OVER AND OUT UNTIL TOMORROW

I DIDN'T GET AROUND TO TAKING ANY PHOTOS TODAY SO I HAVE HAD TO THROW IN A FEW FILE PHOTOS

Kelly phoned this morning at 8:15 saying her hemoglobin numbers had dropped to 68 (120 is normal) overnight and they were getting ready to give her a blood transfusion.  She also said that to administer the intravenous antibiotic medicine earlier in the morning they had to put in a bigger intravenous line and that was painful.  When she was temporarily free of her intravenous tree and nobody was looking this morning she made a dash down the hall to the elevator and went down 8 floors to the lobby hoping Tim Hortons coffee shop would be open.  It wasn't.  They don't open until 7 a.m.  Back to the elevator and up 3 floors to the hospital's cafeteria where a second Tim Hortons is located.  She snagged a coffee and a couple donuts and dashed back to the elevator and up to her floor.  Now, keep in mind here that when I use the word 'dash' it means she is moving about half a mile an hour.  Said she was pretty tired by the time she got back to her room.  She also said two of her male roommates have been replaced by two really big guys who had just had Obese Class111 Bariatric Surgery.  See, I told you in an earlier post that she would probably end up with a big Sumo wrestler in the room.  I hadn't figured on two though.  Kelly is still in good spirits and hoping they will let her go home today but it's 'iffy'.  I'll be standing by at this end ready to fire up the Subaru and go get her right quick.

KELLY'S COFFEE AND DONUT HAUL EARLY THIS MORNING

Yesterday's rain had quit overnight leaving us with a rather dull and drab-looking November morning.  At least our temps weren't too bad at 44F heading for 50 today.  I don't think I woke up in the right frame of mind at 5:30 this morning because I seemed to have a problem getting the day started and kicking myself out the door.  But finally, it was out the door Pheebs and I did go.  It was 9 a.m.  After a slow drive around a couple country blocks, we stopped in to Richard and Gayles to see how they were doing.  All being Seniors now in about the same age bracket we're all in the same boat with ongoing medical issues:((

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Kelly called at 10:45 feeling confident that now after an iron infusion yesterday, a blood transfusion, and an intravenous antibiotic infusion this morning, she would be coming home this afternoon.  Of course with the bleeding source not found, we know that this scenario of the past few days will again be repeated in the near future.  Kelly said it's like the movie, Groundhog Day.  This just keeps happening over and over again.

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I got the sunroom put back together with 90% of it being cleaned including 10 of the 11 inside windows.  Only thing left is the hardest part which is around behind the computer with about 2.4 million power and computer-related cords all mashed around.  I have to move the heavy computer desk to get in behind to clean out what looks to be a ka-zillion cobwebs and the big window there.  I know enough not to do this until Kelly's home in case I get some wires screwed up and don't have the patience to get things working right again......Kelly phoned at 1:30 chomping at the bit to get out of there but her blood pressure had gone for a big tumble.  She's also waiting for the latest hemoglobin numbers to come in after the blood transfusion this morning.  They should be okay....for now. 

I finished my book, Three Years A Traveler by author Leslie White.  I liked this book and could identify with a few places her travels took her, like Rusty's RV Ranch near Rodeo, New Mexico.  Leslie's honesty is bare bones and her lingo gets a tad 'salty' in this book but then again what RV'er hasn't turned a tad salty over all the trials and tribulations of RV traveling.  For my next book, I have chosen, Walking Home: 'Common Sense and Other Misadventures On the Pacific Crest Trail' by author Rick Rogers.  The mention of Rusty's RV Ranch triggered my memory of four days spent there back in early November of 2009.  Those great days in this beautiful area can be found below in my 'A Blast From Our Past' segment.

