time will tell but he is history now at LSU.
I am surprised that many of the news outlets, especially the big sports venues refer to LSU as one of the best places in the country. The alleged "storied" program that demands the best especially in football. That tickles me but I think it is a bit of hype. I would think it is a tough place to succeed.
Geaux Tigers!
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Progress . . .
Judie has weaned herself off Percocet and all opiate drugs. She just uses Tylenol when needed now. And the Tylenol seems to do the job for her. Albeit, it is about the maximum dose one can take but it works for her.
She wakes sometimes with leg pain, or leg and foot pain, sometimes only the right leg and sometimes both legs are effected. All of that tends to tell me healing is going on and the Sciatica nerve is settling down. The other pain was probably associated with the spinal bones healing where bone had been removed to make space for the nerves and by now they seem to be healed up from the operation. She has a large scar and a couple of places are still scabbed over. I touched them, and they seem to be residual stitches. So that too will in time go away. It has been a struggle and reminds us we are not spring chickens anymore and all things take longer to heal up.
She is much more stable now, uses her walker a lot less. We are going to look into a cane to ensure her stability when walking. She does go short distances now without the walker. And she is doing more walking about. Still no bending or stretching down for anything. And no driving which kind of cramps her style. But she is over all doing much much better.
She wakes sometimes with leg pain, or leg and foot pain, sometimes only the right leg and sometimes both legs are effected. All of that tends to tell me healing is going on and the Sciatica nerve is settling down. The other pain was probably associated with the spinal bones healing where bone had been removed to make space for the nerves and by now they seem to be healed up from the operation. She has a large scar and a couple of places are still scabbed over. I touched them, and they seem to be residual stitches. So that too will in time go away. It has been a struggle and reminds us we are not spring chickens anymore and all things take longer to heal up.
She is much more stable now, uses her walker a lot less. We are going to look into a cane to ensure her stability when walking. She does go short distances now without the walker. And she is doing more walking about. Still no bending or stretching down for anything. And no driving which kind of cramps her style. But she is over all doing much much better.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Election Is Over . . .
The voters by state have decided whom they wanted for their President. In doing so they repudiated the present administration and its candidate. Now the ads will quite down but the recriminations have started.
We were told that should Trump get elected the stock market would go through the floor. It did not go through the floor, it accelerated upwards. The market apparently likes growth and change rather than the status quo. Times they are a changing.
The pundits and the polls generally picked Hillary to win. She did not win and now there is soul searching going on. Some even saying the Democratic party is in total disarray. I doubt that, there will be endless analysis, etc. but times will move on. New candidates will appear in time. But hopefully the shenanigans will stop. The question stealing and giving to one candidate, the exchange of lies here and there will stop. Maybe integrity will reappear in the Democratic party. Not that there is not any of that in the Republican party, but it was not aired like that of the Democratic party. I personally can not understand how the Democratic party nominated such a candidate.
Hillary had to much corrupt baggage, lies to Congress, lies about her personal computer server and her Emails, about selling access to the Secretary of State to generated moneys for her and her husbands charity. And using the charity to pay for non charitable events like the daughters wedding. Corruption was flowing all over the place.
The American public is not stupid. They were tired of Obama. They were tired of the lies. And now they are in shock that their candidate lost.
Well we no longer have to listen to candidate rhetoric. Now we move on. Perhaps we will wipe the slate clean again and start over. That is the beauty of the great United States of America.
We were told that should Trump get elected the stock market would go through the floor. It did not go through the floor, it accelerated upwards. The market apparently likes growth and change rather than the status quo. Times they are a changing.
The pundits and the polls generally picked Hillary to win. She did not win and now there is soul searching going on. Some even saying the Democratic party is in total disarray. I doubt that, there will be endless analysis, etc. but times will move on. New candidates will appear in time. But hopefully the shenanigans will stop. The question stealing and giving to one candidate, the exchange of lies here and there will stop. Maybe integrity will reappear in the Democratic party. Not that there is not any of that in the Republican party, but it was not aired like that of the Democratic party. I personally can not understand how the Democratic party nominated such a candidate.
Hillary had to much corrupt baggage, lies to Congress, lies about her personal computer server and her Emails, about selling access to the Secretary of State to generated moneys for her and her husbands charity. And using the charity to pay for non charitable events like the daughters wedding. Corruption was flowing all over the place.
