THE MONTH THAT WAS

About Nov 3 Alden began to have symptoms of an Upper Respiratory infection. It was elected to treat with symptomatic medication as anti-biotics are not effective against virus infection. By Nov 15 there was shortness of breath and some swelling of the feet and ankles. There proved to be fluid in the chest and there was an elevated sed rate and decreased ventricular ejection fraction so the diagnosis of viral myocarditis with congestive heart failure was made.
With lasix and rest and restricted activities there has been continued improvement.
On Nov. 23—thanksgiving day—Mary had abdominal pain and some chest pain. With home treatment there was improvement but there was noted also weakness and she fell several times in the next days. She was able to see the Dr on Wednesday and found that she was very anemic and was admitted to the hospital. Blood tests indicated the diagnosis of pancreatitis. Scan of the abdomen found a mass in the head of the pancreas and a needle biopsy performed on Friday which was reported out on Tues was a diagnosis of a neuro-endocrine tumor or a carcinoid which is the same category of tumor that she had removed at Mayo’s 10 years ago which had been in her anterior mediastinum. Mary was really sick and anemic and her protime was way out of bounds so after 4 units of blood and 2 of plasma and IV feeding she improved and the blood enzymes and liver function parameters turned toward normal and she got on solid food and came home Sat AM—Dec 9. At present, we are in the recuperating mode and also waiting to decide regarding the tumor in the pancreas. Enough for the medical organ recital. Future blogs will include our progress.
The elections are over and there will be a shake up in the government and the future progress of the conflict in the middle-east. It is easier to “wage war” than it is to “wage peace”. Thomas P M Barnett’s blog of Dec. 9 is worth reading. [click the link in the side-bar of my blog and then to his Dec 9 blog—title “despite failures in Iraq, nation-building on our plate—the Scripps Howard site has the complete column.]
One paragraph: The problem is that bad guys get smarter, shifting their efforts from a "first half" (war) they cannot win against our world-class forces to a "second half" (postwar) where they can prevail against our rather mediocre nation-builders. Simply put, insurgents avoid our Leviathan force during war, waiting until the follow-on peace can be sabotaged by terrorism and the battered populace co-opted by their superior forms of tribe-building.

I just purchased the book, “”the Truth about Muhammad” by Robert Spencer. It is a documented biography which is not flattering. Were I Spencer, I think that I would wear a bullet-proof vest. In 1988, Salman Rushdie wrote “Satanic Verses” and a fatwah was issued against his life. The bounty eventually reached into the millions and he had to go into hiding for several years. Book stores were bombed, translators were assassinated and even possession of the book carried a fine --how can such fanaticism exist? Today the president of Iran states that the holocaust in Germany did not happen!
Best wishes are sent to you and yours for a happy Christmas and for a new year which makes significant steps toward peace for all.

HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

NOVEMBER BLOG

TITLE: OPEN LOVE LETTER/THANKS/PRESCRIPTION

One of the statements on the foil wrapper of the Dove Chocolates is to “write a love letter today”. This is today so this is a letter to my bride of 63 years. Dear Heart, Mary did you think that on the pleasant evening on the Missouri river on a riverboat moseying on that starlit night, that all of the events that would follow from that blind date—yes, children there is love at first sight! The love glow from you face these 63 plus years later, lights the infinite love in my heart. How could we be so lucky, and to have such a wonderful family to continue the legacy? Now, at this stage of life’s continuum, the eyes want more light, the ears miss things and aids do not always help, neuromuscular controls make a walker feel comfortable, however love does not diminish and like the universe, expands.

My love Always Alden

We have received notice that we will be getting a new “sister” thru the women for Women program, as Rasma in Afghanistan will be completing her year of training. A little help and love can do a lot and so it behooves one to do what one can do. At this time of year it makes us be so very thankful to be Americans, regardless what the rest of the world is thinking. We are all citizens of the world and have a role to play not only for the peoples of the world but also for the care of the planet, our home. The recent growth of interest of NGO—non government organizations are encouraging as the government frequently gets things messed up. Sudan for example.