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A Blast From Our Past:)) The Bayfield Bunch Rolls Into Rusty's RV Ranch Near Portal, New Mexico.  If you happen to read this post and want to see my posts for the following days at Rusty's and more of the area's beautiful scenery, including the Chiricahua Mountains, just scroll down to the end of each post and look to the bottom left for the yellow words, 'Newer Post'.  Just click on that for the next day. (skip right on past that particular day to the next one by clicking 'Newer Post' again)  Over to the right you will see the words 'Older Posts' which if clicked will take you back to our days previous to arriving at Rustys.  This same 'Newer' and 'Older' thing goes for all of my posts since back in 2007 right up to this present day. 

OUR SPOT AT RUSTY'S

 IN PORTAL ARIZONA JUST A FEW MILES SOUTHWEST OF RUSTY'S

 THIS ROAD RUNNER NEAR PORTAL REMAINED MOTIONLESS LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO GET HALF A DOZEN PHOTOS OF HIM

 HIKING IN ARIZONA'S BEAUTIFUL CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

 AND HERE'S KELLY WITH RUSTY HER VERY SELF

Kelly called at 2:45 saying her hemoglobin numbers were up and her blood pressure had come up to a liveable standard but now a team of students, lead by feathered Witchdoctor of sorts had come by and were concerned about her extended abdomen.  In a hurried cluster of student voices it was decided they should conduct an ultra-sound on her belly and off the went to get an ultra sound thingy.  So, the wait continued......  It was 5:15 when the phone rang again and......Kelly wouldn't be coming home.  Although the ultrasound didn't show enough fluid in Kelly's abdomen to drain, one of the doctors decided to keep Kelly in another night because of her roller-coaster hemoglobin numbers.  So, tomorrow I'll wait expectantly by the phone for her call to come pick her up.  That is if nothing goes wrong.  Kelly still remains positive and in good spirits.  And that's about enough out of me today.  Over and out until tomorrow.

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Al's Music Box Autumn Leaves by Roger Williams is the English-language version of the French song "Les Feuilles mortes" ("The Dead Leaves") composed by Joseph Kosma in 1945. The original lyrics were written by Jacques Prevert in French, and the English lyrics were by Johnny Mercer. An instrumental recording by pianist Roger Williams was a number one best-seller in the US Billboard charts of 1955.  Since its introduction "Autumn Leaves" has become a jazz standard, and it is one of the most recorded songs by jazz musicians. More than a thousand commercial recordings are known to have been released by mainstream jazz and pop musicians.  In 1950, Johnny Mercer wrote the English lyric and gave it the title "Autumn Leaves". The English lyrics are significantly shorter than the French version, consisting of only two verses. In the French original, the crucial line "C'est une chanson" starts at the 13th bar, while in English the line "the autumn leaves" starts at bar 1.  Mercer was a founder and partner in Capitol Records at the time, and he selected Capitol recording artist Jo Stafford to make the first English-language recording in July, 1950.  ^{Roger Williams} was signed by Dave Kapp of Kapp Records when he heard Williams playing in a hotel lounge. He was asked to change his birth name Louis Jacob Weertz to Roger Williams. Williams released an album The Boy Next Door, which failed to make an impact, and then the song "Autumn Leaves". "Autumn Leaves" was recorded at the suggestion of Kapp one Friday, and Williams, who had previously thought that the song was titled "Falling Leaves", said: "The first thing that came to mind was to play all those runs down the keyboard, I tried to make it sound like falling leaves."  He created the arrangement that Friday and the following Saturday night, and recorded the song on Monday.  Williams played the tune with descending arpeggios its dominant feature, backed by an orchestra conducted by Glenn Osser. The first recording was just over 3 minutes long, and Kapp suggested that it be sped up to keep it under 3 minutes, which Williams duly did.  The song became a number-one hit in the U.S. in 1955, the first piano instrumental to reach number one.  It stayed at No. 1 for four weeks in the bestsellers chart. The song is said to have sold two million copies around the world, and it remains the best-selling piano record of all time.  Williams re-recorded the tune for Kapp, in stereo and with choral and orchestral backings, to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 1965.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( More controversy in pairs skating when Boris and Natasha were awarded a gold medal by the Eastern Bloc countries, even though they were clearly beaten by Moose and Squirrel.

