The Little Outlaw

This whole month has been a Cowboy theme at Caders school.    It began with a Cowboy Breakfast and progressed with days of making vests and bandannas.  They had a Cowboy lunch complete with chili pie (which he ate two helpings) and finished up on Friday with a dress up day and dance.  I believe this to be Caders favorite month of activities since he first started his school.  He has been so excited that every day he asks how much longer until the next event (he wants to know in minutes).  This also brings us to our second point.  This month has been a perfect excuse for Cader to request jeans for everyday wear.  This first began a couple of years ago when he had trouble adjusting from one season's dress to the other.  Once the adjustment was made he was fine but it usually took some time and we would be way into the hot/cold month's before we would no longer have to listen to him cry about not wanting to wear what was laid out for him.  This year was different and when summer came along he decided that Long sleeve shirts and Jeans would be the norm.  I figured that it was part of the original deal and he would soon be in shorts and life would go on.  This is not the case this year and we are in the middle of August and the boy has succeeded in wearing Jeans one to two times a week.  We do lay down the law on the long sleeve shirts and usually this is not argued much due to the Jeans success.  It is 101 degrees, and has been for the past couple of weeks and every day he requests Jeans.  Once Jen told him he would be too hot, he replied "I like being hot".  I guess we have now given up and allow him to have his couple of days a week and pray for cooler weather.  

Busy, Busy, Busy.

I know,  I know.  It's been too long between posts.  It's been a couple of busy weeks and every time I thought about blogging I lost motivation.  We'll take it back to the 14th and go from there.  Monday I had an appointment at the Hospital for another ultrasound.  I arrived on time and checked in.  The lady asking the questions could not read the Doctor's signature so she asked.  I told her the Doctor's name,  was admitted and had an info band placed on my wrist.  I walked down the hall,  found the right room,  checked in and found a seat.  As I waited I looked down and began to read the wrist band.  Everything was right except for the Doctor's name.  It was the right name but the wrong one.  See there are two of them being bound by marriage, one an Orthopedic Surgeon,  and the other a OB-GYN.  I jumped up and went back to the nurse and informed her that there was a mistake made and that there would be no need to check my ovaries.  The next day I had an appointment with my Doc.  He inspected my leg,  sent me for X-Rays and said all looked good.  Blood clot gone and I could remove the brace (just in time for our Port A trip).  Wednesday we packed up and headed out for Port Aransas.  Jen was really excited,  I think more than me and Cader combined.  It was quite a drive and the last leg of the trip is a ferry ride to the island.  This did not sit well with Jen,  being very nervous that the ferry will go down and she will not have enough time to get Cader out of the car.  We arrived at the ferry landing and she was not so nervous once she saw that it wasn't very far to the other side.  It did take us a few minutes to explain to Cader that we were going to put the car on a boat.  This was going to be a travel trailer trip but Jen's boss has a house and offered it up for the week and with the price of gas we couldn't pass it up.  We found the house and located the others in the family.  They had been there since Sunday and were happy to have some new blood. We loaded up and headed for the beach to finish the day and get some not so hot, late afternoon sun.  The seaweed was pretty bad and we had to make paths down to the water but Cader didn't mind and after a while we just got use to it. Cader loved the trip and would ask if he could "go swim in the big lake".  We visited with the family,  ate lots of seafood,  and swam in both the "big lake" and the pool at the RV park that the others were staying at.  The trip was,  for the most part uneventful for my knee and I attempted to exercise it in the water as much as possible.  The only incident was one day I was wading in and a crab got a hold of my toe.  I came down on the bad leg.  All those on the beach saw this and waited to laugh at me when I explained that I had been attacked by the biggest crab in the sea.  We left Sunday and had to go back to work to get some rest.  I started physical therapy on Monday the 21st and have been attempting to bend it more and more (sucks).  Other than that we are good and we plan on a camping trip next weekend since I 'm feeling a lot better and getting that Travel Trailer Itch.  That should catch Y'all up,  I will try not to get so far out next time.  

What's the Deal???

