Cop Car's Beat

Good Time Today

Wichi Dude posted about Good Time Tonight. I'm following up with Good Time Today.  We've all had days when everything went wrong; but, how often do we have days when everything goes right?  I did it!  I did it!  I did it!  (With a little help from my friends and family.)

My day got off to a wonderful start with my reading e-mails from Buffy who is trying to infect me with the quilting bug (I think she's succeeding!) She is so patient with me. I'm having great fun learning from Buffy. She originally set her hooks into me by posting a photo of a jewel-colors quilt top that she was making.  (You'll need to scroll down to see the photo.)

Then I cruised the blogs that I normally read.  Bogie filled us in on the current site for Carnival of the Vanities.  If you haven't read Ronni on the Supreme Court's ruling concerning suits filed for age discrimination, today, go back and do so. (Time Goes By is The Pick of the Day blog at the Guardian UK.]

Dudette and I had agreed to meet for lunch, today--cause enough for my day to be bright. Since I was ready a couple of hours, early, I decided to stop by a local mall to start the shopping for an appropriate costume to wear to Wonderful Granddaughter's wedding. Knowing that it would take me weeks to complete the tasking, I wasn't really thrilled at the prospect of getting started. First stop: Dillards. I get into the area of the store that stocks women's clothes and go to the place where I last saw "matronly", tasteful dresses as would befit the grandmother of the bride. Well, now that place was filled with clothing for women with fuller figures than mine. I started wandering about in a daze. I found some wonderful prom-type dresses, but of course that won't really do the trick, will it?

Eventually, a sales clerk noticed me and although she was busy carrying things back-and-forth, she asked if I was finding "everything". "I am finding nothing." I explained my mission to her, she led me perhaps 40 feet to the east, and said to (paraphrasing here) knock myself out and to call her if I found anything. I did a 360 turn, found a nice, crystal (sheer) fabric over blouse that is a reddish mauve, with a large collar and lapels that wrap and close with a tasteful, black frog (no, guys, that isn't an animal--it's a particular type of button/loop closure made out of cording). In the next rack was a nice, black Georgette skirt with a couple of bias-cut flounces at the bottom. I yell the sales clerk's name. No response. I go to the fitting room to try it on. The combination not only fits, but it looks good with the black shell that I had worn into the store. Eventually, I find the sales clerk, force a credit card upon her, and tuck the clothes into my car within 15 minutes (well, maybe 30) of arriving at the store. Can this be? (Oh, and did I tell you? They were on sale for 40% off. The two pieces were under $100!!!) The only alterations that will be required is to have the skirt shortened from full-length to tea-length! The wedding is an afternoon affair.

Back into Dillards--to the shoe department. Since I have such trouble fitting my feet, I know that I must buy a sandal of some type--preferably with black silk straps. Immediately, I espy a low-heeled, black silk strapped sandal that fits. Well, the day couldn't be perfect. The price was $175! I don't think so. I went next door and was able to find a pair that will do the job (well, the shoes won't have a high priced name on them!) for $25. Who ever heard of dressing for a wedding for just over $100?? Even in 1962, I had to spend more than that to attend Hunky Husband's sister's wedding!

Lunch was even better. When I met Dudette for lunch, she had brought Wonderful Granddaughter with her.  And Dudette picked up the check! We had a relaxed, lingering lunch (we met after the working crowd had left) and they invited me to go with them to pick up WG's wedding dress. Of course, to be sure that the alterations had been properly accomplished, WG tried on the dress. What a lovely vision. She is gorgeous in the dress! (Of course, she is gorgeous regardless of dress, but you get the picture.) Life just doesn't get any better than this.

Updated 4/06/2005: This is the link to Dudette's dress while this is the link to the bride's maids's dress.

March 31, 2005 at 09:54 PM

Comments

I dressed for my own wedding for $25. WS was about $60 (he had to get shoes too).

I've been wondering what kind of affair this is - guess I know now! Now all I need are some hints on presents for the bride and groom!

Posted by: bogie | April 01, 2005 at 03:35 AM

What a fine idea - a day that goes well. Too often - for me, anyway - it's the bad ones that stand out. And now that I think about it, yesterday was a fine day for me.

Posted by: Ronni | April 01, 2005 at 05:20 AM

Bogie--Your $25 attire looked like $1M, before taxes, on you. You had good clothes sense--and your attire was suited to your garden wedding. I am beginning to wonder, however, how you and Tim did all of your own planning (and how Dudette and Wichi Dude did all of their own planning) after watching how much effort Dudette is putting into Wonderful Granddaughter's wedding. You did a great job of it!

Posted by: Cop Car | April 01, 2005 at 05:09 PM

Thank you for the lovely link! I'm glad that I was part of your pleasant day. I truly hope that I've infected you with a zest for quilting! The blocks in the picture that you mentioned have been sewn into a full sized quilt, and are off being machine quilted. When it's back, and the edges have been bound, I'll post a picture of it.

Congratulations on the incredible shopping spree! How nice to have your outfit, and be ready to go long before the day of the wedding. Do we need to have you talk with Elegant Mother about how to make a quilted clutch purse to go with your outfit??

Posted by: Buffy | April 01, 2005 at 11:28 PM

Thanks for the offer, Buffy, but I shan't need a purse. That's why a husband goes to social affairs with his wife--so that she has pockets! ALL of my day-to-day clothes have pockets--it's a REQUIREMENT; but, when we go out, Hunky Husband's pockets get pressed into service. (He not only LOOKS good, but he's useful--LOL!)

Posted by: Cop Car | April 02, 2005 at 07:01 AM

It was so nice to read about your grand shopping experience. I dislike having to shop at a mall. Until I find something that I want to try on I am exhausted already.

A dress and shoe purchase on the same day and the price was right!! .That was truly a great day.

Millie

Posted by: Millie Garfield | April 02, 2005 at 07:54 PM

Sounds like you had a wonderful day. There's nothing like finding what you need and at a good price.
Will you post a picture of the gorgeous outfit?

Posted by: Susan | April 06, 2005 at 06:55 PM

If I ever get a picture of the outfit, I'll try to remember to post it, Susan. I don't "do" digital photography (or much of any other), so I have to depend upon others. Come to think of it, I can add a link (in an update to the posting) that takes you to Dudette's dress and a link to the dress that the bride's maids will wear.

Posted by: Cop Car | April 06, 2005 at 07:59 PM

Sounds good! You should try digital
photography. It's easier than film and you can download pictures easily, and then post them.

Posted by: Susan | April 10, 2005 at 10:23 AM

Oh, Susan, if I only had time to do all things; but, even being retired, I don't. It wouldn't be so bad except, if I don't do something for a while, I forget how to do it. There's just no sense in going through the pain of learning to do something if I'm not really going to do it quite a bit. Having a digital camera (or trying to use Hunky Husband's) would do me no good unless I used it a couple of times per week. *sigh*

Posted by: Cop Car | April 10, 2005 at 11:50 AM

Wichi Dude posted about Good Time Tonight. I'm following up with Good Time Today.  We've all had days when everything went wrong; but, how often do we have days when everything goes right?  I did it!  I did it!  I did it!  (With a little help from my friends and family.)

My day got off to a wonderful start with my reading e-mails from Buffy who is trying to infect me with the quilting bug (I think she's succeeding!) She is so patient with me. I'm having great fun learning from Buffy. She originally set her hooks into me by posting a photo of a jewel-colors quilt top that she was making.  (You'll need to scroll down to see the photo.)

Then I cruised the blogs that I normally read.  Bogie filled us in on the current site for Carnival of the Vanities.  If you haven't read Ronni on the Supreme Court's ruling concerning suits filed for age discrimination, today, go back and do so. (Time Goes By is The Pick of the Day blog at the Guardian UK.]