- Why did the cross-eyed teacher get the sack?
Because he couldn't control his pupils.

- My girlfriend told me, "If we don’t get married soon, I’m going to kill you!" "I guess.. it’s a matter of wife or death."

- You'll understand when your older...I am older now and I understand absolutely nothing.

- Tired of boiling water every time you make pasta?  Boil a few gallons at the beginning of the week and freeze it for later.

- Lazy is such an ugly word.  I prefer the term 'Selective Participation'.

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My 3 assumptions when the doorbell rings:

1. Murderer

2. Police telling me everyone is dead

3. That book I ordered about positive thinking.

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Al's Doggy World 

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KELLY'S NOT HOME YET...WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW

 

 IT'S STARTING TO LOOK A LITTLE CHRISTMASY IN BAYFIELD

I pulled the living room curtains back on a cloudy morning.  The last few leaves on our Redbud tree were twitching so I knew there was a slight breeze.  The expected rain hadn't started yet.  It was 41F......Kelly phoned at 8:15 this morning saying she 'might not' be coming home today.  Her hemoglobin numbers dropped overnight meaning she is still bleeding somewhere.  Also, they did a 'culture' to try and figure out what is causing her bladder infection.  They said there is definitely a problem there and they think it might have to do with her Uterine Prolapse issue.  She is being referred to a Gynecologist lady at London's Victoria Hospital regarding this.  Also, an Infectious Team is coming to talk to her today.  I'm writing this now at 9 a.m. because by the end of the day, I might not even remember if I even have my socks on...............Pheebs and I took a littly willy-nilly drive into Bayfield and back this morning.  It was spitting rain so I didn't consider a walk anywhere.  We followed our usual Bayfield harbor and beach area route with a cruise down Main Street and home again.

 EVEN GULLS LIKE TO HAVE A DAY AT THE BEACH

 'GET OFF MY HEAD YA GOOSE'!!!

 'YA WHATEVER YA FAT CHICKEN'

 THERE WAS EVEN A SQUIRREL HANGING OUT AT THE BEACH THIS MORNING

 I SAW A DOT ON LAKE HURON'S HORIZON AND WHEN I ZOOMED OUT WITH MY CAMERA I SAW IT WAS A LONE FISHING BOAT

Kelly called shortly after noon saying they might let her come home because the hemoglobin numbers went back up but not quite where they really should be.  She was told there is still a bleed but they don't know where it is.  An Infectious team member said they are considering sending her home with a new round of antibiotics.  They weren't sure and were still discussing it.  Kelly phoned back again at 2:45 this afternoon saying she was undergoing another iron infusion because her iron level is so low.  She hadn't heard anything from the Infectious Team as to their plan of action yet.  Kelly was in her usual positive good spirits and said there still is a chance they will release her today although it might be late in the day or after dark.  No problem, I always know my way around in the dark and I'm sure I can find London with no problem.

 THERE ARE STILL A FEW TOUCHES OF AUTUMN LEFT AND DID YOU SEE THE TWO OLD CROWS

 THESE THREE DIDN'T LET A LITTLE DRIZZLE IN THE AIR STOP THEM FROM THEIR WALK

 THE LITTLE INN OVER THERE IS BEGINNING TO LOOK A LITTLE CHRISTMASY

 WINDOW REFLECTION

 THESE TWO GALS OUTSIDE THE SHOPBIKE COFFEE ROASTERS ARE HAVING THEIR COFFEE OUTDOORS THIS MORNING

Luckily, I had some of my 'Shazam' power left over from yesterday and I was able to continue on with the sunroom clean-up.  I had to haul in our big 8' step ladder to get up to the high point in the ceiling and get after all those cobwebs around the fan and our skylight.  Every once and a while I had to stop until a little spider managed to scurry itself out of the way.  I feel bad for wrecking up their cobweb houses.  I do make it a point to tell them I'm sorry.  One was even a Daddy Long-Legs and he was kind of a snappy dresser. 

