Even the Home Health Agrees...You Don't Need Us

Home Health came by to check on Dad and see what types of help he needs at home. For sure, they have agreed that no physical therapy or occupational therapy is needed. I think they will still do a bit of speech therapy, but even then, I imagine it won't be much. Amazing, isn't it? God has truly answered our prayers on this.

Now, if only my projects could improve meeting their tasks on time as quickly as Dad has improved.













[Friday forgetfulness] I forgot to mention how stinking hot it is supposed to be today. 118 or so. And again tomorrow. At least we will not break the 122F record from 1990.

How much is 200 calories of your favorite food? This video shows you quite clearly.

I told Teacher Daughter that, if she kept feeding her cat that much food, he'd get way too big.

We've talked before about fast food secret menus. Here are a few more for your dining pleasure.

Hey, I hope to have some new photos next week, but I don't know how regularly I will be posting. Don't worry if you check the blog and see the prior post. As Arnold Schwarzenegger said, "I saw a woman wearing a sweatshirt with Guess on it. I said, Thyroid problem?" No, wrong quote. I meant to say "I'll be back".

Better Than Ever

Do you remember what movies you watched in 1979? Did you see the Burt Reynolds movie Starting Over? In it, Candice Bergen sang Better Than Ever. Let's just say it is a good thing she is a good actress.

Why did I even mention that? Well, Dad seems to be doing better than ever. No, he won't recover back to the health and energy of a fifty year old, but he certainly seems to be back to what I remember from the beginning of the year.

Speaking of health, how about the phenomenon that your heart rate is slower if you are exercise frequently? So, how low could you get it?



Speaking of upcoming national holidays (smooth segue, huh?), it is almost Independence Day. First, did you hear they are doing a sequel to that movie from 1996? Actually, though, it came up because I found a shot from a July 4 fireworks display a few years ago for today's personal photo.

Years ago, my Architect Bro and his buddy Kos made up their own language. One of the words was 'blair', which can be combined with other sounds in creative ways. For example, a donblair (pronounced doan-blair) is a donut. However, a hairblair is a haircut. They could also use it on its own to simply mean hair. So, they could either say "I need a hairblair" or "I need to get my blairs cut". Hey, I did not say it was logical. Anyway, I got a hairblair last night, and that it why the word is in my mind today.

And with that, I will say 'Adieu'. Or will I say 'I do'? Either way, it will end today's confab.

You Are Cleared for Take-off

That is pretty much what the Home Health nurse told Dad yesterday. It seems he may not need any additional therapy. Is this the same dude that was almost comatose a week ago? Is it true that this guy was released from ICU only one week ago? I know it. We are all so happy. God can do anything.

He is not yet cleared for driving, though. That could happen early next week, though, when he revisits his neurosurgeon.

Speaking of Grandfathers, this one keeps showing up in my comics. What can I say? He enables a lot of punchlines.













Speaking of happy, I tried to get this type of shot with the next two GRANDS, but no one quite achieved this level of exuberance for a cake. One lesson was learned, though, Daughter-in-love did not use purple coloring in the next two first birthday cakes. And another lesson was not to put the high chair quite so close to the curtains.

One of the risks by putting several links in a post is that I may not find good ones the following day. That is true today. I just looked around and...nothing. So, we will call it a day (blogging-wise) and move on. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

London, Lennon and Lipstick on my Costume

Dad continues to gain physical strength. He still misses a few words when he speaks, so I am anxious for him to begin his in-home therapy. I think that might begin today.













There was an improv TV program a few years ago where they use a set that was flat on the ground, but looked like it was standing up, so people could do gravity-defying actions. Now, a man has built a full-size set in London. OK, family, I guess we need to go back.

This group is coming to Chandler next year. I enjoyed the video, but I am not sure I want to experience two hours of it. However, they are extremely inventive.

I used to exercise more, and I do enjoy kissing MBH. So now, do you wonder who she is kissing in this shot? I'm not going to brag, though.

Got an iPhone? No, I don't, but how about you? Well, maybe an Android device? No? Yeah, me neither. Still, we should keep this in mind. Then, we could still use our DSLR for better shots, but distribute it immediately using our smartphone.

Yes, Obama does sing sometimes in speeches, but not the same way this dude uses clips to have him sing Call Me Maybe.

OK, so Obama wasn't really singing. John Lennon is, though. Imagine if he tried out for The Voice.