Dudette and I had agreed to meet for lunch, today--cause enough for my day to be bright. Since I was ready a couple of hours, early, I decided to stop by a local mall to start the shopping for an appropriate costume to wear to Wonderful Granddaughter's wedding. Knowing that it would take me weeks to complete the tasking, I wasn't really thrilled at the prospect of getting started. First stop: Dillards. I get into the area of the store that stocks women's clothes and go to the place where I last saw "matronly", tasteful dresses as would befit the grandmother of the bride. Well, now that place was filled with clothing for women with fuller figures than mine. I started wandering about in a daze. I found some wonderful prom-type dresses, but of course that won't really do the trick, will it?

Eventually, a sales clerk noticed me and although she was busy carrying things back-and-forth, she asked if I was finding "everything". "I am finding nothing." I explained my mission to her, she led me perhaps 40 feet to the east, and said to (paraphrasing here) knock myself out and to call her if I found anything. I did a 360 turn, found a nice, crystal (sheer) fabric over blouse that is a reddish mauve, with a large collar and lapels that wrap and close with a tasteful, black frog (no, guys, that isn't an animal--it's a particular type of button/loop closure made out of cording). In the next rack was a nice, black Georgette skirt with a couple of bias-cut flounces at the bottom. I yell the sales clerk's name. No response. I go to the fitting room to try it on. The combination not only fits, but it looks good with the black shell that I had worn into the store. Eventually, I find the sales clerk, force a credit card upon her, and tuck the clothes into my car within 15 minutes (well, maybe 30) of arriving at the store. Can this be? (Oh, and did I tell you? They were on sale for 40% off. The two pieces were under $100!!!) The only alterations that will be required is to have the skirt shortened from full-length to tea-length! The wedding is an afternoon affair.

Back into Dillards--to the shoe department. Since I have such trouble fitting my feet, I know that I must buy a sandal of some type--preferably with black silk straps. Immediately, I espy a low-heeled, black silk strapped sandal that fits. Well, the day couldn't be perfect. The price was $175! I don't think so. I went next door and was able to find a pair that will do the job (well, the shoes won't have a high priced name on them!) for $25. Who ever heard of dressing for a wedding for just over $100?? Even in 1962, I had to spend more than that to attend Hunky Husband's sister's wedding!

Lunch was even better. When I met Dudette for lunch, she had brought Wonderful Granddaughter with her.  And Dudette picked up the check! We had a relaxed, lingering lunch (we met after the working crowd had left) and they invited me to go with them to pick up WG's wedding dress. Of course, to be sure that the alterations had been properly accomplished, WG tried on the dress. What a lovely vision. She is gorgeous in the dress! (Of course, she is gorgeous regardless of dress, but you get the picture.) Life just doesn't get any better than this.

Updated 4/06/2005: This is the link to Dudette's dress while this is the link to the bride's maids's dress.

Geography Quiz

A friend sent me this link to a site that gives one a chance to place the states in the correct positions on a map.  They started my quiz with Oklahoma.  Folks, I know where Oklahoma is--I've lived there and I now live in Kansas which abuts Oklahoma.  I missed it by about 146 miles.  (Texas is just too darned big!!)  Otherwise my score would have been better (this is my story!)  See how you do and share with us only if you wish to.  The coastal states are no brainers, but, my quiz didn't start with them.  Maybe you'll get lucky and fill in the coasts, first.  (Alaska and Hawaii should be "gimme's".) 

I set 42 of the states "perfectly" (however closely that means!) for a score of 84%, average error 22 miles, in 446 seconds.  Go have fun.  (I expect those of you with great eye/hand coordination to significantly improve on my time!)

Buffy tried to leave a comment, but was rebuffed by the spam filter (Ooo. I like that!)

It took me longer to finish the quiz, but I got a 92% It might have helped if I hadn't dropped Tennessee over a thousand miles short of it's location! Pity the poor guy who has to start with Rhode Island!

This was fun! Thanks for sharing it.

SOMETHING in this was perceived as comment spam. I had fun doing the quiz, but I didn't want to argue with TypePad about whether I was spam or not.

Buffy

March 25, 2005 at 09:45 AM

Comments

I got 80%, 40 of the states perfect, with an avg, error of 52 miles in 563 seconds. I started with Utah, and was happy to see that I got within 79 miles of it. With my eyesite, I was doing good to get it in the same geographic region let alone 79 miles!

One of my biggest problems was actually grabbing the states - I would think the cursor was on the state, "grab" it and drag - but the state wouldn't follow.

Posted by: bogie | March 26, 2005 at 04:28 AM

Come on, someone, don't leave me feeling stupid--give us a lower score. Buffy and Bogie put me to shame (why am I not surprised?!) Well done, both! My first New England state was Vermont. Since Bogie has sensitized me to New Hampshire, Vermont was no challenge. Rhode Island--now, if I hadn't already filled in New York, that would have been tricky! (Same for Connecticut.)

Posted by: Cop Car | March 26, 2005 at 05:27 AM

33 out of 50 means 66% with an average error score of 253 and it took me 622 seconds

...who'd have thought that those places would be there :^)...

Posted by: billy | March 26, 2005 at 04:29 PM

Bless you, Billy. You're a dear; but, you don't really make me feel better. You probably didn't have to know the capital cities of each of our states to get out of secondary school. (Of course, it was easier in my day because there weren't so many states! Same on knowing the presidents.) Please don't test me on my knowledge of the UK or her history. About all I know is how to spell it--LOL. Of course, I adored Mr. Churchill equally with Mr. Roosevelt. And I always enjoyed working with the blokes who came over from your CAA.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 26, 2005 at 06:23 PM

Cop Car may have had it tougher getting to school (walking 10 miles, in a blizzard, up hill - both ways), but once she got there her work was easier (no 50 states and capitals, no 38 (or was it 36?) presidents, no Newton's law of gravity - LOL).

I'm impressed with your score Billy!

Posted by: bogie | March 27, 2005 at 05:07 AM

Not nice, Bogie! Professor Newton may have taught me all the physics I know (not all that HE knew); but, he had already been bonked on the head by the apple when I joined his class (as in school class, not as in genius class.) And he'd already invented his version of calculus, so why are you ragging on me? Since you've already started abusing me, I'm going to scratch your name out as one of my Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions agents. That'll learn you.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 27, 2005 at 08:55 AM

I'm lucky that I can place the states close to where they belong. I'm starting to forget some of the capitols, and I'm sure I NEVER knew all of the presidents. I can start at either end of the line and work my way in...but either side of Lincoln is a bit fuzzy. Having said all that, I can't imagine doing a similar map of the UK. Bravo, billy, for giving it a go!

Posted by: Buffy | March 31, 2005 at 09:42 PM

The only presidents that I can do are those during my lifetime--and those only if I think really hard: Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmie Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, William Clinton, George W. Bush. Did I leave any out? Guess which two I voted for?

Posted by: Cop Car | April 01, 2005 at 05:17 PM

A friend sent me this link to a site that gives one a chance to place the states in the correct positions on a map.  They started my quiz with Oklahoma.  Folks, I know where Oklahoma is--I've lived there and I now live in Kansas which abuts Oklahoma.  I missed it by about 146 miles.  (Texas is just too darned big!!)  Otherwise my score would have been better (this is my story!)  See how you do and share with us only if you wish to.  The coastal states are no brainers, but, my quiz didn't start with them.  Maybe you'll get lucky and fill in the coasts, first.  (Alaska and Hawaii should be "gimme's".) 

I set 42 of the states "perfectly" (however closely that means!) for a score of 84%, average error 22 miles, in 446 seconds.  Go have fun.  (I expect those of you with great eye/hand coordination to significantly improve on my time!)

Buffy tried to leave a comment, but was rebuffed by the spam filter (Ooo. I like that!)

It took me longer to finish the quiz, but I got a 92% It might have helped if I hadn't dropped Tennessee over a thousand miles short of it's location! Pity the poor guy who has to start with Rhode Island!

