Max is home from camp

While Foxy had her shoulder replaced, Max went to camp/the kennel. This afternoon I picked him up and he was really glad to see me. In fact my right ear is considerably cleaner, which he worked on while riding back home. Once we arrived and he got a chance to say hello to Foxy then we had time to visit about camp. He did admit that his s'mores came without chocolate since it is not good for dogs. He found several girl dogs that he liked but they are in the same condition as when he found them. He hopes they keep in touch maybe through emails. He got a bit of a tan but did not get to go swimming. It was too windy. The campfires were the best since the scary stories got told and retold. He had an upper bunk at first until he could trade with a Great Dane since a Westie has short legs and that makes climbing quite a challenge. Chow time was over too soon and what is the thing with salads? Dogs do not like salads at least not every night. Generally the food was good but there needed to be more meat balls in the spaghetti. Best of all he got his final shower this morning and does he ever smell better. Washed all of the camping grime off for sure. Glad to have him home. Happy travels

Foxy's great progress

Foxy is making excellent progress on her rehabilitation of her new shoulder. Being the right shoulder has caused some difficulty since she is right handed but she is managing. She has already started exercises that the rehab folks want her to be doing so the shoulder does not stiffen up or freeze. We have been walking first a short walk and yesterday probably a mile or more. We decided to visit the Texas Arts and Craft Show held on Kerrville's fair grounds. There were many exhibitors and lots of large tents to visit. The only drawback was the gusty winds, 35 or more mph. It made it difficult for the exhibits. We enjoyed the whole thing and managed not to buy too much although there was one painting we really wanted. But, where to put it.

Home, lunch and naps followed. I am cooking these days with good advice from Foxy. Last night we had grilled salmon on a bed of spinach and squash. Very good if I do say so. The night before it was grilled pork chops, rice and a large salad. I am trying to get her to eat and eat healthy, me too of course. Who knows what tonight will bring.

Max comes home from camp this afternoon after having a bath, which he needed. It will be good to have him home after his week away. Happy travels.

Foxy is home again

Foxy is doing quite well and glad to be home. She released from hospital noon today and we drove back to Kerrville. Now it is to be on the mend and the beginning of exercises to strengthen the shoulder and keep it mobile although it is mostly in a sling. I am chief cook and bottle washer and gopher. That is just what I need to keep myself busy. Max is still at camp until Tuesday afternoon. I will be glad to have the little rascal home too. All for now> Happy travels

Foxy has her surgery

We got up rather early this morning just after 5am. On the road by 6 to make the short drive to neighboring Fredericksburg and entered Miss Foxy into the Hill Country Memorial Hospital there. It is the same hospital where I had prostate cancer surgery a year ago. It is very well run and staffed by incredibly professional medical personnel.

Foxy had shoulder replacement surgery. She has arthritis of her joints and in her shoulder there was much wear and tear and lots of bone spurs. The surgeon removed the end of her shoulder joint and replaced it with a titanium one, reattached her major shoulder muscle and then closed the incision. She will be wearing a shoulder sling for 4-6 weeks and then begin rehabilitation although it may begin in a minor way tomorrow. Tonight she is coming off the anesthesia and has needed medication to help cope. I hope she gets some sleep. They numbed her shoulder and that lasts about 18 hours which will be up tonight. She is a good trooper though and asks for little help but will need a great deal of support in the coming days. She has be a chief nurse, cook, bottle washer, and general gofer. I will do my best to make her life as easy as I can in the days ahead. She would appreciate hearing from you particularly by email. Thanks for all of your kindnesses both past and future. Happy travels.

Max goes to camp

Every once in a while Max gets to go to camp. We mentioned it to him this morning, and he got all excited. He loves to go to camp. I told him that this year he was old enough to begin swimming. I just hope they don't throw him in and let him sink or swim. He has never been in a body of water larger than a mud puddle. I also mentioned to him that he should enjoy campfires (assuming he quits trying to put them out), singing ( he is working on his howl), scary stories (they make him jump, usually backward) and s'mores (chocolate is not good for dogs but the marshmellow, if not burned too much, would be great, although he might get the sticky stuff all over his muzzle). All of these delights should keep him very busy. Besides, all of the other dogs at the kennel cause Max to do much more sniffing than he gets time for at home.

We sent Max to camp/the kennel, since Foxy gets her shoulder replacement surgery tomorrow morning. I will keep you posted on the surgery and camp. Happy travels.

A funny scene

I am reading a book in which I read a very funny scene. It seems that some boys went camping and cooked some hotdogs when a feral cat looking quite hungry approached. They tossed the cat a hotdog, and the cat inhaled it and looked for more. The boys tried to pick up the cat, but it began to spit and scratch, and they quickly let it go.

On the way to the campground the boys had found a suitcase alongside the road and had picked it up. One had the bright idea to empty the suitcase and set a trap for the cat with food. The cat took the bait, and the boys quickly closed the suitcase on the cat. The cat made a terrible noise and tried to tear its way out of the suitcase but with no success.