That's what was asked of me in my youth, "What's the Deal". This question proposed by my father as to say, What are you thinking?, Why aren't you thinking?, or "What the heck's wrong with you. Well I don't know what is wrong with me but it could be worse. I am a born again! What I mean is that I have, after many years of rotting my thoughts and mind in front of the almighty TV, I have discovered BOOKS. That is to say rediscovered them, for no longer are they just decoration, or door stops. Let me explain my journey to salvation. Month's ago I decide on a whim that life was to pass me by if I didn't begin to read the classics. (Not unlike my mother who whims at a fancy) I contacted the most literary person I know, my mother. The request a simple one, create a list of books that she/the world considered classics. This list was produced rapidly, and I'm sure with the amount she reads, abridged. I began with a baptism by Hemingway and have since been a loyal convert to the religion of reading. Skipping Television programs to read of Robert Jordan and his fight for the republic of Spain. To envision an old man trying to survive in a fishing boat against a monster of a fish. To be watched 24 hours a day by the government. To live the dust bowl and trek across America to a supposed promised land. To read of future tales of book burners and haters of knowledge. These ideas came from others, not I. I would never have imagined such things. I cannot stop, best way to describe it is from a book recently read, (and I quote, very loudly now that the passion is building) " I eat them like salad, books are my sandwich for lunch, my tiffin and dinner and midnight munch. I tear out the pages, eat them with salt, douse them with relish, gnaw on the bindings, turn the chapters with my tongue! Books by the dozen, the score and the billion." I have begun to acquire at a rate shy of the speed of sound, the very object of this post. Rev. Amazon is my preacher who delivers the goods. The website is tracked by the hour for movement, and delivery is known before the engine of the carrier is restarted. They are placed on the shelf and await to be a meal for my mind. So what ever the deal is I don't really care to know, just wish that this deal came around a lot sooner. Oh, and by the way the quote from above is Ray Bradbury, and the one on the right is from me.

Fishin Hole.

This weekend we traveled to Jen's parents to meet up with Jay.  Cader was so excited to have a playmate he drove us crazy to the point that we were looking forward to Jay getting there more than Cade was.  He wanted nothing to do with Jay's parents, other than a quick hug and a few words.  They first began riding the Gator, doing so until the battery died.  Then the Slip N Slide was pulled from the cardboard box and inflated.  They enjoyed this until dark when they were then called in for a bath and placed in front of the TV for a bedtime movie.  They awoke early Saturday and were eager to help Pa Pa with the feeding of the cows.  Jay's Dad awoke and rustled us up and out to go fishing.  We loaded up and buckled the kids in and headed for Wal-Mart for some worms and fishing hats.  That stop down we headed for a friend's house and the owner of the fishing hole.  The worms were placed on the hooks and cast with around a 90% success rate,  returning small perch and a few mud cats.  The kids enjoyed it as much and as long as kids do.  They still won't touch the fish!!!! 

This, that and the other.

Things here in the Lone Star State remain the same.  My knee is healing fine with every followup the Doc says, "Looks good,  see you in 10 days."  Hoping that next visit he will let me get out of this leg brace.  I can walk around without the crutches (don't know if the doc likes that) and manage to get things done.  He is also wanting me to start bending it here and there,  which is still a little uncomfortable.  Last visit I was set up with a physical therapy appointment and an ultrasound followup to check the status of the clot.  The pain and swelling have gone down so I guess the blood thinner is working.  Other than that everything is the same for me.  Jen has been in a better mood now that I am able to help out more around the house.  She has been going to the gym on a regular basis,  run throughout the neighborhood and even the occasional workout tape.  Cader has gotten in on the action but tends to lose interest rather quickly.  He will usually end up laying on the floor.    Jen seems to be on a schedule and sticks to it.  I keep telling her that after my knee heals up I'll start going to the gym also.(But that could take months, right?).  Her work is going good,  as far as I know,  I don't hear her complaining about the bosses or the coworkers.  Cader is doing well, he is in a real cute stage where I find myself laughing at him more than getting on him.  His summer school/daycare is fun for him and he gets a chance to swim twice a week.  He is really excited about this weekend due to his cousin Jay, from Alabama will be arriving.  This will give him a playmate for the next 72 straight hours,  interrupted only by feeding and sleeping.(not much of these happen).  Happy 4th of July to all!