Enough for today. We've both got things to do. I'll be back, though.

News About Dad, Sis, TED, Bella, and SS

Dad is finally home from the hospital. He was released Saturday morning. We sat in on his last rehab sessions at the hospital so we could see what was involved and what kinds of things we should watch for at home. Sometime this week, he should begin some in-home sessions for OT and ST (definitions in an earlier post). Healing is still needed, so continue praying for him.

Since IT Sis came back from vacation, she has been staying with the folks to be available should something happen as Dad regains his strength and cognitive abilities. Thanks, Sis.

Here is a conversation I had recently.













I took a practice test yesterday in preparation for my certification test mid-July. I got 73%, which is passing. However, I need to work on the Executing and Closing sections as both scores were less than 70%. I had not planned on taking it, but I promised the study group I would do so before July 1, so this was with no extra studying. That makes me feel a bit more confident. I was worried since I have been distracted for a couple of weeks.

By now, you've probably seen this story, but it is a funny one.

Do you ever check any of the TED videos? There are some interesting ones (and I have mentioned some in the past). Anyway, I enjoyed this one. I admit I skipped past the interpretations and went straight for the action.

Speaking of Pinterest (nobody was, but I wanted to share this link), this is a fun-looking homemade game. Maybe I should make one (or maybe you should and you can tell me about it)? And I guess this is easier for storing card games, but it seems a bit unwieldy for carrying them to someone else's house or on vacation. I did get to play games on Saturday night with family, though. I played Play Nine with Bella and Farkle with Salesman Son. And, of course, ate way too much good food, as I always do when daughter-in-love cooks.

Hey, family, remember that time we started to build Noah's Ark?

Listen, it is Monday and we need to get our work groove on, so let's start the day (after a healthy breakfast, of course, since it is the most important meal of the day). I am sure I will have more to say tomorrow.

PT, OT, ST, COV, and BGG

Dad was moved to the local hospital with a new, dedicated rehab center. He starts today with PT (physical therapy), OT (occupational therapy), and ST (speech therapy). The sessions last about one hour each. By the end of the day, they should have an idea of how long this will take.

With the condition of both of my parents such that neither can take 100% care of the other, we are meeting today with a potential in-home care provider (it has hospice in the name but it is not only for terminal situations) that my son's mother-in-law recommends. They were certainly very friendly on the phone yesterday and have already arranged to talk to Mom and me around lunchtime today. Plus, it is possible that there is no cost. How can that be? I don't know yet, but it is one of my questions for them. How long will they provide this services? I don't know yet, but I need it to be at least one month as Dad rebuilds his strength.

Today's CoV contains what I think is the exact quote of a story I heard on this morning's commute. It also contains the way I interpreted it. And MBH's statement is one I have heard many times.















One of the things Dad and I talked about yesterday is that it looks as if we have taken our last vacation together now. Of course, that makes me sad. We had some great times, though, first as the original nuclear family, then with just MBH, me, Mom and Dad, and also with the whole group to Ouray. I am trying to build those same types of memories with my kids and GRANDS. Anyway, here they are resting during a trip to Arches National Park in Utah a few years ago. It typifies how I remember them as we traveled.

Of course, please continue prayers for Dad for healing, Mom for comfort, and MBH for strength as she cares for Mom during the day. One of the tings I got for Father's Day was the dice game Farkle. Have you ever played it? I have not either...yet. We are having a game night Saturday over at the GRANDS house. I will let you know how it plays. Maybe not this time, but we may find we want to adopt some of the variant rules as shared on Board Game Geek (BGG). One, for example, talks about a way to change when you end your turn so the next player cannot steal your points. We'll see. I have not even played it yet, but I always check BGG to read about my games and look for ways to make them even more fun.

Since I am not sure when I will have that hospice interview, I should get some work done. I am thankful for an understanding boss since I have had to leave at a moment's notice. Have a good weekend.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward (Well, not really two...maybe only 1/2)

We had hopes that Dad would be coming home from the hospital either Thursday or Friday, but that will not happen. In the therapy tests he took yesterday, they determined that his recovery is not sufficient to send him home. Instead, they are transferring him to a local hospital with a team that specializes in 'Acute Rehab'. They estimate this could take an additional 1-2 weeks. Of course, we want him to be as healthy as he can be before he is released. They also found, through a follow-up CT scan, that there is still some bleeding around his brain. This is not uncommon, but it still makes me a bit nervous. No action is planned on it since the body is still healing from the surgery last week. Keep him in your prayers.