This was fun! Thanks for sharing it.

SOMETHING in this was perceived as comment spam. I had fun doing the quiz, but I didn't want to argue with TypePad about whether I was spam or not.

Buffy

The Knee Has It

It being problems.  As you probably know, by now, my knee (well, something on my leg) has been hurting for a week--starting on the 13th.  No known reason.  I had worked out at the fitness center on the 12th and I had walked home from lunch--about 1.6 miles.  But, my leg was working fine when I went to bed.  On the morning of the 13th, the leg hurt.  I worked out as usual on the 14th, except I cut the treadmill speed down from 3.8-4.0 mph to 3.1 mph.  It didn't hurt while exercising--until I got to the weight lifting part where I had to move weight forward (upward) with that leg.  Owie.  I cut back on the weight and let the right leg carry most of the load.  On the 16th, I upped the treadmill speed to 3.3 mph and, again, cut back on the weight on the one weight-machine exercise that really bothered the leg.  Somewhere in there, I visited the Mayo Clinic website and decided that I probably had tendonitis.  The site said to seek medical attention if the injury failed to show improvement within 7 days.

Well, the longer I babied the leg, the more improvement it showed. Yesterday when I worked out, I had to keep the treadmill speed to 3.2 mph, cut back the distance to 1 mile, and cut down the reps on one of the weight machines from 30 to 16 on my second set. (I attributed this slight deterioration to my having spent too much time spading in the garden Saturday and Sunday.)  But, everything was hunky dory. This morning I arose, feeling pretty good about my leg. It was feeling so good that I forgot all about it. Forgot about it until--running out to get the paper (in the rain), I felt a small "crunch" as the leg gave away. Major owie. I've been icing the thing down for 20-30 minutes at a time and have wound an Ace bandage around the leg from mid-calf up to a few inches above the knee to keep the swelling down. (Aren't I being good? I've never before made this concession!) I dug out my cane that I bought on 9/11/2001, and it looks like I'll be using it to get from the car into the classroom this afternoon. They'll take one look at me and decide that I need long-term care--LOL.)  Maybe I can go see an ortho-person who specializes in sports injuries?  What a hoot!

March 22, 2005 at 10:23 AM

Comments

Wouldn't hurt to have it looked at. If nothing else, it will give you some peace of mind that it isn't anything serious.
And don't laugh about the cane, I've had to use one before. Only get concerned when they give you a walker. hehehe

Posted by: Wichi Dude | March 22, 2005 at 05:40 PM

I'm glad that you were taking it easy with that leg. When you described the "crunch" I cringed! I hope that it's not something serious. I think the cane is a good idea. Is it possible that you might need crutches? I know....you're too tough to use crutches, aren't you?! Well....take care of your leg!

Posted by: Buffy | March 22, 2005 at 11:28 PM

About 11:00 AM, I decided to call my physician. She is on spring break (she's on faculty at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita), so I made an appointment with another physician for 1:30 PM. Fortunately, Hunky Husband drove in from St. Louis at about Noon (he had arisen at 2:30 AM, unable to sleep--he usually gets get-home-itis.)

I asked HH (using the clutch in my car aggravates a knee that hurts) to drive me to my ombudsman class that started at 1:00 AM. Leaving class at 1:15, I was driven to the UKMS-W to see the physician.

Dr. G talked with me for a couple of minutes, manipulated the leg to see what would make it hurt, and rather disdainfully announced that I "only" had arthritis. Yeah, that's what they told me back in 1975, so I guess that it hasn't gone away. He had x-rays taken to be sure that there were no minute fractures, consulted the most recent bone density test results, told me to go ahead and exercise but to take ibuprofen to control the pain.

While I was with the doctor, HH ran an errand. When I got out of the x-ray department, I called HH on his cell phone and he returned to take me back for the last hour of my ombudsman class.

Poor HH. If I would just listen to him, I wouldn't have to go to the doctor--LOL! He keeps saying, "Take ibuprofen!" When we got home, he gave me his huge bottle of ibuprofen tablets from which I poured perhaps 50 of them. We shall see how they work for my fitness center foray tomorrow morning. All is well, I guess. I feel a little silly for having made such a to-do. We shall see how many days it takes me to get past the cane-using stage. Thanks for your concern.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 22, 2005 at 11:41 PM

It's better to check with an expert than to self medicate and be sorry. If WS had done that, his back wouldn't be as messed up as it is now.

Instead, he self-medicated with ibuprofen (and beer) and stressed it more because he would do things he shouldn't because the pain was better from the reduced swelling.

Posted by: bogie | March 23, 2005 at 03:35 AM

We can't win for losing is my theory. I have seen a physician for knee pain three times--1975, 1985, 2005. (Well, Dr. S looked at the knee in 2002, but it was pretty cursory.) My impression is that I am just a wimp. My knees hurt some, most of the time. It's just when it becomes excruciating that I actually see a physician (and I didn't even do it then, in 2001!) I don't know how people with REAL arthritis problems live.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 23, 2005 at 08:26 AM

Morning report: the knee is feeling much better this morning. I took a total of four 200 mg ibuprofen, yesterday, and really wasn't sure that they were doing anything. I may not need to take any, today. What a relief. Hunky Husband attributes my aching back and calf muscles to the funny way that I've been walking, and I'm sure that he is correct (the back muscle ache is from using the cane!) As usual, once a pain recedes, I can't remember how it felt or why I thought I was in such bad shape. Have a great day! (Obviously, it will take me some time to build up in my exercise routine, again.)

Posted by: Cop Car | March 24, 2005 at 05:43 AM

Glad to hear your knee is feeling better!

I think we all fall in the catagory of "wimp". Whenever I decide I just can't take "it" (whatever the symptom(s) might be) and go to the doctor the response is one of these things-
1) It's viral and will go away (the last time a doctor told me that I hacked up a lung for 4 months!)
2) Yes, you have a cyst. Don't worry about it-I'm sure it will go away (after taking 97 sonogram pictures)
3) You are an amazingly health woman-get out of my office so I can see some sick people!

Argggg....Doctor's can drive a person to drink!

Posted by: Dudette | March 24, 2005 at 09:02 PM

Glad you are feeling better!

The ibuprofen probably helped reduce the swelling, if not the pain. It is amazing what sort of pains can crop up due to not moving the way you normally would (using a cane or even limping)! Fortunately, those symptoms usually disappear once you get to motoring properly again.

Posted by: bogie | March 25, 2005 at 05:34 AM

Dudette--One of these days you or I will be REALLY sick and those doctors will be sorry for how Cavalierly they treated us--LOL!

Bogie--Amazingly enough, there was no swelling to begin with. I had iced the thing down and when I saw Dr. G, one of the remarks that he made was about there being no swelling. Perhaps the use of the leg on Wednesday would have produced swelling, sans the ibuprofen, though.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 25, 2005 at 09:20 AM

Okay....just what did you do on 9-11-2001 that required you to get a cane? I'm sure you must have told me, but I can't recall.

In my book, bringing the swelling down was a good idea.

If we were all still 20, the motions we go through to keep something from hurting us wouldn't bother us, but now that we're a bit older, every change in our customary movements causes discomfort when other muscles take up the slack. It's comforting to know that ice, heat, ibuprofen and time will help us get over most of those aches.