The American public is not stupid. They were tired of Obama. They were tired of the lies. And now they are in shock that their candidate lost.
Well we no longer have to listen to candidate rhetoric. Now we move on. Perhaps we will wipe the slate clean again and start over. That is the beauty of the great United States of America.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Voted Yesterday. . .
We have early voting here in Texas at limited locations, that is not at all polling locations. Ours was the county courthouse and they had about 25 or so voting machines in operation. The voting procedure is the same as it one is voting on the basic election day, show your registration card, a proper ID and sign the register. Then you are given an "approval slip" and you go over to the clerk who issues you a number.
The number has to be entered in the voting machine and allows you to cast your ballot. You can vote strait ticket or individuals. In my case I chose individuals and the machine led me through the extensive ballot. The clerks, sheriff, constable, judges as well as our famous national candidates. I did it that way because I purposely did not vote for one candidate. So I had to go through the whole enchilada. My wife, on the other hand, voted the strait ticket. Even so I finished before her because she had to figure out what was going first.
What impressed me was there was a very long line of voters. I had never seen that many before and the last 13 years of voting here. And the clerk handing out the control numbers commented she had not seen that number either before. In simple terms there must have been 40 or 50 voters in the line waiting their turn to vote. On our way out, we noted the basic length of line had not changed, so more and more folks were pouring to vote.
This was not the first day of voting, it was the second day. We could tell things were booming because is was virtually impossible to get a car parking slot outside the building. We had to wait for one and when we left there was someone waiting for our slot. The people were exercising the right to vote!
I do not know it that is good omen or a bad omen. I do know we are in the middle of the bible belt and the county is largely Republican. There are not a lot of Democrats left and the ballot had very few Democrats listed for local elected positions. In the national area all four national candidates were listed and one was able to select the one of his or her choice.
My sense of things is that Trump was getting most of the votes here. I do know in national elections, the candidates do get their fair share so to speak. While being heavily Republican, the voters often deviate from the party of their choice. So it could go either way but not likely a win for the Democratic party.
People were very sober in the line, little chit chat going on, they were intent to vote. Again I do not know how to sense that as good or bad. But they were packing them in.
The number has to be entered in the voting machine and allows you to cast your ballot. You can vote strait ticket or individuals. In my case I chose individuals and the machine led me through the extensive ballot. The clerks, sheriff, constable, judges as well as our famous national candidates. I did it that way because I purposely did not vote for one candidate. So I had to go through the whole enchilada. My wife, on the other hand, voted the strait ticket. Even so I finished before her because she had to figure out what was going first.
What impressed me was there was a very long line of voters. I had never seen that many before and the last 13 years of voting here. And the clerk handing out the control numbers commented she had not seen that number either before. In simple terms there must have been 40 or 50 voters in the line waiting their turn to vote. On our way out, we noted the basic length of line had not changed, so more and more folks were pouring to vote.
This was not the first day of voting, it was the second day. We could tell things were booming because is was virtually impossible to get a car parking slot outside the building. We had to wait for one and when we left there was someone waiting for our slot. The people were exercising the right to vote!
I do not know it that is good omen or a bad omen. I do know we are in the middle of the bible belt and the county is largely Republican. There are not a lot of Democrats left and the ballot had very few Democrats listed for local elected positions. In the national area all four national candidates were listed and one was able to select the one of his or her choice.
My sense of things is that Trump was getting most of the votes here. I do know in national elections, the candidates do get their fair share so to speak. While being heavily Republican, the voters often deviate from the party of their choice. So it could go either way but not likely a win for the Democratic party.
People were very sober in the line, little chit chat going on, they were intent to vote. Again I do not know how to sense that as good or bad. But they were packing them in.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Back Surgery . . .
Judie has endured through back surgery. The Neurosurgeon said in his pre op visit is that she has the worst back he has seen and he could not guarantee any great success but felt he could relieve some pain.
The operation went off and we had a terrible day. Late to start the surgery but that was understandable as the Neurosurgeon had a brain operation before her. After the surgery he said it was tough, he could see the nerves react as he remove bone to east the stenosis. Stenosis is the narrowing space inside the spine. This is caused by age, shrinking discs, etc. She has lost two inches in height and that literally compresses the spinal cord in a fixed area.