We are starting to work with insurance and the Alzheimer's Institute to find a way to get Mom some help at home while dad is away and then home but recovering. Everyone is being very supportive and understanding, but it will still take some time to maneuver through all the red tape necessary to get a companion available. Keep her in your prayers.

And since I have to work and MBH is home from teaching for the summer, she is staying with Mom during the day. Keep her in your prayers.

And I am still writing Clarity of Vision comics when I have time and inspiration. So, I will keep you in my prayers since you have to read them.













It is nice when a family does something for the public in honor of a loved one, but a) a toilet?, and b) a quote like the one in this sign? really?

OK, as often happens, I spent more time crafting my blog post than expected. So, I have to finish a task before my boss arrives around 8am. That's good for me because it keeps me employed and paid, and good for you because you don't have to keep slogging through my ephemera (where did that word come from?) and can get to whatever it is you need to be doing. Check back here some day, though, because I can always find more to say. Don't forget the prayers.

Out of ICU! (Plus Update -- Happy Anniversary!)

*updated at 9:30 6/18* I forgot to wish my son and daughter-in-love a Happy Anniversary! MBH reminded me and I forgot to mention it with the other things going on. Anyway, yup, 8 years today. That's the average for a first marriage. So, if they can make it to 2014, they will be above average. Well, they are above average already, but that is probably my bias speaking.

They moved Dad out of the ICU on Monday and removed the drainage tubes from his head, so that should give you a hint as to how well he is healing. He still has a bit of a headache, though, so his release date is unknown. Hopefully, later this week.

Have you read about the spying charges being hurled between China and the USA? What about claims that the government is gathering billions of pieces of information about our calls and emails everyday? Well, those seem awfully similar.













You know, I do a lot of stuff using Excel. It is my choice of the Microsoft Office tools. It wasn't that long ago that I had fun releasing my inner arteest. So imagine my surprise when I saw them come together here. Check it out. You've got to be really creative to want to do a painting in Excel, much less take the time to look through all the shapes and decide how/what to do.

I am not sure what Preacher Bro is saying by picturing his family with a turtle sign. Maybe they are slow? Maybe he wants them to come out of their shell? Maybe they stood there until a turtle came along? Maybe they put up the sign? I think this was around 2005.

If I have posted this link before, please excuse me. It is a note to NZ Niece about things to do in NZ. How many of these have you already done?

Do you watch Game of Thrones? Could you believe the end of this past season? Crazy. What about Game of Desks? It is Fallon, so you know it is crazy.

OK, we've shared quite a bit today, so I will let you go. Thanks for stopping by.

The Weekend is Finally Over

It has been a loooong few days. I mentioned last week about Dad's bleeding around the brain following his stroke a few weeks ago. The doctor told dad that he was actually close to dying. Anyway, they operated on him Friday morning and everything went well. In fact, by Saturday, he was awake and talking and eating regular food. On Sunday, they got him up for a walk and he was joking with the nurses. He is still sleepy a lot, but now, we know he will for sure wake up. He should be released later in the week. Mom is, of course, still jittery, so continue to keep both in your prayers.

Kathie gave up some tutoring positions so she could stay with Mom and help her get to the hospital sometime this morning. So, keep her in your prayers, too.

For me, though, I needed to get some work done today. That does not mean that I cannot take a couple of minutes and inflict a Clarity of Vision on you.













Except for the whole Dad-in-the-hospital thing, I had a nice Father's Day and spent some time with the GRANDS yesterday. They are just getting over a virus, so I have not seen them in a while. One of the gifts was a coupon book that included one saying "We won't get upset waiting for you to take flower photos during our summer vacation." I will believe that when I see it, but I will share a flower photo from 2008 with you as an ending happy thought.

Well, I should probably get some work done since that is what they pay me for. I will get back with you tomorrow.

Two Main Dudes in My Life

Let's start with Salesman Son. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Yes, he was born on Flag Day, so any calendars you have that say Flag Day, please relabel it as SSBD. It sounds like a BD party we had planned for him tomorrow has been canceled/postponed. Why?

