By the Numbers, July 2009

The numbers from Kev's most recent bloodwork. One year down. ONE YEAR! (no one...NO ONE...rain on my parade by pointing out the much larger number on the 'to go' side of that equation)

One year since his first post-treatment check-up. He's doing ok. Numbers look good this time. A little worry in some chemistry numbers but it's a wait and see worry, much better than a fix it yesterday worry. Neuropathy continues. Probably isn't going to go away and varies some from day to day. No obvious lumps, bumps or panic inducing sounds from within according to his oncologist.

I still worry when I see him getting tired or out of breath sooner than I expect when we're biking. Time, it just takes time to get over the side effects. Time to accept that sometimes a cough is just a cough and an afternoon nap is just an afternoon nap...

...or a prelude to something more, but that's for another blog entirely!

Idiotsms

After 49 years I think I have a good grasp of the English language. I generally make myself understood and I don't have to reach too far to understand what it is I'm hearing. And then I run into a phrase like "I'm not blowing smoke up your ass" and I have to mentally stop the conversation while I play the tape back to figure out whattheheck that means.

"I'm not blowing smoke up your ass."

Who said that in the first place? Who says it now with a straight face? Who looked at all the words offered in the language and thought, "Wow, this really conveys what it is I'm trying to say!"

Same with "Piss up a rope." What does that mean anyway? I know what it intends, but what does it mean? Is it more user friendly than, say, "Go Away" or even "Kiss Off." I don't think so.

Gads, I know I'm old when some of these phrases are more idiot than idiom.

As long as my mind is in wander mode, I also encountered "meteoric rise" in the newspaper this week. Don't meteors fall? Did some writer decide this was a tit for tat (and whatthehell is tit for tat. Tits I know, tats I'm not so sure about) thing? If someone had a meteoric fall into obscurity then someone else could surely have a meteoric rise to fame?

"At the end of your rope." "One foot in the grave." Those are implicit, maybe even explicit with normal cognition. I even get "rainin' like a cow pissin' on a flat rock." It makes sense. I can visualize it. The others? They're all Greek to me.

Splintered Posts

Alrighty then, so I'm not that good at keeping promises. Like the one to myself where I was going to get back to regular blogging. Not that the masses having been waiting on the edges of their collective seats for word from me, but blogging does keep me from murdering harming the (relatively, I mean if you made it into my blog you're not exactly innocent...) innocent out of sheer boredom. Those of you who are foolish, bored, righteous, curious enough to continue coming here deserve just what you get.

There is truth in the old axiom "You get what you paid for..."

*OD/Godder gets major props today for tenacity and general stick-to-it-even-if-what-you're-sticking-to-is-being-a-crazy-as-a-loon-pain-in-the-butt-edness. I mean it's been how long since I've posted with any regularity (watch out, there are many unpublished posts lurking in the wings and who knows when they might start showing up) and he still manages to attempt a comment post a couple of times a week.

I invite him to stick around because he entertains me. Let's keep in mind that a line of dancing ants on the kitchen counter entertains me so my standards aren't high these days. However, I have to offer this caveat to *OD/Godder and others who might wander through: If you are easily offended you might want to put one hand over your delicate eyes and read cautiously through a slit between your fingers. But first drop me a comment line and tell me why? ?? Why the hell are you here if you're easily offended?? It's obvious by now that I'm easily offensive so why do it to yourself??

Once you're good with that concept, please pull up a chair and stay awhile. I rarely publish comments but I do read all of them carefully and with consideration. Wouldn't want to miss a golden opportunity to pull a (blog) post out of my splintered eye.

Welcome Back

Forty-four days of no new posts. I have a bunch written off line and awaiting my editor skills. I'll get to them one of these days. Tonight I'm fulfilling a promise to myself to get back to regular posting. Barely in under the wire as it's pushing midnight, but better late than never. Or so they say.
Welcome back to me.

Grin and Bare It

He Who Loves To Be Naked spent the weekend with us. The new kid loves nekkidness. And its flipside, close cuddled up snuggling. And the Fates, Karma, Equilibirum, whatever has indulged the great balance and given our not-an-early-morning person daughter a kid who is at his finest from 3 to 6 AM.

All of which worked well for the Indulgent Grands--Kevin & myself. The kid turns it all on about 4 AM...grinning, yawning, cooing. The whole bit full force and we fell for it like anchors. Fed him, oohed and ahhed when he filled his drawers, admired his stretching love for the morning air on his bare bum and were enthralled when he curled up on his grandfather's chest and fell asleep with a goofy grin on his face.

You should have saved some of the big guns for later, kid. You had us at the first bare-assed grin.

Great Times

Annie. Family Treasure. Ninety-eight years of wonder. Two sons. Six Grandchildren. Ten Great Grandchildren. Five Great Great Grandchildren.

You were "Great" even before those grandkids started coming.

Mother's Day...

...and Grandmother's Day...and Great-Grandmother's Day...and Great-Great Grandmother's Day.

You are such a blessed little boy. (And I feel so sorry for the far in your future woman who will never even a little convince your wimmin that she deserves your love)