So he opened the area up, and there in started the problems. She now had tremendous pain and we learned that hematoma (blood clot) had formed inside the spinal area and was putting pressure on her nerves, more specifically the Sciatica nerves. She was in terrible pain.
So they had to go back in the next day and removed the hematoma and cleaned out the area. They put in a drain and that prevent a return of the hematoma. She was out the hospital after a day and half stay. Got her home and the next day she was moving around all over the place.
And then the pain struck, again. So bad we had to go to the Emergency Room and she got a Morphine shot. And then was give a prescription for 120 Hydrocodone 5/325 tablets. It means 5 milligrams of Hydrocodone and 325 milligrams of Tylenol. She said that stuff did not work.
We went to an Urgent Care Clinic the doctor gave her Hydromorphone, 8 milligrams. That literally knocked her out for hours at a time. We got rid of that stuff as being to powerful and it too did not relieve her pain.
The Neurosurgeon was out of town, and his on call fellow handed her off the pain doctor. Saw him and prescribed Cymbalta and Percocet, yet another opiate. The Cymbalta takes three weeks to begin to effect the nerves, so that is yet to happen if it happens. She is also take Lyrica that is supposed to do the same thing.
We had yet another MRI after seeing the Neurosurgeon last Friday. He said he was mystified, he did not understand what was going on. Her cousin's husband is a retired surgeon and opined it could be Piriformis Syndrome. I'll leave that to you to look up on Google but it is possibly an explanation to the pain. Neither of the doctors has mentioned it though I mentioned it to the pain doctor and he blew it off. I personally think he is worthless, just pumps more and more opiates out as a solution.
Her Neurosurgeon is at least interested and is trying to arrive at something. We will learn today what he thinks. If he continues with the unknowing position, I will think it is indeed Piriformis Syndrome. There are exercises to take care of that and we will peruse it.
She has sort of turned the corner this weekend. The pain is grow less, perhaps the nerves are beginning to settle down. It was rare for her to have two days in a row that were good, and we have had that now.
We shall press on.
The operation went off and we had a terrible day. Late to start the surgery but that was understandable as the Neurosurgeon had a brain operation before her. After the surgery he said it was tough, he could see the nerves react as he remove bone to east the stenosis. Stenosis is the narrowing space inside the spine. This is caused by age, shrinking discs, etc. She has lost two inches in height and that literally compresses the spinal cord in a fixed area.
So he opened the area up, and there in started the problems. She now had tremendous pain and we learned that hematoma (blood clot) had formed inside the spinal area and was putting pressure on her nerves, more specifically the Sciatica nerves. She was in terrible pain.
So they had to go back in the next day and removed the hematoma and cleaned out the area. They put in a drain and that prevent a return of the hematoma. She was out the hospital after a day and half stay. Got her home and the next day she was moving around all over the place.
And then the pain struck, again. So bad we had to go to the Emergency Room and she got a Morphine shot. And then was give a prescription for 120 Hydrocodone 5/325 tablets. It means 5 milligrams of Hydrocodone and 325 milligrams of Tylenol. She said that stuff did not work.
We went to an Urgent Care Clinic the doctor gave her Hydromorphone, 8 milligrams. That literally knocked her out for hours at a time. We got rid of that stuff as being to powerful and it too did not relieve her pain.
The Neurosurgeon was out of town, and his on call fellow handed her off the pain doctor. Saw him and prescribed Cymbalta and Percocet, yet another opiate. The Cymbalta takes three weeks to begin to effect the nerves, so that is yet to happen if it happens. She is also take Lyrica that is supposed to do the same thing.
We had yet another MRI after seeing the Neurosurgeon last Friday. He said he was mystified, he did not understand what was going on. Her cousin's husband is a retired surgeon and opined it could be Piriformis Syndrome. I'll leave that to you to look up on Google but it is possibly an explanation to the pain. Neither of the doctors has mentioned it though I mentioned it to the pain doctor and he blew it off. I personally think he is worthless, just pumps more and more opiates out as a solution.
Her Neurosurgeon is at least interested and is trying to arrive at something. We will learn today what he thinks. If he continues with the unknowing position, I will think it is indeed Piriformis Syndrome. There are exercises to take care of that and we will peruse it.
She has sort of turned the corner this weekend. The pain is grow less, perhaps the nerves are beginning to settle down. It was rare for her to have two days in a row that were good, and we have had that now.
We shall press on.
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