Friday Nights, Saturday Mornings

No matter what time Cader goes down,  he is always up at 7:00am.  We have experimented for years on weekend sleep ins and have never found a solution for the boy.  Our Friday night is considered our movie night which we have never officially labeled it as such and don't religiously stick to it or plan it,  we just usually find ourselves in the mood for a movie at the end of the week.  Family movie night consists of three different movies, three different TVs in three different rooms.  Occasionally Jen and I will watch the same thing but eventually during the evening we gravitate to our perspective corners of the house where we dive into something that is interesting to us.  Last night was no exception,  and on Jen's way home she stopped by the store and picked up a couple movies for Cader and one for her,  and as I had mentioned earlier that my Amazon shipment came in and it contained some movies that,  when Jen heard the titles to, raised only eyebrows and used the expression "Great".  We were set for the evening and in excited anticipation we scarfed down our purchased chicken tenders and fries (ohhhh,  so healthy)  washed and dressed the boy and turned on his movie.  I talked Jen into watching my movie,  so we settled in with popcorn and drinks and cranked on the classic To Kill a Mockingbird,  with Gregory Peck and  Robert Duvall.  I had recently finished the book and wanted to see the film.  I think it was maybe 5 or 10 minutes into it, Jen was on her way down the hall with her movie in hand,  one by the title of  27 Dresses (glad she never asked me to join her).  Cade with his movie,  me with mine and Jen with hers the house was in total peace.  10:00 pm rolled around and Cader was the only one still ready to go.  We wrestled him into his bed,  locked up the house and hit the sack.  This morning we were awaken at 7:00 am by a little brown haired boy requesting that one of us get him some MILK,  due to the fact that he was almost dying of thirst.  I'll get up and let Jen sleep (it's just better that way,  trust me) and get him his milk and fetch a thousand other things he happens to think of.  Then the funniest thing happens, round about 10 in the morning .

Clots of Fun!!!

Today I find myself in the same position that Jen has found me in for the last week.  Flattening my backside in the same chair in front of the TV,  with the Laptop at my side.  The days following my surgery have been filled with movies, some books and a huge helping of the Internet,  only interrupted by the 4 hour pain pill ritual.  This has began to take a toll and has made me irritable.  I try to keep a positive attitude and smile as often as I can,  but the pain sometimes gets the better of me and I become short with Cader and Jen.  They have been awesome with the whole ordeal and very supportive and helpful.  Saturday I began to try to ween myself off of the medication and made it to about Saturday afternoon.  Sunday I noticed a pain in my calf muscle that increased throughout the day.  It feels like a charlie horse feels at the very beginning.  I started to complain to Jen and she wasn't having it,  so I Googled it and read that I was supposed to be doing rotation exercises with my foot in order to keep from getting a blood clot.  I questioned Jen about the nurse telling me this and she said that I was told.  I guess it was right after I woke up and didn't remember.  I began to do said exercises, but I guess it was too late.  When I awoke this morning at 5:00 I wanted to cry.  The pain was worse than anything I've ever felt.  I managed to crutch myself to the kitchen and get a glass of water and took some pills.  Then I crashed on the couch, only to be woken up by Cader giving me a morning hug.  The pills kicked in and I made it to work.  About 8:30 I called the Doc and left a message for him to call when he got out of surgery.  He called back at 12:30 and I told him of the pain I was having.  He instructed me to go to the hospital and get an ultrasound for blood clots.  Jen came and picked me up and we made it in time to have Sandi punish my leg with her gel and ultrasound machine.  After looking at the pictures she took them to the Radiologist and I went to the waiting room to meet back up with Jen.  Sandi returned and asked if I had a cell phone and gave me the Doc's number and asked that I call him.  He stated that I have a blood clot in my leg and that if left untreated, blah, blah, blah,  "Dead".  So he put me on a blood thinner medication and that should do the trick.  I will have to go in and do a blood test on Friday to see how thin my blood will be,  but other than that everything should be good in a couple of weeks.  Bright side of the day is that my Amazon stuff was on the front porch when Jen brought me home.  SCORE!!!