Posted by: Buffy | March 25, 2005 at 01:46 PM

In August 2001, early one morning (before it got light), I was out walking. On my way home, I decided to dash across a major street while there was no traffic. Having crossed the street, I had to run across the grass strip between the street and the sidewalk. I forgot that there was a ditch between the two and found myself hurtling helter-skelter down the embankment in the dark. I got home and my day proceeded normally. The next day, my knee hurt. Worse, the second day. Then it just got to the point where it was a nagging thing and I pretty much ignored it.
The second week in September, Hunky Husband and I met my Elder Brother and Expert Seamstress in the Tampa FL area for a week of birding. The walking aggravated my knee so much that by the morning of 9/11/2001, as we were driving to our intended beach spot for birding, I asked Elder Brother to stop at a drugstore so that I could buy a cane. I could no longer walk without leaning on one of the guys, and I figured that would get old for them pretty quickly. We spent six hours birding. On our way back to the motel, I noted that the flag at a firestation was at half-mast. When I saw another flag at half-mast at a post office, I mentioned it to the rest of the family. Elder Brother turned on the car radio and the first thing that we heard was a report that the Pentagon had been hit by an airliner. Then, they said that the WTC twin towers had each been hit and had come down. You can imagine that we were as confused and stunned as the rest of the nation. Eventually, we came home--in the rental car that we drove while in Florida. Fortunately, it was a Lincoln TownCar, so at least we drove in comfort--and with three drivers, it didn't take all that long.
For at least one week after returning to work, I used the cane. It had been in a closet ever since--until last Tuesday!

Posted by: Cop Car | March 25, 2005 at 04:38 PM

P.S. For those who don't know why there were three drivers rather than four: Expert Seamstress has no driver's license. Back in 1983, Expert Seamstress took a few driving lessons using their one car (out of their 3 Mercedeses, mind you) that had an automatic transmission. This was AFTER Elder Brother had two heart attacks within a 10-day span. She probably could drive him to a hospital; but, let's hope that she never has to! I can just hear her swearing because she can't get the seat adjusted high enough for her to see out of the windshield.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 25, 2005 at 10:33 PM

It being problems.  As you probably know, by now, my knee (well, something on my leg) has been hurting for a week--starting on the 13th.  No known reason.  I had worked out at the fitness center on the 12th and I had walked home from lunch--about 1.6 miles.  But, my leg was working fine when I went to bed.  On the morning of the 13th, the leg hurt.  I worked out as usual on the 14th, except I cut the treadmill speed down from 3.8-4.0 mph to 3.1 mph.  It didn't hurt while exercising--until I got to the weight lifting part where I had to move weight forward (upward) with that leg.  Owie.  I cut back on the weight and let the right leg carry most of the load.  On the 16th, I upped the treadmill speed to 3.3 mph and, again, cut back on the weight on the one weight-machine exercise that really bothered the leg.  Somewhere in there, I visited the Mayo Clinic website and decided that I probably had tendonitis.  The site said to seek medical attention if the injury failed to show improvement within 7 days.

Well, the longer I babied the leg, the more improvement it showed. Yesterday when I worked out, I had to keep the treadmill speed to 3.2 mph, cut back the distance to 1 mile, and cut down the reps on one of the weight machines from 30 to 16 on my second set. (I attributed this slight deterioration to my having spent too much time spading in the garden Saturday and Sunday.)  But, everything was hunky dory. This morning I arose, feeling pretty good about my leg. It was feeling so good that I forgot all about it. Forgot about it until--running out to get the paper (in the rain), I felt a small "crunch" as the leg gave away. Major owie. I've been icing the thing down for 20-30 minutes at a time and have wound an Ace bandage around the leg from mid-calf up to a few inches above the knee to keep the swelling down. (Aren't I being good? I've never before made this concession!) I dug out my cane that I bought on 9/11/2001, and it looks like I'll be using it to get from the car into the classroom this afternoon. They'll take one look at me and decide that I need long-term care--LOL.)  Maybe I can go see an ortho-person who specializes in sports injuries?  What a hoot!

Still Here

It's been a while since I've posted, but that's just saved you time reading stuff.  Studying ombudsman courses has kept me pretty busy.  In addition, I've read one book and abandoned two others that turned out to be thinly-disguised religious works.  Those, I can't abide.  I don't care to have someone proselytize at me.  If someone wishes to write about religion, they should do so--not disguise it as a novel.  I need to learn to read a few pages--not just look at the cover--LOL!  My "to read" list is rather long (74 titles).  Perhaps I should start requesting them through the interlibrary loan program, since I've been unable to find them at our local library.

It is raining, off and on, here. This will slow down my digging in the garden. My knee/leg has kept me from doing more than 5 minutes of spading at a time. Perhaps by the time the clay gets dry enough for me to dig some more, my leg will be much better. I'll be trying out the elliptical trainer/treadmill/bicycle machines, in about 30 minutes, to see what I can do. I lose muscle mass so quickly that I must use those muscles as soon as possible--without overdoing it, of course.  Too, if I can't get in aerobic exercise, my heart beat starts tangoing.  That is a bit disconcerting, so I try to get my heart rate up for at least 30-45 minutes several times each week.

Hunky Husband should be home tomorrow--probably while I am in ombudsman class. He called me from a bookstore in Clayton MO, asking for the title of a dictionary that I had told him I would like to have (my handy-dandy dictionaries are the Oxford American Dictionary from the early 1980s.) A new edition has been published.  HH is to book stores as I am to hardware stores!

March 21, 2005 at 08:09 AM

Comments

So...What exactly do you want to do when you grow up??!

Posted by: Dudette | March 21, 2005 at 09:00 PM

Dudette stole my line!

Posted by: bogie | March 22, 2005 at 03:35 AM

I don't know.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 22, 2005 at 10:09 AM

It's been a while since I've posted, but that's just saved you time reading stuff.  Studying ombudsman courses has kept me pretty busy.  In addition, I've read one book and abandoned two others that turned out to be thinly-disguised religious works.  Those, I can't abide.  I don't care to have someone proselytize at me.  If someone wishes to write about religion, they should do so--not disguise it as a novel.  I need to learn to read a few pages--not just look at the cover--LOL!  My "to read" list is rather long (74 titles).  Perhaps I should start requesting them through the interlibrary loan program, since I've been unable to find them at our local library.

It is raining, off and on, here. This will slow down my digging in the garden. My knee/leg has kept me from doing more than 5 minutes of spading at a time. Perhaps by the time the clay gets dry enough for me to dig some more, my leg will be much better. I'll be trying out the elliptical trainer/treadmill/bicycle machines, in about 30 minutes, to see what I can do. I lose muscle mass so quickly that I must use those muscles as soon as possible--without overdoing it, of course.  Too, if I can't get in aerobic exercise, my heart beat starts tangoing.  That is a bit disconcerting, so I try to get my heart rate up for at least 30-45 minutes several times each week.

Hunky Husband should be home tomorrow--probably while I am in ombudsman class. He called me from a bookstore in Clayton MO, asking for the title of a dictionary that I had told him I would like to have (my handy-dandy dictionaries are the Oxford American Dictionary from the early 1980s.) A new edition has been published.  HH is to book stores as I am to hardware stores!

March 21, 2005 at 08:09 AM

Book Reports

You may find the Book Reports listing under For Fun and Enlightenment on the left hand sidebar.  It gives me a venue for sharing thoughts on the books that I'm reading.  Today, there is only one book review there, but others will be posted as I find additional books that make it worth the effort.  One book that I had checked out from the local library, but won't be reporting on is Sidney Sheldon's If Tomorrow Comes.  I had picked it up off of the large print shelves for no real reason.  After reading 2 or 3 chapters, I decided that I wouldn't waste my time completing the book.  Would anyone like to share their feelings on Sheldon's work?  (If I had to grade Sheldon at this point it would be:  sensationalist hack.)

March 16, 2005 at 02:11 PM

Comments

I read (part of) my first and last Sheldon book about 25 or 30 years ago. I filed him, along with a bunch of other inexplicably popular writers, under "unreadable."

Posted by: Ronni | March 17, 2005 at 05:43 AM

I agree with your assessment, Ronni. I've read (well, 2 chapters of) the first and last Sheldon book, too.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 17, 2005 at 11:04 PM

Don't think I have ever read any of Sheldon's books. But then, that is not the genre of book that I would normally read.

