What I did today -instead- of Rocketry.

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How do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

That got me through a lot of things in my life. You know some of my story, buddy, and I wouldn’t make light of where you are. You’re doing okay. Love you, buddy, and we’re here for you.
Reminds me of my Pascal text book in college, Problem Solving With Pascal. The author explained that you didn't cram a whole loaf of bread in your mouth, you sliced it into smaller pieces in order to eat it.
 
Well, our water bed ruptured at about 0030 this morning.

What can I say?

Circuit breaker tripped when water went down the wall onto the GPO. House in darkness, us in water.

Not a fun night. :(

Buying a new bed. Both of us have bad backs, so very spendy. Great day. Just great. Only have to wait three weeks for a new bed. NOT a water bed. The fun never ends.
 
I'm doing the morning breathing treatment, and after 10 weeks, maybe starting to get a little better. Vibration vest has not loosened up anything to make me cough up anything. Going to the foot dr. today so that they can look at the little toe that got the toenail ripped off and infected. One thing after another. Old age is so fatiguing.
 
I'm doing the morning breathing treatment, and after 10 weeks, maybe starting to get a little better. Vibration vest has not loosened up anything to make me cough up anything. Going to the foot dr. today so that they can look at the little toe that got the toenail ripped off and infected. One thing after another. Old age is so fatiguing.
They never tell you this. Old age is painful, embarassing, expensive, frustrating ... starting to sound like the side effects of dangerous medication...
 
With my right diaphragm muscle being inactive due to losing all the nerves that operate it, by having Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, that left my right lung pretty much worthless...and my left lung is working halfway as a lot of the nerves and muscles in the core of my body are being destroyed, so I am only able to generate 25% of my normal inhale and exhale pressure. So with breath being the soul source of life.....I take my lungs pretty seriously. As more nerves die off i will eventually have more trouble breathing and eventually have my blood oxygen levels keep dwindling down into the point i will not be able to stay alive. I'm not a believer in having a body being kept alive by a breathing machine, So I'm not going to have them keep me alive that way. When I get to the point of gasping for air, then we're going to get it arranged to have them just keep me wiped out with morphine or something of that sort. And just let me die of respiratory failure. Done, finished, a life well lived by human standards.
I would hit "like" for you plan alone, but hitting that on the post seems like poor taste. Do you, or will you have a portable oxygen bottle? I guess that might preserve you quality or life up to a point.
 
I would hit "like" for you plan alone, but hitting that on the post seems like poor taste. Do you, or will you have a portable oxygen bottle? I guess that might preserve you quality or life up to a point.
I don't need oxygen yet, as so far my blood oxygen levels are staying around 94 to 95 which is very good considering what I have to work with.
 
Walking to the beach may be emotionally painful, but it is also somewhat cathartic. of that makes any sense.
Of course, it makes perfect sense. There is no catharsis without pain, like there's no courage without fear.; that's what catharsis is, the release of pain.


I try and live my life as if each day is going to be my last.
I had to laugh, because that reminds me of a Simpsons gag (as many things do). Homer receives that advice: "live each day like it's your last." Then it cuts to homer sitting on a curb, crying, and yelling "I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
 
So this is day 35. Five weeks ago today. 9:44am.

What I did today other than Rocketry was ball. And then some more. And I made sure the internet was paid, and the electric was paid, and water was paid, and gas was paid.

I vacuum bagged a comforter. She has yards of fabric I have to bag and try to sell (it was for recovering furniture).

I did NOT take Penny for a shave. I just could not. Not my 19 year old Penelope Pie. I just won't put her through that. And the sedation if they did it is always risky. Instead I cut a few matts carefully and brushed her some. It is still pretty bad... we'll see how I do.

I gathered up some more donation items. I will take the last two days items tomorrow.

I organized one end of one bookcase shelf with all the slow cooker and instapot books I have found so far amongst the 100s of cookbooks here. Also found books of the 'X ingredient recipes' genre. I did not decide to cook anything yet. I know I have sealed frozen vacuum packed chicken breasts. There must be something I can try that is dead nuts simple. And ribs. And roasts, and steaks. All frozen in sealed vacuum packed foodsaver bags. I need to see what I have for spices as I don't want to buy what she had (spices are not cheap as I have learned).

Got some slippers in the mail that I ordered from Kohls with the 100s of dollars of credit I have. They are nice.

That's it. Five weeks of pain and loneliness so far. And questions unanswered. Still one foot in front of the other.
 
Went to the foot doctor to have them check on the little toe that I broke and got infected, so it's looking fairly good now, so no more bandage where are the toenail used to be. We then ate Mexican which was the highlight of the day, and then the evening lung treatment, but breathing the nebulizer medicine didn't take as long because the medicare people would not accept any of the eight Medicare codes that the doctor's office gave them so I'm only doing the Ibuterol vapors.
 
So this is day 35. Five weeks ago today. 9:44am.

What I did today other than Rocketry was ball. And then some more. And I made sure the internet was paid, and the electric was paid, and water was paid, and gas was paid.

