Dad 87: Got Blood?

(Not sure that I agree with Dad's explanation for all of his goofy decisions.  Enjoy his post!  -- Tracy)

Derf Here!  From the sunny northeast corner of these United States.  The weather people have told us to expect temperatures to exceed fifty degrees.  We'll take it.  And this less than one week after our largest snowstorm of the season (14 inches).  The weather person just said perhaps up to sixty degrees.  Even better!  Still have ground covered with snow.  Going very fast!  Not fast enough!  Must replace a couple high divots in the front lawn that I dug out plowing.  Fortunately the pieces to be used are gradually becoming visible as the snow melts.  Will fix up within the next week!  No one will notice come mowing season.  I hope!

Sister Jean seems to be on the right track in Indy as she recovers from colon cancer surgery.  The process is extremely slow but she seems to be going in the positive direction.  Prayers are still very much welcome.  One of her doctors has said prayer does make a difference.  A positive attitude also helps.  Hope to visit Jean within the next two weeks.  In fact, if all goes as planned, the visit will be two weeks from tomorrow.

I'm continuing my exercise regimen and hopefully will break into the 230's in the next two weeks.  Probably won't exercise on the elliptical today as I have an appointment at the blood bank for a 'double red' session.  I've made blood donations consistently for many, many years.  I started in 1962 and since the 1980's I've given blood every eight weeks until the 'double red' came along.  Around 1999 I received my eleven-gallon pin.  I figure I'm working on twenty-plus gallons now.  'Double red' has one hooked up to a machine which separates the red blood cells and the plasma.  After one pint is removed the plasma is returned and the process starts all over again, hence the name 'double red.'  Instead of six trips a year, I now go the Red Cross Blood Bank only three times a year and continue to donate as much as allowed.  After the session I can just walk out, not waiting around the table eating cookies and drinking fluids for 20 minutes before leaving.  I eat the cookies on the way home.  I have a high iron count in my blood so giving is actually good for me.  Sometimes I wonder if my high iron count is responsible for my brain functioning in an abnormal way.  I'm always looking for a reason for any crazy thoughts or decisions I make.  Sure, blame the iron!  Seems like my best reason.  A metal brain!

I must now have my wonderful, lovely salad lunch before departing to the Red Cross.

For all our family in Indy, I'm sorry to see Peyton Manning leaving the Colts.  This shows it is just a business.  Loyalties don't seem to matter, especially when twenty-eight million dollars are involved.  Question, will you still root for the Colts when Peyton takes the field with a competing team?  I wonder!

I can't think of anything else to say so:

Until next time!

Toodle Pip!

Derf!

A Productive Day . . . Of Sorts

It has 'snot' been a good day so far.

I have had several rounds of multi-tissue nose blowing.  And when I say multi I really do mean multi.

If I have to bend over to pick something up, my head hurts from all of the nose blowing.

I don't feel congested, so I am hoping this purging means that I am nearing the end of The Plague, Part 2....

And there will be no more sequels if I have anything to say about it!

(Postscript:  I did venture out to get a haircut today.  I am happy to report that it went well, so the day was not a total loss.)

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Have you ever had one of those days when you tried to accomplish something, but you end up going backward instead?  Like you would have been better off not even trying in the first place?

That was my day.  Well, regarding one project anyway.

And I am annoyed.

But "isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

For the rest of the week I am going to try to flop with the mop!

The Chili Cook-Off

Today was our church's annual Chili Cook-Off.  This event is held to raise money for missions.

Lew and I attended, and so did Matt, Emily, and Eli.

Each chili was served in a little plastic cup so that you could sample each one.  Then you voted for your favorite (or favorites) with tickets that you "purchased" upon entry.  The maker of the winning chili gets possession of the coveted "Golden Ladle" until the next Cook-Off.

I liked almost all of the different chili's, but I was able to narrow it down to three.  I got seconds of each of those in order to make my final decision.

Lew narrowed his favorites down to a group of four -- which happened to include all three of mine!

On our way home, we talked about the fun time we had.  The Cook-Off really is a nice event.

And then Lew informed me, "I really don't like chili."

But he attended anyway....

I always knew that he was a good sport!

(Postscript:  And -- just in case you were wondering -- Eli didn't try any of the chili.)

Just Around the Corner

Oh, what joy!  The Red Sox spring training game was on TV tonight.

Lew and I didn't watch much of it because we were watching a movie.

But we were still excited.  The promise of baseball!  The promise of Spring!

Given our snow-covered lawn, it was nice to see the beautiful green baseball field... even if it is way down in Florida.

Opening Day will be here soon.  :)

(Plague update:  The Gypsy Cold Care tea and the neti pot are still doing the job.  I'm feeling much better!)

How Do 6 Hours Become 2 Hours and 30 Minutes?

Several weeks ago I posted about two TV shows that Lew and I were having a slight disagreement over.  In that post I said that I would watch this season of American Idol with Lew if he would watch the three remaining episodes of Chuck with me.

Lew watched Chuck.  (And he's glad that he did, I might add.)

So that means I am watching American Idol.  We never watch it when it's actually aired.  We DVR it and usually watch it on Friday night.  Lew is always in charge of the remote for American Idol.  (I am in charge during all other DVR'd programs that we watch together.)

This past week American Idol was on three nights in a row, for two hours each night.... And now you should know the answer to the above question!

The Return of The Plague

Major snowstorm today.  We've had so little snow this winter, I think it tried to catch up all in one day!

From reading my previous posts this week, one can surmise that I have been ill again.  It's the same type of cruddy cold or sinus problem -- or whatever -- that I had in December.

Yuck.

I have attacked it differently this time.

One of my friends from church told me about neti pots.  Uh, what?  Deliberately pour fluid through my nose?  Ha ha.

But on Monday -- when I knew that I was getting sick -- I bought a neti pot at the drugstore.   Desperation makes one do crazy things!

I started using the neti pot Tuesday night, and... what do you know?  It helps.  Go figure.

I've also been drinking Gypsy Cold Care tea (by Traditional Medicinal).  It's the first time I've tried it.  Good stuff.  I'm going to always keep some on hand from now on.

Other things I've been doing:

• Eating Cuties (California mandarin oranges)
• Drinking lots of fluids -- mostly water and hot tea
• Putting honey in my hot tea
• Sucking on lozenges -- my favorite is Ricola's Green Tea with Echinacea
• Eating Lew's black licorice jelly beans

Yes, the licorice jelly beans really do help my nasal passages.  Seriously!

(Disclaimer:  The above is not medical advice.  I am not a doctor; I am a normal person, like yourself....)