The guest on Brian Lamb’s program last Sunday, Q and A, was the Saudi ambassador to the US. He was asked what he thought of Bin Laden—his terse and categorical answer was “He wants to rule the world.” This took me back to the time when another evil (the little corporal) had the same ambition. Now the president of Iran states the holocaust did not happen and that Israel should be blasted from the planet. Evil is Evil wherever it is found, changing the color does not make it a rose. To combat evil may take sacrifices and in fact the battle needs to be felt. Remember: gas coupons, food coupons, office of price control, victory gardens, gold star mothers, no nylons! Rosie the riveter built airplanes, steel workers built ships, young boys left the pasture and in a few months were flying multi engine planes! A friend in Hays who was a member of the famed Flying Tigers has just died.

American Volunteer Group, a fighter unit that trained in Burma and China, during the year prior to the United States entry into World War II, to fight against Japanese forces. The AVG's first fight against the Japanese was December 20, 1941 (approximately three weeks after Pearl Harbor). The Flying Tigers had great success against the forces of Japan during the lowest period of the war for American forces, and gave hope to Americans that they would eventually succeed against the Japanese. The Flying Tigers were credited for destroying almost 300 aircraft with a loss of only twelve of their own in combat.

The world trade center location should not be smoothed over and planted to grass. The stark black steel reaching into the sky should be there to enable all to feel and not forget. There is time for the planting of grass after the war is won!

HAF SENIORGEEK AKA:HAPPYDOC

DLST

DLST

This coming Sunday at 2 AM we will fall back for daylight saving time. All, except for the more sensible folks in Arizona, who will continue on the normal time. According to Wikipedia; DST has been tried in various forms for some time, but was installed in US in 1942 during the war years to save energy. It is questionable if it accomplishes that. The farmers always operated on sun time. We will adapt!

The trees are definitely changing color and before long will be losing their leaves. This year we will not have to be concerned about raking the leaves, or I might add, shoveling snow a little later. This is another advantage of living in Drury Place apartment.

I have been putting together a collection of games to put on the community machines. I have put together everything from jacks to chess. I hope that games will be a good way to get the residents introduced to the computer and also they are good for hand-eye coordination, entertainment and mental stimulation. We will see what happens. Next month I will be putting on some demonstrations and instruction.

I enrolled in 3 courses thru Virtual University. www.vu.org You can enroll in 4 classes for the 20 dollar fee. But I can not keep up with one let alone 4. But, one does get some good information and can either print it out or copy to a disk. I enrolled in 35 days to better writing

The truth about Islam

Liberate your inbox with

Thunderbird

I think that I am a “drop out”. I have not done any of the homework for the writing class and I have not been able to get Thunderbird installed on my computer. The Islam class will be interesting. It is put out by 2 practicing Muslims. I had put together information, and led a class on Islam, about 3 years ago. I am curious what this class will bring out about their beliefs.

Robert Spencer who maintains “Jihad watch” on the internet, recently authored the book “The Truth about Mohammad”. This is his blog

My Invitation From al-Qaeda

By Robert Spencer

FrontPageMagazine.com | September 6, 2006

In American al-Qaeda operative Adam Gadahn’s convert-to-Islam-or-die message to America released last Saturday, he extends a special invitation to the President, as well as to Daniel Pipes, Michael Scheuer, Steve Emerson – and me:

If the Zionist crusader missionaries of hate and counter-Islam consultants like Daniel Pipes, Robert Spencer, Michael Scheuer, Steven Emerson, and yes, even the crusader-in-chief George W. Bush were to abandon their unbelief and repent and enter into the light of Islam and turn their swords against the enemies of God, it would be accepted of them and they would be our brothers in Islam. And we send a special invitation to all of you fighting Bush’s crusader pipe dream in Afghanistan, Iraq, and wherever else W. has sent you to die.

Gadahn also praises Western leftist sycophants and apologists for the global jihad, and invites them to become Muslims as well:

Why not surrender to the truth? Escape from the unbelieving army and join the winning side. As for those who have expressed their respect and admiration for Islam, and acknowledged that it is the truth and

It is important to note that Gadahn’s “invitation” to Islam is coupled with a threat of violence: “To Americans and the rest of Christendom we say, either repent (your) misguided ways and enter into the light of truth or keep your poison to yourself and suffer the consequences in this world and the next….” In this, Gadahn is following the example of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, who told his followers:

“When you meet your enemies who are polytheists, invite them to three courses of action…Invite them to (accept) Islam; if they respond to you, accept it from them and desist from fighting against them…If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the Jizya [the tax on non-Muslims specified in Qur’an 9:29]. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the tax, seek Allah’s help and fight them” (Sahih Muslim 4294).