 UP ON THE LADDER DUSTING OFF MY COWBOY HATS AND MY 'HOPPY' PICTURE (THANKS RUSS)

 MY FURRY LITTLE HELPER IS SOUND ASLEEP DOWN THERE ON THE HALL FLOOR

 YUP, IT'S DEFINITELY RAINING BY THE LOOKS OF THE WET DECK OUTSIDE

 EIGHT WALKING STICKS IN THE CORNER FROM OUR DESERT TRAVELING DAYS

 MY COMFY COSY READING CORNER WHERE I HAVE A WARM FUZZY BLANKET DRAPED OVER MY COLD LEATHER RECLINER

 KELLY SENT A PICTURE OF HER IV TREE

Kelly phoned about 5:15 late this afternoon to say she wouldn't be coming home today.  They did a bladder scan, ran a few other tests, and decided to keep her overnight.  She will likely have an intravenous antibiotic infusion in the morning and she's hoping to come home after that.  We'll see what happens tomorrow.

 A READER A FEW DAYS AGO WONDERED ABOUT THE OPEN BOTTOM UNDER THE PARK'S NEW HOUSE...USUALLY, A THIN METAL SKIRTING GOES ON AROUND THERE.....I THINK THAT WOOD IS MAYBE ONLY FOR EACH END WHERE THE DECKS ARE

Al's Music Box Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest is a song written by Sherman Kelly, originally recorded in 1970 by Kelly's band Boffalongo, and then a hit single by King Harvest in 1972, reaching number 5 in Canada and number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Sherman Kelly wrote the song in 1969. While recovering from a vicious assault by a gang, he "envisioned an alternate reality, the dream of a peaceful and joyful celebration of life."  Kelly wrote:  On a trip to St. Croix in 1969, I was the first victim of a vicious St. Croix gang who eventually murdered 8 American tourists. At that time, I suffered multiple facial fractures and wounds and was left for dead. While I was recovering, I wrote "Dancin in the Moonlight" in which I envisioned an alternate reality, the dream of a peaceful and joyful celebration of life. The song became a huge hit and was recorded by many musicians worldwide. "Dancin In The Moonlight" continues to be popular to this day.  Sherman Kelly's brother Wells Kelly introduced the song to the Paris-based band King Harvest in which he was drummer and former Boffalongo member Dave "Doc" Robinson was lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist. King Harvest recorded and released "Dancing in the Moonlight," featuring a prominent keyboard countermelody, as a single with "Lady, Come On Home" on the B-side in 1972. Steve Cutler, a jazz drummer from New York City (standing on the base of the pole in the cover picture), played drums on the tracks and toured France and the UK with the band. The group disbanded after six months and the single languished for a year until it was bought and released worldwide by Perception Records. In Canada, the song reached number 5 on the weekly charts and number 71 on the year-end chart for 1973. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States during the weeks of February 24 and March 3, 1973.

 I THOUGHT THE BLUE CAR AND YELLOW HOUSE MADE A NICE CONTRAST

GROANER'S CORNER:((A little girl is sitting on her grandpa's lap and studying the wrinkles on his old face. She gets up the nerve to rub her fingers over the wrinkles. Then she touches her own face and looks more puzzled. Finally the little girl asks, "Grandpa, did God make you?"  "He sure did honey, a long time ago," replies her grandpa.  "Well, did God make me?" asks the little girl.  "Yes, He did, and that wasn't too long ago," answers her grandpa.  "Boy," says the little girl, "He's sure doing a lot better job these days isn't He?"

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While proudly showing off his new fraternity house to friends, a college student led the way into the den. "What is the big brass gong and hammer for?" one of his friends asked.  "That's the talking clock", the man replied, with a grin. "Let me show you how it works!" And with that, he gave the gong an ear-shattering pound with the hammer.  Suddenly someone screamed from the other side of the wall, "KNOCK IT OFF, YOU IDIOT! IT'S 2 AM!"

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