Tuesday, November 13, 2012

WITH HELP FROM ‘THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS’ I FINISHED THE CRUSHED STONE PROJECT TODAY:))

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AHA, CAUGHT SOMEBODY TIP TOEING ACROSS THE LOT IN THEIR BATHROBE THIS MORNING

Hip was feeling better this morning but not to the point where I could do a full morning walk yet.   But, I did do half a block & I’m optimistic Wednesday morning I may be able to go farther.  Decided to work on & finish my crushed stone project because that work mainly involves upper abdomen muscles. 

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CAREFUL AROUND THOSE AGAVES PLEASE

A few words about wheel barrowing while I’m at it.  Depending on what is being carried, wheel barrowing something from point A to point B does not have to be as hard a task as it sounds.  Three important things make it easier than it looks.  First, make sure the wheelbarrow tire is up to pressure.  Two, do not overload the wheelbarrow & three, make sure the load weight in your wheelbarrow is centered directly over your wheel at the front of the wheelbarrow.  That third one is very important.  With your wheelbarrow properly balanced it’s not much harder than pushing a baby stroller down the street. (although I have never done this)  And, if your using a shovel to load it, keep your back straight as possible & use a long handled shovel.  Great exercise for strengthening your arm muscles & easing back stress.  I also prefer long handled rakes for the same reason.

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WITH EACH WHEELBARROW LOAD I DUMP OUT 3 SMALL PILES OF HALF INCH CRUSHED STONE…USING A GARDEN RAKE I THEN PUSH OR PULL THE STONES INTO PLACE

Marteen, our Mexican fence builder guy was on the job this morning at 7:05. I was at my job half an hour later with shovel & wheelbarrow in hand.  Figured I had a good shot at finishing that job today, & I did.  Kelly was off to Wickenburg for a stop at the bank, a couple hardware stores & Safeway for groceries.  And she actually made it home today….furniture free:))

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My optimism is growing regarding Crestor being the link to my hip & leg pain for these past many months.  Kelly cautioned me not get too over the top in the blog just yet. (I do that sometimes you know) But, let me offer a sincere word of premature thanks for the readers writing in about their experiences with these types of drugs….& their solutions.  I will have more to say about this later if indeed this has been my problem all along.  Both my hip & leg definitely felt better the last couple days.  Sunday was as bad as it ever was.  Kelly brought home a couple bottles of extra strength 200mg CoQ-10 this afternoon too so I started on them this afternoon.  Thanks guys & let’s keep our fingers crossed.

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HMMMM, GOPHER HOLES OR FENCE POST HOLES >>>

It always amazes me what a small world this can be sometimes.  After posting about John & Jackie’s beautiful house Monday, we had a comment this morning from THIS AIN'T FOR CITY GALS.  Sheryl says, “Just wanted to say hi...I have been reading for awhile but when you mentioned John's house I had to say something...I think we are the builders of that house you are talking about and I appreciate the nice comments about it...it is a wonderful home. We are now building two miles down the road”……. Next time over at J & J’s I hope to take some photos of their house & property.  Nice:))

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SACKED OUT IN THE SAND PILE

Some readers have commented about getting a front end loader to move all that crushed stone around.  Had we put down 350 tons of crushed stone like JB & BRENDA did at their place southwest of that Phoenix town, for sure a loader would have been the logical & right thing to do.  But, for a measly 8 tons in a small area, a wheelbarrow & the willingness to do the job worked just fine.  Have to keep in mind something else here too.  I enjoy doing this kind of thing & the exercise I am getting is priceless.  Hasn’t been the greatest with the sore hip but aside from that it has been beneficial in strengthening my upper body muscles.  Especially back, stomach & arms.  Been about 50 years since I last saw my stomach muscles.  And no, despite all the work this week, I am not at all optimistic about ever seeing my stomach muscles again.

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AS SOON AS I MOVE THAT WHITE PILE OF SAND & REPLACE IT WITH THE PILE OF CRUSHED STONE ON THE RIGHT, I WILL BE DONE…THIS IS WHERE THE MOTORHOME WILL BE PARKED

Weather here today has been exceptionally perfect for working outside at 70F.  Had the great harmonious sounds of the ‘Sons Of The Pioneers’ helping me all day with every wheelbarrow load.  Wow, what a day, what a day:))

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GOOD THING I GOT THIS WHOLE AREA CLEARED OUT A FEW DAYS AGO

Indian Joe & friend Bill showed up this afternoon to to measure up our back door to see if a security door we bought last March will fit.  It won’t.  We are going to exchange that door (still packaged) for a smaller wood screen door.  Wickenburg’s Stewart Hardware for that.  Joe said he would be around in a couple days to load up all the brush piles I have stacked up.  Figured out a better place for the Motorhome so had to trim a couple more Palo Verde trees.  Maybe move the Motorhome Wednesday sometime.