The boys left the campground with the cat in the suitcase and once back on the road set it down and hid nearby to see what might happen next. The first car passed by but the next slowed, turned around, and came back for the bag. They put it in the car and started back down the road. Suddenly the car jerked to a stop, the four car doors popped open, and people fled from every side. It seems that someone opened the bag, and out came the terrified cat. Their next biggest problem was getting the cat out from under the seat of the car. Finally successful, they all climbed back in and, leaving the bag beside the road, took off. The boys collapsed in laughter as did I. The author described a funny scene very well. Happy travels.

The waiting game

We seem to be in a waiting mode. This coming week, Foxy gets surgery for shoulder replacement. It is hurting her most of the time and difficult to get to sleep at night so she is waiting to get it over with. The real problem will be to keep her quiet once it is completed and let the shoulder begin to heal.

I am waiting for June 2 so that I can visit the eye doctor for a checkup on my right eye and find out if the left eye cataract now qualifies for lens replacement. It is quite different to be able to see clearly out of one eye and not the other. I have given up wearing my prescription glasses and now sport sunglasses when outside and reading glasses when doing that activity. Most of the time I do not need to wear either of these glasses.

I will become the caregiver when Foxy is in the shoulder recuperation stage. I have been threatening her with fast food. This means KFC, pizza, KFC, pizza. You get the idea. She is not excited about such a prospect since she does not want to gain any weight. Sigh! So no KFC or pizza around here. Happy travels.

Doctor visits and lunch out

We have been taking our many doctor visits quite seriously and try very hard to arrive at the appointed time and prepared. Once the visit is concluded, we frequently then go on to have lunch someplace fun before returning home. Yesterday it was a Mexican restaurant, and today the Fredericksburg Brewery, a long time favorite. We had to try a different beer, of course, and then a sandwich. Foxy got a wrap, and I had a club. Mine came with no mayonnaise, and it needed something more for sure. The sandwich was disappointing, but the beer was strange with a sweet aftertaste that made one think of honey or, ordering a different beer. I had to drive home, so one beer was the limit here. Ya have to try them all after all one of my favorite shirts states, "Less Government, More Beer!" Happy travels.

Walking is good for you

We have been trying to take daily walks since we moved back to Rio Robles Park. It is built on a hillside, so the roads are not all on the level, and you can get a good aerobic workout just by walking around this park. We drove the car around to see how far we might walk in one tour and found out that it was about .6 mile. I have been trying to take two laps each morning, and Foxy is joining me for one of the laps. It is good for her to keep moving as long as she does not overdue. I am trying to lose a bit of weight, and my first goal was to take off 5 pounds which I reached yesterday. Now to reach the next goal of losing 10 more pounds. It is so hard to stay out of the cookies and candy since I have a serious sweet tooth. Heck, my whole mouth is full of sweet teeth. It is probably boring to hear about weight and walking, but it does work. Try it and happy travels.

A project finished

If you have been reading this blog, you may well be aware that over a year ago we had some critical messes in the walls and ceiling of our motor home and decided to do it over ourselves. We outsourced new cabinets but finished the rest of the project ourselves, including a new ceiling in the slide, new floors, painting throughout, and many other tasks. We installed an Amish fireplace and purchased a larger television. This left one final project. We gave our previous television to Ron and Julie so that they could have a set in the bays of their coach and watch a show outside. This, of course, left a large opening in the front of our coach where the other set had been installed. This cabinet was hung from the ceiling, and if you were not careful when entering the coach, you could get a nasty hit on your head.

Finally, I decided to take out the cabinet and make a smaller version that could be used to hold books. This project got installed partly yesterday and finished today. Now most of our paperback books that are waiting to be read can be stored in this new cabinet. This means that the project to redo our coach is now complete. It took quite a long time to accomplish, but it was worth the hard work. We have enjoyed the fireplace and the new television, as well. Max likes to watch it too. Happy travels.

Doctors and more doctors

All we seem to be doing is visiting doctors. We found out that Foxy needs shoulder replacement surgery, which will happen in about a week and a half in nearby Fredericksburg. I have had one eye cataract replaced and several follow up check ups. Then we visit the skin cancer guy and the prostate cancer guy for a one year follow up. So it goes, but I think I would rather be visiting relatives or friends instead of all of these medical procedures. We are wondering if we are becoming the bionic grandad and grammy. It would be fun to be able to run at 40 miles per hour. I am really kidding. I prefer to walk, not run these days. Maybe we could fix some part of Max, and he could be the bionic dog. Just think: Steve, Jamie, and Max.

We did learn last night that scientists are saving urine, and the hydrogen in it can be converted to energy. Since Max spends most of his days sniffing for a good place to pee, perhaps he could be trained to pee in a collection pot and help this latest scientific endeavor. I doubt it since he has trouble understanding anything I say to him. He just cocks his head as if trying to understand or stares trying to get me to take him outside. I can see it all now. "Come on Max, pee in the bucket not on the bucket." Oh well, there must be something for him. He is going to doggy camp, otherwise known as the kennel, while Foxy is getting her shoulder worked on. Maybe they can train him to ......... Happy travels.