Posted by: bogie | March 19, 2005 at 05:03 AM

I don't know what genre Sheldon is supposed to write. If I did, maybe I wouldn't have picked up the book in the first place, Bogie. On the other hand, although I've enjoyed most (all!) of the books to which you have steered me, I'm sure that I read a LOT of books that you wouldn't touch with the proverbial 6-foot Pole.

As Cowtown Pattie said in a comment to Ronni's posting on "Learning Forever / Forever Learning": "Like my snack habits, my books are sometimes Hershey bars and popcorn. Others are fine wines and seven-course meals. Often, I am reading two or more books at the same time, one from the "snack" category, one from the "healthy food" category." I suspect that Pattie describes most of us, eh?

Posted by: Cop Car | March 19, 2005 at 10:22 AM

You may find the Book Reports listing under For Fun and Enlightenment on the left hand sidebar.  It gives me a venue for sharing thoughts on the books that I'm reading.  Today, there is only one book review there, but others will be posted as I find additional books that make it worth the effort.  One book that I had checked out from the local library, but won't be reporting on is Sidney Sheldon's If Tomorrow Comes.  I had picked it up off of the large print shelves for no real reason.  After reading 2 or 3 chapters, I decided that I wouldn't waste my time completing the book.  Would anyone like to share their feelings on Sheldon's work?  (If I had to grade Sheldon at this point it would be:  sensationalist hack.)

Dogs, Cats, and More Cats--oh, my!

Bogie, our daughter, has just posted some new photos of her and Wonderful Spouse's pets on Bogieblog (and some pictures of WS's "sled" stuck in the culvert!)  If you don't have time to read through it and just want to see some pet pictures, go to her Pets Album. 

March 11, 2005 at 08:35 AM

Bogie, our daughter, has just posted some new photos of her and Wonderful Spouse's pets on Bogieblog (and some pictures of WS's "sled" stuck in the culvert!)  If you don't have time to read through it and just want to see some pet pictures, go to her Pets Album. 

Wonderful Day, Yesterday

Yesterday was an outstanding day.  Nearly everything went "right", the best of which was a long-awaited luncheon with former co-workers.  What a treat to be able to see so many friendly faces (nine of us, total) for an hour or so!  They probably don't realize how fortunate I always considered myself to have such good (each of them is a talented engineer) and amiable people with whom to work.  Although we didn't get fully "caught up", not having been together since April of 2004, we made progress on it.  We've decided to have a similar luncheon meeting every second month.  Sounds wonderful to me!  Thanks, guys and gals!!

March 11, 2005 at 07:45 AM

Comments

Sounds like a grand time. Meeting more than once a year is probably a good idea though!

Posted by: bogie | March 12, 2005 at 05:07 AM

What fun! I'm sure you had a wonderful time, and I'm glad to hear that you're going to do it again.

Posted by: Buffy | March 12, 2005 at 09:15 PM

Yesterday was an outstanding day.  Nearly everything went "right", the best of which was a long-awaited luncheon with former co-workers.  What a treat to be able to see so many friendly faces (nine of us, total) for an hour or so!  They probably don't realize how fortunate I always considered myself to have such good (each of them is a talented engineer) and amiable people with whom to work.  Although we didn't get fully "caught up", not having been together since April of 2004, we made progress on it.  We've decided to have a similar luncheon meeting every second month.  Sounds wonderful to me!  Thanks, guys and gals!!

Long-term care ombudsman training

Yesterday afternoon I spent in the first of several sessions required of prospective volunteers to the Kansas Long-Term Care Ombsudsman department.

In 1971, President Nixon directed the establishment of The Office of Nursing Home Affairs by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and announced an eight-point initiative to improve the quality of care in America's nursing homes. In 1975, one-year grants of $18,000-$57,900 were made to most state agencies on aging (Nebraska and Oklahoma were not, yet, included) and those agencies hired nursing home ombudsman developmental specialists. The early nationwide program stressed use of volunteer ombudsman. The ombudsman program was strengthened in 1978 by an act that required every state to have a program and to specifically define the ombudsman functions and responsibilities. By 1981, the reauthorization of the earlier Older Americans Act expanded the program and the name was changed to Long-Term Care Ombudsman (from "Nursing Home...").

The budget for the State of Kansas LTC Ombudsman program is pretty low, and is funded (for the most part) 1/3 by the state and 2/3 by the federal government. If I successfully complete the training (an 8-weeks course of training, four hours per week), and if I successfully pass the Kansas Bureau of Investigation screening, and if the state office and I agree that it would be a good thing to do, the state department for LTC will assign me to a long-term care facility. First, a paid ombudsman will introduce me to the director of the facility, then it will be up to me to provide advocacy for the residents in that facility. Term of commitment is one year, no fewer than four hours per week. The training requirement means that I shall be spending time on homework for the next several weeks.

March 09, 2005 at 01:28 PM in Volunteer Endeavors | Permalink

Comments

If this - the long-term care position - works out for everyone, I will be pleased. If I were in a nursing home, I would certainly want you as my advocate.

Posted by: Ronni Bennett | March 09, 2005 at 05:11 PM

Good luck to you. I hope it works out for you because it will be a good thing for all concerned.

What a wonderful undertaking!

Millie

Posted by: Millie Garfield | March 10, 2005 at 10:09 PM

I'm so impressed with how you choose to use your time! You'll make a great ombudsman. I'm sure the quality of life in the facilty will improve with you on the job. There will be a lot of people blessed to know you. *S*

Posted by: Buffy | March 12, 2005 at 09:26 PM

Ronni, Millie, & Buffy--What kinds words you write. Thank you for the votes of confidence.

I asked the Volunteer Coordinator (Kansas), how they got the names for their mailing list. She thought that they probably had received my name from AARP. She said that, some time ago, the AARP sent out a card to each member, to be returned if one was interested in the program. I probably received the card and returned it. Who knows?!

Posted by: Cop Car | March 13, 2005 at 08:29 AM

Yesterday afternoon I spent in the first of several sessions required of prospective volunteers to the Kansas Long-Term Care Ombsudsman department.

In 1971, President Nixon directed the establishment of The Office of Nursing Home Affairs by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and announced an eight-point initiative to improve the quality of care in America's nursing homes. In 1975, one-year grants of $18,000-$57,900 were made to most state agencies on aging (Nebraska and Oklahoma were not, yet, included) and those agencies hired nursing home ombudsman developmental specialists. The early nationwide program stressed use of volunteer ombudsman. The ombudsman program was strengthened in 1978 by an act that required every state to have a program and to specifically define the ombudsman functions and responsibilities. By 1981, the reauthorization of the earlier Older Americans Act expanded the program and the name was changed to Long-Term Care Ombudsman (from "Nursing Home...").

The budget for the State of Kansas LTC Ombudsman program is pretty low, and is funded (for the most part) 1/3 by the state and 2/3 by the federal government. If I successfully complete the training (an 8-weeks course of training, four hours per week), and if I successfully pass the Kansas Bureau of Investigation screening, and if the state office and I agree that it would be a good thing to do, the state department for LTC will assign me to a long-term care facility. First, a paid ombudsman will introduce me to the director of the facility, then it will be up to me to provide advocacy for the residents in that facility. Term of commitment is one year, no fewer than four hours per week. The training requirement means that I shall be spending time on homework for the next several weeks.

Health Care Directives

The media are saturated with consideration of a Florida case concerning the health care that should be extended to one who is incapable of making her own desires known.  Each of us has his/her own opinion on the matter.  I have my own opinion.  However, in that case, it doesn't make any difference what you or I think--it only makes a difference what the woman did/would want for herself.  Unfortunately, what she wanted for herself isn't definitively clear.  She probably thought that she was too young to need to express her wishes on health care in a legal way.  She was wrong.