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OUR GATE POSTS ARE CEMENTED IN

Anyway, after Monday’s long blab, I figure I had better wind this one up….now!!

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GROANER’S CORNER:(( 

While practicing auto rotations during a military night training exercise a Huey Cobra screwed up the landing and landed on the tail rotor. The landing was so hard that it broke off the tail boom. However, the chopper fortunately remained upright on its skids, sliding down the runway doing 360s.  As the Cobra slid past the tower, trailing a brilliant shower of sparks, this was the radio exchange that took place...
Tower: "Sir, do you need any assistance?"
Cobra: "I don't know Tower, we ain't done crashin' yet."

----------------------------------------------------

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- "If having a soul means being able to feel
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are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
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- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.
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14 comments:

  1. I do so hope that Crestor is causing your problem. Just goes to show how each one of us may react differently to the same drug.
    I've taken Crestor for several years; no problem.

    However, my husband is an asthmatic. When Advair first came out, a friend of his had wonderful results. Husband tried it. It was fantastic. His asthma symptoms were better than they'd been in 15 years. But. He started having all kinds of body pains. A shoulder. A leg. His hands. Excruciating pain in a thumb would wake him up. Finally realized maybe Advair was the culprit. Yep. Took several weeks. Better to live with more asthma and less everything else!!!

    Love your desert home.
    Lots of talent there.

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  2. Your a brave man posting that first picture..... Glad you got all that stone moved, things look like they are coming together nicely....

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  3. you are indeed a brave husband to post that picture of Kelly in her bathrobe..but you know if someone is brave enough to venture outside dressed in a robe?..well, the picture should be free for the taking!
    nice work on the yard today, Al!..looking good!

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  4. I haven't been out of my bathrobe all day long, and went out to bring in the garbage & recycling cans, and to get the mail. I thought for a minute about how I must look, then decided I didn't care.

    Congrats to you for even trying to move all that sand and stone.

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  5. Info on the net indicates Crestor being bad for your legs, and your heart. I too have high cholesterol but think pills aren't the answer. Glad you're feeling better, and soon you'll be back to your old self. Come on, you can't go back to your young self.

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  6. Al, Tell Kelly I like her bathrobe. And your yard is really looking good.

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  7. Leg and hip getting better, yard work getting done, before you know it be wandering about the country again looking for more fun places.

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  8. Yes, your yard is looking good, like somebody really cares! We are hoping to figure out some way to get out to Congress and look you in the eye again. It's been too long!

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  9. Good for you getting all that stone moved, I'm glad your hip seems to be on the mend.

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  10. I would avoid all prescription drugs and find natural ways. Exercise and outdoor work is one of the best medicines, (and a green breakfast smoothie) there is no proof that high cholesterol will cause a heart attack but there is proof the the RX drugs will (read the studies). My husband saw a heart doctor on a regular basis and took every drug they threw at him and died of a heart attack - they gave him false hope. The ladies at the "Good Luck Duck" eat the same diet, and their HDL and LDL numbers are not the same, some people just have different numbers.

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  11. Al...are you talking "tons" or "yards" of gravel. I'm thinking that 350 tons is a lot of rock!!

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  12. Someone who looks that good in a pretty bathrobe shouldn't worry about a picture.
    My husband is hoping you're back on the road soon as he is in need of some new pictures for his desktop wallpaper. :o)

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  13. While not as quick as you are, I have also enjoyed our sanding and stain project on the deck rail. Holding up a small hand sander for four hours a day feels like it is strengting my upper arms. I don't mind treadmill exercise because I can watch movies, but I just can' get into free weights. Best to find a job that will exercise my arms instead.

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  14. I'm cautiously hopeful that Crestor was the villain here. Ubiquinol (coQ10) can't hurt, especially if you continue to take some sort of statin.

    Teri is correct - Annie's and my lipids are very different, despite identical lifestyle and diet.

    If you're not ready to go vegan :D ask your doc about niacin (the kind that's NOT time-released). It works, but doctors don't suggest it because no one comes to their office to pitch it, and because the flushing can be bothersome. That's you flushing, not the toilet.

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