Cataract surgery

I have finished half of this process of cataract surgery this morning. We got up quite early in order to be at the out patient clinic by 6:15. They gave me several types of drops, antibiotic, numbing, and dilation. They did this two or three times, and then it was my turn. Doctor C. appeared and had me look at a light and then skillfully removed the lens in my right eye and then inserted a new lens. He applied a bit of pressure to return the covering of the lens, and it was all over. I had been quite up tight about this procedure since I did not like to have my eyes touched. Their procedures worked and with a small amount of Valium, I really did not care who touched the eye. The whole process took about an hour, and Foxy took me home for a bit of breakfast and some rest. Then at eleven o'clock it was time to return to Dr. C. for my first post op checkup. They asked me to read an eye chart, but all I managed was the top letter, and it was blurry. More drops and a free pair of sunglasses and we returned home. On Wednesday we return for the second checkup and then wait to have the left eye done. I am truly amazed at the abilities of modern medicine and what can be done for us aging humans. Happy travels.

Mother's Day

I believe that Mother's Day was invented by Franklin Delano Roosevelt as a way to honor his mother. This may not be the case, but it seems likely. Today in church we honored mothers, and in our small world we got a chance to visit by phone with my mom who is 98 years old and doing quite well. All of our children have called, and Foxy is delighted that she had a chance to visit with each of our kids. The President may have invented this day to honor his mother, but it gives each of us a chance to honor our moms. Truly a lovely tradition. Happy travels.

Wonderfrul friends

Friday night we went out with good friends from our church Jeanine and Bill to a local restaurant and found ourselves talking non stop as usual. Several hours pased by as we ate and enjoyed the scenery of the Guadalupe River outside our restaurant. We enjoyed the good food and the good company. The next night we met Lois and Dave for drinks and horsd'oeuvres, and again the talk flowed and the time flew by. Lois mentioned that she had made arrangements to have dinner out for Mother's Day and did we want to join them after church. Of course! So today we continued this lovely tale and continued to talk non stop and eat a lovely buffet. All I can suggest is that we are fortunate to have such great friends, and we had better stay off our scale for a few days.

Tomorrow at 6:15 am I get my right eye operated on to remove a cataract removed and two weeks hence the other one done. I am truly looking forward to being able to see more clearly. I am amazed at what modern medicine can do. This operation takes 8 to 10 minutes, and on an outpatient basis you can be home again in an hour. Amazing! Happy travels.

Kids visit

Kristy's family has spent the last eight months in Costa Rica for intensive Spanish language training so that they will have this skill when they begin their border ministry on the Texas - Mexico border. They arrived back in this country recently and are now driving back to Omaha to retrieve their household goods and move lock and stock to South Texas. They stopped here in Kerrville yesterday, and we had a lovely visit starting with lunch here and then dinner at Billy Gene's. The grands have grown during their months away. They all filled us in on their experiences, including foods they liked and others that they did not appreciate as much. It was only a few hours but thoroughly enjoyed by us. The grands keep us laughing. We are blessed for sure. Happy travels.

Osama not Obama

Last night our television viewing was interrupted by an important announcement. Not hearing too well, I thought the announcement was that Obama had been killed and was shocked to the core of my being, since I certainly do not want that to happen, ever. Finally it percolated through to me that they had said that Osama bin Laden had been killed. Still being in shock it took me quite a time to think this through. Justice has finally been served, and a mass murderer got his just desserts. I do not glory in the death of another person but do feel this death was deserved.

I think that we will be in for a time of heightened security concerns as some of his followers plot revenge. In time it will be clear that this death is a blow to all terorists, since when we say we will hunt you down where ever you go to hide after your dispicable acts of terror against innocents, we indeed mean it, even though it take many years. Justice has been served.

Dumb phone

As many of you may know, I am not good at using our smart phone. I do not like technology that is smarter than I am, and much of it seems to be in this category. Our Verizon stick that fits in a port on our computer finally gave up the ghost and died. Now to connect to the internet we have to either use unsecured area networks in the park, or get a new stick. I call it a stick since I cannot remember what it is called. Another roadblock in my technological abilities. But since I forget people's names frequently, I do not consider this failing too serious. After all, if this is another signpost on my way to Altzheimers, then it has been coming on for years.

We decided to visit a Verizon store to get a new stick. Of course, they do not have them for sale any more, but we could buy a better version. If we would also purchase a second phone, then the increased monthly charge would only be $20. What a deal, and I was not impressed. We mentioned to the poor soul waiting on us that I did not like smart phones, and he informed me that he had a bag of phones that people had turned in that I could have. I think these phones were called dumb phones probably because people had turned them in for smart phones not realizing that smart phones are smarter than their users. So after all was considered and not having to thus buy a $250 newer stick but by buying a dumb phone, we could have it for free, and our monthly bill only goes up $20. I am thinking that in a year the new stick would be paid for if purchased outright but since I can have a dumb phone......... I am thinking the dumb part might be a label for me....... Happy travels.