I vacuum bagged a comforter. She has yards of fabric I have to bag and try to sell (it was for recovering furniture).

I did NOT take Penny for a shave. I just could not. Not my 19 year old Penelope Pie. I just won't put her through that. And the sedation if they did it is always risky. Instead I cut a few matts carefully and brushed her some. It is still pretty bad... we'll see how I do.

I gathered up some more donation items. I will take the last two days items tomorrow.

I organized one end of one bookcase shelf with all the slow cooker and instapot books I have found so far amongst the 100s of cookbooks here. Also found books of the 'X ingredient recipes' genre. I did not decide to cook anything yet. I know I have sealed frozen vacuum packed chicken breasts. There must be something I can try that is dead nuts simple. And ribs. And roasts, and steaks. All frozen in sealed vacuum packed foodsaver bags. I need to see what I have for spices as I don't want to buy what she had (spices are not cheap as I have learned).

Got some slippers in the mail that I ordered from Kohls with the 100s of dollars of credit I have. They are nice.

That's it. Five weeks of pain and loneliness so far. And questions unanswered. Still one foot in front of the other.
FWIW, spices are a lot cheaper at ethnic markets or ethnic sections of regular supermarkets. Of course you have to want the sides on offer there.
 
I organized one end of one bookcase shelf with all the slow cooker and instapot books I have found so far amongst the 100s of cookbooks here. Also found books of the 'X ingredient recipes' genre. I did not decide to cook anything yet. I know I have sealed frozen vacuum packed chicken breasts. There must be something I can try that is dead nuts simple. And ribs. And roasts, and steaks. All frozen in sealed vacuum packed foodsaver bags. I need to see what I have for spices as I don't want to buy what she had (spices are not cheap as I have learned).
Check out the TRF Cookbook thread. If a bunch of old geezers can cook stuff from a recipe then so can you. It's like building a rocket. Just follow the instructions.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/the-trf-cookbook.158833/page-10#post-2436830I will say that slow cookers are really easy. Throw everything into the pot, set it to low or high and come back in a few hours and it's done.

As for what I did not rocketry related today, I received some new pants and shorts in the mail.
For some strange reason all my old pants and shorts seem to have waistlines that shrunk an inch or two over the past few months.
Weird.
:questions:
Also went to Costco and picked up an OTC acid reflux med, multivitamins, and laundry detergent pods.
Those pods are great. No measuring. Don't think I'll ever go back to powders and liquids again.
Laters.
 
Last night - Drained the last of the water from the water bed. Dragged its sodden carcass outside and slashed it with great pleasure and a craft knife to let out the last of the water. Cleared up that particular mess.

Slept on the day bed mattress. At least it was dry. Small, but dry.

Today - More bed shopping... Must be close to a decision. Soon. Soonish.

Day four of the bonfires. Another couple to go. A lot less fallen timber around here now, which is nice.

Bought my brother a birthday present. We email most days, talk every few weeks and get along really well. Once every ten years or so we actually get each other a birthday present. It's completely random, never both of us in the same year and never every year. Just, you know, whenever.
 
Spent yesterday in Nashville for evaluation for eyelid surgery. Hereditary; I think 11 of my siblings have saggy eyelids. And Dad's were so bad that the lids actually drooped over the ends of his eyelashes. Apparently it will be rather extensive; they'll do something with the outside corners as well as the eyelids, and I'll even get Botox. Not for cosmetic reasons (at MY age?? HA!!) but to paralyze muscles that might otherwise cause problems after surgery.

It will be nice to have full use of the eyes; right now the top half or more of my vision is...my eyelids.

In October they'll be evaluating me for cataract removal. "Gettin' old ain't for sissies" -- Dad
 
Spent yesterday in Nashville for evaluation for eyelid surgery. Hereditary; I think 11 of my siblings have saggy eyelids. And Dad's were so bad that the lids actually drooped over the ends of his eyelashes. Apparently it will be rather extensive; they'll do something with the outside corners as well as the eyelids, and I'll even get Botox. Not for cosmetic reasons (at MY age?? HA!!) but to paralyze muscles that might otherwise cause problems after surgery.

It will be nice to have full use of the eyes; right now the top half or more of my vision is...my eyelids.

In October they'll be evaluating me for cataract removal. "Gettin' old ain't for sissies" -- Dad
They did that to me a few years ago using a local (pretty el sucko). I was fairly PO'd as my real plan was to have a growth removed from the underside of my left eyelid. He would not do one without the other. The crowning glory was that insurance would not pay for it after the doc insisted all was good. The upside is that the growth was removed from the eyelid and has not returned.
Jim
 
I organized one end of one bookcase shelf with all the slow cooker and instapot books I have found so far amongst the 100s of cookbooks here. Also found books of the 'X ingredient recipes' genre.
If The Joy of Cooking is in there, it's a good resource, as it has some very basic instructions on techniques as well as recipes. Also, cooking classes at a community college or the like would be a good way to get involved in something.
 