Anyone who believes that they have no need for writing a legal document concerning what should be done if they, themselves, become incapacitated is wrong. I am not in a position, nor do I desire, to provide health care or legal advice. I should like to share with you some of the points that were discussed in our long-term care volunteer ombudsman class, yesterday, and some insight provided by the Mayo Clinic web site. We learned in class that, on some points we were nearly unanimous: we didn't want to live, hooked up to machines. The real controversy comes about in defining what we mean by that. I consider a ventilator a machine. I consider being fed/hydrated by tube to be maintenance by machine. Thus, if I want anyone to do anything at all to prolong my life, I must very clearly define the circumstances, the timeline, and the definitions of medical procedures that I am writing about when I write a durable power of attorney for health care.

Comments from our class: Do you want someone to give you CPR if your heart stops? Do you want someone to call 911 if you have a medical event?  (If one calls 911, they are calling for medical care.  The responders see it as their duty to revive a person.)  Do you want them to put you in a ventilator if you stop breathing on your own? For how long is being on a ventilator acceptable? Does your wish to be maintained by a ventilator depend upon the long-term prognosis? What is long-term, to you? Do you wish to be maintained by a tube that provides food and hydration? For how long? No one has the right to make these decisions for you unless you have ceded them that right with a legal document or unless a court of competent jurisdiction (following a hearing) has declared you incompetent and appointed you a guardian (the court might also appoint a conservator for fiscal matters). Not your parents, not your husband, not your wife, not your child. The legal document ceding decision-making powers on health care must be executed while you are of sound mind. If there is any reason, at all, to believe that someone may doubt that you were of sound mind, a videotape may be helpful to the court of law that will be called upon to rule on it. Verbal instructions are OK as long as there is no disagreement among those present as to what was said--those instructions can be given as testimony in court. Give a copy of your living will and durable power of attorney to anyone who may be involved if you have an accident or medical incident--most especially including your doctor, your spouse, your kids, your parents.

The Mayo Clinic web site gives clarification on the terminology, forms, and procedures of interest to one documenting her/his health-care wishes. The following excerpts are from that web site.

Advance directives are oral or written instructions regarding your medical care preferences. ....

Advance directives primarily take one of two forms: [Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care]

Living will. This written, legal document spells out the types of medical treatments and life-sustaining measures you do and don't want, ....

Medical power of attorney (POA). Also called a durable power of attorney for health care, this legal document designates an individual to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you're unable to do so. ....

Once you've filled out the forms, give copies to your doctor, your surrogate decision maker and perhaps other family members. Periodically review the forms. Many states allow you to revise or cancel your advance directive at any time regardless of your physical or mental condition. Inform your doctor, attorney, agent and family of any changes.

March 23, 2005 at 10:10 AM

Comments

Thank you for clarifying what is needed.

Posted by: bogie | March 25, 2005 at 05:35 AM

FYI Family - WD and I signed (and had notarized) updated health care directives yesterday! The last time we did that was way back in the mid-80's. I am now working on updating powers of attorney for finances for both of us, and I have started on an updated will. I think I will have to chase WD down to get him to tackle the will part. It takes a tad bit longer than these other short-work items!

Thanks for all the good info Cop Car!

Posted by: Dudette | March 26, 2005 at 09:35 AM

Good going, Dudette & Wichi Dude. You are most welcome.

Something that I hadn't thought about is including stuff about preferences for physical surroundings during convalescence when unable to communicate. Such as: I can think of little worse than having some nurse come in and turn on the TV or turn a radio on to C&W or heavy metal "music". Of course, for me, this would only be a factor in the rare case when I was expected to make a "full" recovery. (Maybe they have me so drugged that I can't let them know that I HATE them for the noise they are inflicting on me!) Obviously, Beethoven or Grieg would be OK--quietly!

Posted by: Cop Car | March 26, 2005 at 06:34 PM

The media are saturated with consideration of a Florida case concerning the health care that should be extended to one who is incapable of making her own desires known.  Each of us has his/her own opinion on the matter.  I have my own opinion.  However, in that case, it doesn't make any difference what you or I think--it only makes a difference what the woman did/would want for herself.  Unfortunately, what she wanted for herself isn't definitively clear.  She probably thought that she was too young to need to express her wishes on health care in a legal way.  She was wrong.

Anyone who believes that they have no need for writing a legal document concerning what should be done if they, themselves, become incapacitated is wrong. I am not in a position, nor do I desire, to provide health care or legal advice. I should like to share with you some of the points that were discussed in our long-term care volunteer ombudsman class, yesterday, and some insight provided by the Mayo Clinic web site. We learned in class that, on some points we were nearly unanimous: we didn't want to live, hooked up to machines. The real controversy comes about in defining what we mean by that. I consider a ventilator a machine. I consider being fed/hydrated by tube to be maintenance by machine. Thus, if I want anyone to do anything at all to prolong my life, I must very clearly define the circumstances, the timeline, and the definitions of medical procedures that I am writing about when I write a durable power of attorney for health care.

Comments from our class: Do you want someone to give you CPR if your heart stops? Do you want someone to call 911 if you have a medical event?  (If one calls 911, they are calling for medical care.  The responders see it as their duty to revive a person.)  Do you want them to put you in a ventilator if you stop breathing on your own? For how long is being on a ventilator acceptable? Does your wish to be maintained by a ventilator depend upon the long-term prognosis? What is long-term, to you? Do you wish to be maintained by a tube that provides food and hydration? For how long? No one has the right to make these decisions for you unless you have ceded them that right with a legal document or unless a court of competent jurisdiction (following a hearing) has declared you incompetent and appointed you a guardian (the court might also appoint a conservator for fiscal matters). Not your parents, not your husband, not your wife, not your child. The legal document ceding decision-making powers on health care must be executed while you are of sound mind. If there is any reason, at all, to believe that someone may doubt that you were of sound mind, a videotape may be helpful to the court of law that will be called upon to rule on it. Verbal instructions are OK as long as there is no disagreement among those present as to what was said--those instructions can be given as testimony in court. Give a copy of your living will and durable power of attorney to anyone who may be involved if you have an accident or medical incident--most especially including your doctor, your spouse, your kids, your parents.

The Mayo Clinic web site gives clarification on the terminology, forms, and procedures of interest to one documenting her/his health-care wishes. The following excerpts are from that web site.

Advance directives are oral or written instructions regarding your medical care preferences. ....

Advance directives primarily take one of two forms: [Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care]

Living will. This written, legal document spells out the types of medical treatments and life-sustaining measures you do and don't want, ....

Medical power of attorney (POA). Also called a durable power of attorney for health care, this legal document designates an individual to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you're unable to do so. ....

Once you've filled out the forms, give copies to your doctor, your surrogate decision maker and perhaps other family members. Periodically review the forms. Many states allow you to revise or cancel your advance directive at any time regardless of your physical or mental condition. Inform your doctor, attorney, agent and family of any changes.

Iditarod

Bogie must be extremely busy not to have posted on the Iditarod this morning.  I had expected to be able to play this item off against her posting.  Oh, well.  From NPR's web site:  Morning Edition, March 4, 2005 · Rachael Scdoris will begin a snow-bound trek Saturday, one of more than 100 mushers in the grueling Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

While the course -- some 1,100 miles over rough terrain in bitter cold -- is difficult enough, the 20-year-old Scdoris faces another challenge: She is legally blind.

March 04, 2005 at 06:27 AM

Comments

Yep, I was a bit on the busy side - in fact I wasn't home.

Posted by: bogie | March 05, 2005 at 05:31 AM

Bogie--I'm sorry that you didn't choose your parents more wisely so that you wouldn't have to work for a living. I'll be looking forward to your Iditarod postings when you can take the time. I guess the "Urban Iditarod" is being run in San Francisco, today. All of 3 miles, as I recall, with shopping carts pulled by people in dog costumes. Those Bay Area people know how to have fun! When I was working in that area, I was never bored.