The other dude is Dad. He went into the hospital yesterday because he just wouldn't eat, couldn't stay awake, and kept getting dizzy and nauseous. What would you do? I called his doc, who said get him to the ER. So, after some various tests (blood, X-ray, CT, others?), they diagnosed the problem. He had apparently fallen (Dad at first said he didn't remember doing so, but later told the Dr that he had but thought it was minor) and begun bleeding in the brain. They found bleeding on one side that had been going for about two weeks, and on the other that had started in the last two-three days. They did not stop because of the extreme blood thinners to prevent strokes. So, he is off the thinners until the bleeding stops. Then, we will see. So, keep him and the family in your prayers.

I had told my boss I needed off for the late morning yesterday to take Dad to his cardiologist. then all this others stuff happened and I did not make it back to work all day. Since I did not get home until after 10:30pm, I did not do a CoV today, nor upload a photo. Sorry.

All of this means I am at the office this morning trying to get caught up. MBH spent the night at Mom's house. I will try to finish early afternoon and head over to the ICU to see how Dad is doing. Hopefully, he will be awake and willing to talk.

Here's hoping Monday is more normal in every respect. Have a good weekend.

The Presentation Went Fine. Thanks for Asking.

I don't know that the methods used in the presentation are the best, but they are well designed. We still had some good practice remembering the formulas.

Teacher Daughter is still recovering from her recent surgery. Too bad it gets so hot in the afternoons while she is stuck at home and we are on time-of-day electricity plan which means it routinely reaches 84 in the house and she is about out of things to watch on TV and MBH and I are not home because of work and.... Oh, I guess I am out of things to add to that sentence.

I am watching Master Chef as I write this post. So, it should be no surprise that it influences today's CoV. As I note in the title, though, why did I make Chevy Chase represent good TV? I did like him on SNL, though, and I enjoyed the Vacation movies.

















I almost always try for night shots whenever we travel. Here is a photo of Hoover Dam at night. This one took 3.2 seconds to capture the deep color.

Something today made me think of an old Bugs Bunny cartoon using what I would call "factory" music. Can you hear that song in your mind? It is called Powerhouse by Raymond Scott. Listen to the original here.

Check out this quote from a blog I follow. "I first stumbled across this recipe at The Green Kitchen and instantly fell in love with it, I've tweaked it a little, but by enlarge, it's true to the original." Yes, it does say 'by enlarge', not 'by and large'. Did you catch that?

I recently added a note to Trip Advisor about our San Diego vacation. That is where this hotel's management looks for employee comments, positive or negative. Anyway, to thank me, they are sending me two free luggage tags. Nice, right? I just ordered them (3-5 weeks delivery), but it looks like they don't have my name imprinted or anything. Just their logo on the back. So, why does it take a month to ship them? I don't know, but they were free, so send them along, people.

I Admit I Did Not Create Today's Presentation

Wednesday, I have to take the PMP Study Group through a special study of the important formulas. In looking for ideas to help us remember what the formulas are and how to use them, I came across a great presentation. It was available for free download, so I did and I will present it (including the disclaimer of whose presentation it is and how to reach him) for our review. It really has some good ideas to help us prepare for our test.

As project managers, we have to stay in front of our team in guiding work. Well, unless we are ninjas...




For most of us with less expensive cameras, it is a challenge to focus correctly on nighttime photos. And if it is something fast moving, it is even more of a problem. Luckily, some of my fireworks photos came out OK, such as this one from 2005.



By now, you have probably all seen the announcement about a Krispy Kreme Sloppy Joe. Does that sound too weird, or weirdly exciting for you?

Do you remember that time back in 2008 when David Blaine held his breath for 17 minutes? Was it real? I can neither confirm nor deny, but here he is talking about it at a TED conference.

Did I mention that my grandson is sick with some type of virus that resembles chicken pox but apparently is not? Yup. And at 14 months old, you cannot reason with him and explain the symptoms and stuff. I imagine it is quite tiring taking care of him right now. Sorry, Lynds.

I've Got Nothing for You

If you are a Survivor fan, you will immediately recognize that quote as one that host Jeff Probst utters each week to the losing tribe following a challenge. We did have a challenge around our place yesterday as Teacher Daughter had minor outpatient surgery yesterday. It went quickly and easily and we are now working through the recovery period. And MBH was away from home last night helping at VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church.

I worked from home in the afternoon yesterday so that I could take her to the surgery. I ended up working some two hours later than usual since I was already at home and did not have to avoid traffic. Still, that left me twenty minutes less than a normal workday due to the time we spent at the medical center.