Yesterday, I drove our GMC truck and toyhauler up to Alamosa, Co. This is sorta rocketry related, because we left it at the SLVR launch site, where NSL will commence this weekend. Then Sharon and I went shopping in town. Safeway, City Market and Walmart. Lots of goodies, including a battery powered chain saw like Cape Byron got here:
Inspired by @RocketScientistAustralia I added this puppy to the saw collection today.

18v. One handed operation. Tool-less chain tensioning.

View attachment 580956
Mine is made by Hyper-Tough:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hyper-To...arger-HT13-401-003-03/1869696839?athbdg=L1600
Last year we bought the pole version of this and it works really well. The new one uses the same battery, so we can swap out when one goes dead.
During our shopping spree, I refilled both tanks in the truck with diesel, and a couple of gas cans to refill the toyhauler 40 gallon tank with regular gas.
Then we drove back to Red River, NM where we spend our summers. It only takes an hour and a half to go between Red River and Alamosa.

Today I set up files for Sharon's business, just like I do back in Goodyear. Then I reorganized and packed up our cargo hauler trailer with all our chain saws and associated stuff for cutting firewood on our property up near Trinidad, Co. We will be moving it up there after we attend the NSL and NCR launches.

The logistics of getting all our stuff to the right place at the right time is almost overwhelming, but it also keeps me from getting bored...

 
I needed to get out of the house today so it was great weather and drove my power chair down to the sub shop since they have specials today for cheap money (naturally saw another GD friggin black snake on the path). I went next door to the cigar shop and was able to stay in there for about 3 hours today as there were not very many people in there, so the second hand smoke wasn't bad. I happened to meet a new guy who specialized in insurance and Medicare and Medicaid. I was telling him that I had known people who were on both at the same time but they had told me that I could not do that, and he told me that he could show me how it could be done, so that was a great thing to happen today
 
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Went back to the Dr. Ear hasn't gotten any better, despite four days on Augmentin. He prescribed Clindamycin and more prednisone. Told me to get Mucinex D and take that. Found Mucinex DM, don't know if it's the same. Didn't see any Mucinex D.
 
Went back to the Dr. Ear hasn't gotten any better, despite four days on Augmentin. He prescribed Clindamycin and more prednisone. Told me to get Mucinex D and take that. Found Mucinex DM, don't know if it's the same. Didn't see any Mucinex D.
I just called to make an appointment with a local ear specialist so that I could get my hearing tested and to have them look at the normal amount of ear wax which never seems to go away for very long. It's been that way ever since the day I moved to North Carolina. I never had any wax build up or any ear infections the whole time I lived in Ohio. It's obviously something in the air, which is what my urgent care doctor told me.
 
Went back to the Dr. Ear hasn't gotten any better, despite four days on Augmentin. He prescribed Clindamycin and more prednisone. Told me to get Mucinex D and take that. Found Mucinex DM, don't know if it's the same. Didn't see any Mucinex D.
It's not the same; keep looking. All Mucinex is guaifenesin, an expectorant. The D means it has a Decongestant (probably pseudoephedrine) which is what you need. The DM is for DextroMethorphan, a cough suppressant. I don't know how much good the expectorant is going to do you, but if the doc says use it then who am I to question?
 
Today I made a young couple's day. Well, maybe just a few minutes during their dinner.

I'm in Montreal alone on business, and went into a pizza restaurant for dinner. I decided to have more than one glass of sangria, so I ordered a half pitcher. (I was to be walking back to my hotel.) Well, a "half pitcher" turned out to be rather more than I was expecting. There was a young lady sitting alone at the table next to mine, so I offered to share. She declined; I think she said she is pregnant (the place was loud) and rubbed her belly. About five or ten minutes later her companion showed up, so I offered my excess sangria to him, he accepted, we all said cheers (she was drinking soda) and a pleasant moment was shared.
 
He prescribed Clindamycin and more prednisone.
Oh, you're going to enjoy *that*. I recommend either sour gum or sour hard candy. Clindamycin is one of the few meds I've been on that tastes bad THROUGH AN IV!

The local grocery store has bottles of guifenescin, 15 tablets for $1. With my allergies, I try to stay stocked up. Sudafed, although not needing a prescription here, is outrageously expensive. Almost cheaper to buy meth and convert it.
 
Actual conversation when my partner walked into the bathroom and I was in the shower...

Her "There's a cane toad behind the door."

Me "Okay, I'll get that in a second. Is it with the chicken?"

Her "Yes."

Me "Okay."

🤠
 
I almost burned down our patio. I was grilling chicken thighs for lunches this week when the mother of all flareups erupted into a fireball. I haven't worked a shift at the firehouse in 5 years, at least I put my training to good use.
 
Actual conversation when my partner walked into the bathroom and I was in the shower...

Her "There's a cane toad behind the door."
"Cane toads are poisonous at all stages of their life cycle, including the egg and tadpole stage. The toxin is secreted and possibly squirted when the animal is roughly handled or feels threatened. The toxin is produced on the toad's shoulder glands and is present on the skin of its back." :eek:
 
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