Posted by: Cop Car | March 05, 2005 at 08:00 AM

Comments

[bogie]

I dressed for my own wedding for $25. WS was about $60 (he had to get shoes too).

I've been wondering what kind of affair this is - guess I know now! Now all I need are some hints on presents for the bride and groom!

[Ronni]

What a fine idea - a day that goes well. Too often - for me, anyway - it's the bad ones that stand out. And now that I think about it, yesterday was a fine day for me.

[Cop Car]

Bogie--Your $25 attire looked like $1M, before taxes, on you. You had good clothes sense--and your attire was suited to your garden wedding. I am beginning to wonder, however, how you and Tim did all of your own planning (and how Dudette and Wichi Dude did all of their own planning) after watching how much effort Dudette is putting into Wonderful Granddaughter's wedding. You did a great job of it!

[Buffy]

Thank you for the lovely link! I'm glad that I was part of your pleasant day. I truly hope that I've infected you with a zest for quilting! The blocks in the picture that you mentioned have been sewn into a full sized quilt, and are off being machine quilted. When it's back, and the edges have been bound, I'll post a picture of it.

Congratulations on the incredible shopping spree! How nice to have your outfit, and be ready to go long before the day of the wedding. Do we need to have you talk with Elegant Mother about how to make a quilted clutch purse to go with your outfit??

[Cop Car]

Thanks for the offer, Buffy, but I shan't need a purse. That's why a husband goes to social affairs with his wife--so that she has pockets! ALL of my day-to-day clothes have pockets--it's a REQUIREMENT; but, when we go out, Hunky Husband's pockets get pressed into service. (He not only LOOKS good, but he's useful--LOL!)

[Millie Garfield]

It was so nice to read about your grand shopping experience. I dislike having to shop at a mall. Until I find something that I want to try on I am exhausted already.

A dress and shoe purchase on the same day and the price was right!! .That was truly a great day.

Millie

[Susan]

Sounds like you had a wonderful day. There's nothing like finding what you need and at a good price.
Will you post a picture of the gorgeous outfit?

[Cop Car]

If I ever get a picture of the outfit, I'll try to remember to post it, Susan. I don't "do" digital photography (or much of any other), so I have to depend upon others. Come to think of it, I can add a link (in an update to the posting) that takes you to Dudette's dress and a link to the dress that the bride's maids will wear.

[Susan]

Sounds good! You should try digital
photography. It's easier than film and you can download pictures easily, and then post them.

[Cop Car]

Oh, Susan, if I only had time to do all things; but, even being retired, I don't. It wouldn't be so bad except, if I don't do something for a while, I forget how to do it. There's just no sense in going through the pain of learning to do something if I'm not really going to do it quite a bit. Having a digital camera (or trying to use Hunky Husband's) would do me no good unless I used it a couple of times per week. *sigh*

[bogie]

I got 80%, 40 of the states perfect, with an avg, error of 52 miles in 563 seconds. I started with Utah, and was happy to see that I got within 79 miles of it. With my eyesite, I was doing good to get it in the same geographic region let alone 79 miles!

One of my biggest problems was actually grabbing the states - I would think the cursor was on the state, "grab" it and drag - but the state wouldn't follow.

[Cop Car]

Come on, someone, don't leave me feeling stupid--give us a lower score. Buffy and Bogie put me to shame (why am I not surprised?!) Well done, both! My first New England state was Vermont. Since Bogie has sensitized me to New Hampshire, Vermont was no challenge. Rhode Island--now, if I hadn't already filled in New York, that would have been tricky! (Same for Connecticut.)

[billy]

33 out of 50 means 66% with an average error score of 253 and it took me 622 seconds

...who'd have thought that those places would be there :^)...

[Cop Car]

Bless you, Billy. You're a dear; but, you don't really make me feel better. You probably didn't have to know the capital cities of each of our states to get out of secondary school. (Of course, it was easier in my day because there weren't so many states! Same on knowing the presidents.) Please don't test me on my knowledge of the UK or her history. About all I know is how to spell it--LOL. Of course, I adored Mr. Churchill equally with Mr. Roosevelt. And I always enjoyed working with the blokes who came over from your CAA.

[bogie]

Cop Car may have had it tougher getting to school (walking 10 miles, in a blizzard, up hill - both ways), but once she got there her work was easier (no 50 states and capitals, no 38 (or was it 36?) presidents, no Newton's law of gravity - LOL).

I'm impressed with your score Billy!

[Cop Car]

Not nice, Bogie! Professor Newton may have taught me all the physics I know (not all that HE knew); but, he had already been bonked on the head by the apple when I joined his class (as in school class, not as in genius class.) And he'd already invented his version of calculus, so why are you ragging on me? Since you've already started abusing me, I'm going to scratch your name out as one of my Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions agents. That'll learn you.

[Buffy]

I'm lucky that I can place the states close to where they belong. I'm starting to forget some of the capitols, and I'm sure I NEVER knew all of the presidents. I can start at either end of the line and work my way in...but either side of Lincoln is a bit fuzzy. Having said all that, I can't imagine doing a similar map of the UK. Bravo, billy, for giving it a go!

[Cop Car]

The only presidents that I can do are those during my lifetime--and those only if I think really hard: Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmie Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, William Clinton, George W. Bush. Did I leave any out? Guess which two I voted for?

[Wichi Dude]

Wouldn't hurt to have it looked at. If nothing else, it will give you some peace of mind that it isn't anything serious.
And don't laugh about the cane, I've had to use one before. Only get concerned when they give you a walker. hehehe

[Buffy]

I'm glad that you were taking it easy with that leg. When you described the "crunch" I cringed! I hope that it's not something serious. I think the cane is a good idea. Is it possible that you might need crutches? I know....you're too tough to use crutches, aren't you?! Well....take care of your leg!

[Cop Car]

About 11:00 AM, I decided to call my physician. She is on spring break (she's on faculty at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita), so I made an appointment with another physician for 1:30 PM. Fortunately, Hunky Husband drove in from St. Louis at about Noon (he had arisen at 2:30 AM, unable to sleep--he usually gets get-home-itis.)

I asked HH (using the clutch in my car aggravates a knee that hurts) to drive me to my ombudsman class that started at 1:00 AM. Leaving class at 1:15, I was driven to the UKMS-W to see the physician.

Dr. G talked with me for a couple of minutes, manipulated the leg to see what would make it hurt, and rather disdainfully announced that I "only" had arthritis. Yeah, that's what they told me back in 1975, so I guess that it hasn't gone away. He had x-rays taken to be sure that there were no minute fractures, consulted the most recent bone density test results, told me to go ahead and exercise but to take ibuprofen to control the pain.

While I was with the doctor, HH ran an errand. When I got out of the x-ray department, I called HH on his cell phone and he returned to take me back for the last hour of my ombudsman class.

Poor HH. If I would just listen to him, I wouldn't have to go to the doctor--LOL! He keeps saying, "Take ibuprofen!" When we got home, he gave me his huge bottle of ibuprofen tablets from which I poured perhaps 50 of them. We shall see how they work for my fitness center foray tomorrow morning. All is well, I guess. I feel a little silly for having made such a to-do. We shall see how many days it takes me to get past the cane-using stage. Thanks for your concern.

[bogie]

It's better to check with an expert than to self medicate and be sorry. If WS had done that, his back wouldn't be as messed up as it is now.

Instead, he self-medicated with ibuprofen (and beer) and stressed it more because he would do things he shouldn't because the pain was better from the reduced swelling.

[Cop Car]

We can't win for losing is my theory. I have seen a physician for knee pain three times--1975, 1985, 2005. (Well, Dr. S looked at the knee in 2002, but it was pretty cursory.) My impression is that I am just a wimp. My knees hurt some, most of the time. It's just when it becomes excruciating that I actually see a physician (and I didn't even do it then, in 2001!) I don't know how people with REAL arthritis problems live.