Why am I telling you this? One, it is because I mentioned it earlier and asked for prayer. So, thanks to each of you. Two, it is because I do not have a photo to share nor a Clarity of Vision cartoon to publish. Three, it is because...no, I don't have a three.

Oops. I changed my mind about not sharing a photo. It is stinking hot here right now, and we just got back from cool San Diego last week. So, from 2006, here is a staircase from Cabrillo Lighthouse. I wish I was there right now. We did not get to visit the lighthouse this trip due to previously planned trips to Balboa Park and SeaWorld.

As I am writing this (on Tuesday morning), I got an email from one of the people with whom I interviewed last year. She is letting me know a low level position has come open. "Too late, lady. You missed out on a good worker...and you missed out on me, too." Ha ha.

Dad said he was better yesterday than the day before. That's a good sign. Did he call the doctor yet? I don't know. I will bug him about that later.

OK, I need to keep this job, even though there is one open at that other company. So, I probably should do some of the work for which I was hired. (You know, even though the previous sentence is written correctly, it is not the way people actually talk. If we were speaking face to face, I would have said, "I should probably do some of the work I was hired for." Right?)

Enough. Thanks for reading.

Not Very Talkative Today

I am struggling for content today, so this will be brief.

The folks did end up missing their annual family reunion this year. Dad just was not able to feel strong enough to make it. So, we ended up going over and stealing Mom to accompany us on a couple of sofa shopping trips. We had a good time.

Can you imagine Elvis singing Led Zeppelin songs? If you can, you have probably already heard or seen Dread Zeppelin. If not, it is time for you to listen to an odd experience. Here they are singing Black Dog.

You know who we have not heard from in a while? Our buddy, the Ninja PM. I wonder if he is still hanging around?



I started working a bit on cleaning up my photo storage and adding keywords to each. So, I came across the UK trip in 2004 and saw this pair of shots. At one castle we visited in Scotland (Monday mention - I just found the name. Threave Castle. Man, how did we live before the interweb?), it had scaffolding on some places where they were restoring it. I took a photo anyway, but I was disappointed with the intrusion of modern life.

So, thanks to Photoshop, I removed the scaffolding and saw the shot I was looking for. Better, right? Can I make that change and still have this shot represent what we saw? Of course it is OK. After all, even Ansel Adams said, "Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships."

It is NOT Crown of Thorns

No, it is called Game of Thrones. I am behind on episodes, and I accidentally saw one of the plot points of an upcoming episode. Don't you hate that? Do you ever accidentally call a show by the wrong name?

I do not have a color printer. Do you? If I did, I would know which label went with which pie segment.



What am I watching as I write my Friday blog post? Motive. Have you watched any of the episodes on ABC? It is a cop drama except that you know the killer and victim within the first two minutes. The rest of the show is the cops (and us) trying to determine the motive. We like it.

Here is a shot of the Museum of Man at Balboa Park in San Diego through an arch at Alcazar Garden.



Have y'all ever heard of Paul McCartney? He used to be with a group called Wings. Anyway, he will be singing a bunch of songs on an upcoming episode of The Colbert Report. It sounds like an interesting show.

I am thinking it seems way too hot for early June. 110F today. How about where you are? We certainly pay for our mild winters during these long summers.

[Friday funny] I saw this photo online this morning. Someone did an amazing job blending the two men.

[Friday flight followup] Dad was thinking he may not make it to this year's family reunion due to his inner ear/dizziness problems. That would be a shame, but we certainly don't want his symptoms to get worse. Lewis, say hi to everyone for me.

I'm Baaaaack

Did anyone notice that I was not posting for a few days? No? Well, you probably needed a break. I know I did. MBH and I spent a couple of days in San Diego and then the family joined us for Sea World and Disneyland. I did not go with them to The Dis because I had to come back and work.

How does SD rate against PHX for fun? How do you think?



SD did have its own treats, such as trying to photograph this duck scooting along at water level. I did.



We were in California, and it is the state with the newest national park. Did you hear about it? Pinnacles?

Did you know that today is D-Day? According to wikipedia, that term refers to the initiation of a military campaign. However, since WW2, most people think of that as the first thing when they hear the term. Today is also the day the first drive-in theater opened, and George Orwell's 1984 was first published.

We recently went to see Iron Man 3. Imagine my surprise when I found a video on youtube on how it should have ended.

Hey, I am sitting for the certification test on July 19. I should probably do some studying before then, right?