[Cop Car]

Morning report: the knee is feeling much better this morning. I took a total of four 200 mg ibuprofen, yesterday, and really wasn't sure that they were doing anything. I may not need to take any, today. What a relief. Hunky Husband attributes my aching back and calf muscles to the funny way that I've been walking, and I'm sure that he is correct (the back muscle ache is from using the cane!) As usual, once a pain recedes, I can't remember how it felt or why I thought I was in such bad shape. Have a great day! (Obviously, it will take me some time to build up in my exercise routine, again.)

[Dudette]

Glad to hear your knee is feeling better!

I think we all fall in the catagory of "wimp". Whenever I decide I just can't take "it" (whatever the symptom(s) might be) and go to the doctor the response is one of these things-
1) It's viral and will go away (the last time a doctor told me that I hacked up a lung for 4 months!)
2) Yes, you have a cyst. Don't worry about it-I'm sure it will go away (after taking 97 sonogram pictures)
3) You are an amazingly health woman-get out of my office so I can see some sick people!

Argggg....Doctor's can drive a person to drink!

[bogie]

Glad you are feeling better!

The ibuprofen probably helped reduce the swelling, if not the pain. It is amazing what sort of pains can crop up due to not moving the way you normally would (using a cane or even limping)! Fortunately, those symptoms usually disappear once you get to motoring properly again.

[Cop Car]

Dudette--One of these days you or I will be REALLY sick and those doctors will be sorry for how Cavalierly they treated us--LOL!

Bogie--Amazingly enough, there was no swelling to begin with. I had iced the thing down and when I saw Dr. G, one of the remarks that he made was about there being no swelling. Perhaps the use of the leg on Wednesday would have produced swelling, sans the ibuprofen, though.

[Buffy]

Okay....just what did you do on 9-11-2001 that required you to get a cane? I'm sure you must have told me, but I can't recall.

In my book, bringing the swelling down was a good idea.

If we were all still 20, the motions we go through to keep something from hurting us wouldn't bother us, but now that we're a bit older, every change in our customary movements causes discomfort when other muscles take up the slack. It's comforting to know that ice, heat, ibuprofen and time will help us get over most of those aches.

[Cop Car]

In August 2001, early one morning (before it got light), I was out walking. On my way home, I decided to dash across a major street while there was no traffic. Having crossed the street, I had to run across the grass strip between the street and the sidewalk. I forgot that there was a ditch between the two and found myself hurtling helter-skelter down the embankment in the dark. I got home and my day proceeded normally. The next day, my knee hurt. Worse, the second day. Then it just got to the point where it was a nagging thing and I pretty much ignored it.
The second week in September, Hunky Husband and I met my Elder Brother and Expert Seamstress in the Tampa FL area for a week of birding. The walking aggravated my knee so much that by the morning of 9/11/2001, as we were driving to our intended beach spot for birding, I asked Elder Brother to stop at a drugstore so that I could buy a cane. I could no longer walk without leaning on one of the guys, and I figured that would get old for them pretty quickly. We spent six hours birding. On our way back to the motel, I noted that the flag at a firestation was at half-mast. When I saw another flag at half-mast at a post office, I mentioned it to the rest of the family. Elder Brother turned on the car radio and the first thing that we heard was a report that the Pentagon had been hit by an airliner. Then, they said that the WTC twin towers had each been hit and had come down. You can imagine that we were as confused and stunned as the rest of the nation. Eventually, we came home--in the rental car that we drove while in Florida. Fortunately, it was a Lincoln TownCar, so at least we drove in comfort--and with three drivers, it didn't take all that long.
For at least one week after returning to work, I used the cane. It had been in a closet ever since--until last Tuesday!

[Cop Car]

P.S. For those who don't know why there were three drivers rather than four: Expert Seamstress has no driver's license. Back in 1983, Expert Seamstress took a few driving lessons using their one car (out of their 3 Mercedeses, mind you) that had an automatic transmission. This was AFTER Elder Brother had two heart attacks within a 10-day span. She probably could drive him to a hospital; but, let's hope that she never has to! I can just hear her swearing because she can't get the seat adjusted high enough for her to see out of the windshield.

[Dudette]

So...What exactly do you want to do when you grow up??!

[bogie]

Dudette stole my line!

[Cop Car]

I don't know.

[Ronni]

I read (part of) my first and last Sheldon book about 25 or 30 years ago. I filed him, along with a bunch of other inexplicably popular writers, under "unreadable."

[Cop Car]

I agree with your assessment, Ronni. I've read (well, 2 chapters of) the first and last Sheldon book, too.

[bogie]

Don't think I have ever read any of Sheldon's books. But then, that is not the genre of book that I would normally read.

[Cop Car]

I don't know what genre Sheldon is supposed to write. If I did, maybe I wouldn't have picked up the book in the first place, Bogie. On the other hand, although I've enjoyed most (all!) of the books to which you have steered me, I'm sure that I read a LOT of books that you wouldn't touch with the proverbial 6-foot Pole.

As Cowtown Pattie said in a comment to Ronni's posting on "Learning Forever / Forever Learning": "Like my snack habits, my books are sometimes Hershey bars and popcorn. Others are fine wines and seven-course meals. Often, I am reading two or more books at the same time, one from the "snack" category, one from the "healthy food" category." I suspect that Pattie describes most of us, eh?

[bogie]

Sounds like a grand time. Meeting more than once a year is probably a good idea though!

[Buffy]

What fun! I'm sure you had a wonderful time, and I'm glad to hear that you're going to do it again.

[Ronni Bennett]

If this - the long-term care position - works out for everyone, I will be pleased. If I were in a nursing home, I would certainly want you as my advocate.

[Millie Garfield]

Good luck to you. I hope it works out for you because it will be a good thing for all concerned.

What a wonderful undertaking!

Millie

[Buffy]

I'm so impressed with how you choose to use your time! You'll make a great ombudsman. I'm sure the quality of life in the facilty will improve with you on the job. There will be a lot of people blessed to know you. *S*

[Cop Car]

Ronni, Millie, & Buffy--What kinds words you write. Thank you for the votes of confidence.

I asked the Volunteer Coordinator (Kansas), how they got the names for their mailing list. She thought that they probably had received my name from AARP. She said that, some time ago, the AARP sent out a card to each member, to be returned if one was interested in the program. I probably received the card and returned it. Who knows?!

[bogie]

Thank you for clarifying what is needed.

[Dudette]

FYI Family - WD and I signed (and had notarized) updated health care directives yesterday! The last time we did that was way back in the mid-80's. I am now working on updating powers of attorney for finances for both of us, and I have started on an updated will. I think I will have to chase WD down to get him to tackle the will part. It takes a tad bit longer than these other short-work items!

Thanks for all the good info Cop Car!

[Cop Car]

Good going, Dudette & Wichi Dude. You are most welcome.

Something that I hadn't thought about is including stuff about preferences for physical surroundings during convalescence when unable to communicate. Such as: I can think of little worse than having some nurse come in and turn on the TV or turn a radio on to C&W or heavy metal "music". Of course, for me, this would only be a factor in the rare case when I was expected to make a "full" recovery. (Maybe they have me so drugged that I can't let them know that I HATE them for the noise they are inflicting on me!) Obviously, Beethoven or Grieg would be OK--quietly!

[bogie]

Yep, I was a bit on the busy side - in fact I wasn't home.

[Cop Car]

Bogie--I'm sorry that you didn't choose your parents more wisely so that you wouldn't have to work for a living. I'll be looking forward to your Iditarod postings when you can take the time. I guess the "Urban Iditarod" is being run in San Francisco, today. All of 3 miles, as I recall, with shopping carts pulled by people in dog costumes. Those Bay Area people know how to have fun! When I was working in that area, I was never bored.