Muhammad’s directions here to extend an invitation to Islam and follow it with a threat were also followed recently by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. For his part, Gadahn calls the Islamic prophet Muhammad “the chief and master of Adam’s children, and the embodiment of high morals and good character.”

The thuggishness of Gadahn and the supremacist creed for which he has become a salesman was evident in other parts of his message. “Islam,” he explained, “is the only religion acceptable to God and came with the revealed book, the Koran, which abrogates all previous revelations, like the Torah and Evangel [Gospel]... God recognizes no separation between religion and state.” In this he makes an expression of the Islamic supremacism that delegitimizes the religious traditions of Jews and Christians. In line with the Qur’an (3:67), Gadahn says, “Abraham was neither a Jew or a Christian, but was a Muslim hanif.” (A “hanif” is a pre-Islamic monotheist.) In other words, Judaism and Christianity as practiced today have no legitimacy, but are merely renegade corruptions of the true religion, Islam.

Maybe Adam Gadahn is angry with me for describing him a couple of years ago as he appears in an old photo: as a “pudgy, long-haired American kid who appears to be locked in a desperate, losing struggle to grow a beard.” Adam, I see from more recent photos that you have won that struggle, for which I congratulate you. In your larger struggles, however, you will not prevail. Thank you for your invitation to me to become a Muslim and wield my sword against the enemies of Allah. But I’m afraid I must decline. While I appreciate the fact that becoming your “brother in Islam” might afford me a measure of personal security that I do not enjoy today, some things are more important than that. I cannot and will not give in to violent intimidation, come what may, and I do not want to live in a society that bows to such intimidation.

I believe that societies that respect the equality of rights before the law of all people, including women and religious minorities, as well as the freedom of conscience, are superior to those that do not. I hope that such societies will be able to summon the will to resist you and your “invitation” in all its implications before it is too late.

Meanwhile, Adam, I have an invitation of my own for you: I invite you to accept the Bill of Rights, and enter into the brotherhood of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. My invitation does not focus on my religion, although I invite you to that also, but rather on a framework within which people of differing faiths can live in peace, harmony, and mutual respect – provided that none of the groups involved cherishes supremacist ambitions to subjugate the others.

I hope you will consider my invitation carefully.

A recent time magazine article “The disappeared”, relates the experience of an Iraqi who was kidnapped and held hostage for 5 weeks. The family finally had to pay 40000 dollars to get his release. The kidnapping is big business.

And this from Australia.

Imam justifies rape of unveiled women

Australian cleric compares victims to 'uncovered meat' that attracts cats

Posted: October 26, 2006

1:40 p.m. Eastern

© 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Australia's top Muslim cleric rationalized a series of gang rapes by Arab men, blaming women who "sway suggestively," wear make-up and don't cover themselves in the tradition of Islam.

Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly's comments in a Ramadan sermon in a Sydney mosque have stirred a furor in the country with even Prime Minister John Howard weighing in with condemnation.

The cleric also said the judge in the case, who sentenced the rapists, had "no mercy."

"But the problem, but the problem all began with who?" he said, referring to the women victims – whom he said were "weapons used by Satan."

One bit of good news, in a way, the young lady in Baghdad who has been able to be our eyes of life there, has made a posting to her blog-BAGHDAD BURNING-, so she is still alive though very discouraged, which was the reason she had not posted since Aug.

We will very soon have an election—what will the future bring? Be sure to vote, it is a privilege!

Always, HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

BOOO

October 2, 2006
Autumn is here and the trees are beginning to change color. The goblins are trying their wings in readiness for Halloween. We see geese flying south and when Bill and Peggy were here they went to the waterfowl refuge near Great Bend and got pictures of the Canadian geese and also the white pelicans. Also, we note fewer birds at our feeders.
September was my natal month and October is our anniversary month (63 Years). I should probably change the personal information on my blog. September slipped by without a posting. We are very happy to have had a visit from each of the clans this summer and we were able to move along some of the extra stuff, with instructions to not bring it back!
We are starting back on our vitaband exercise class this week. The instructor is back after being out of commission for most of the summer due to a motorcycle accident.
We are really into the political drumbeat season. It is important to be able to express a choice and this off-year election is more importent than some. Not only for this election but it is laying the ground work for the coming general election in 2 years.
I wonder if the Middle East will ever be able to develop a ballet rather than bullet governance. I just finished the book “Future Jihad” by Walid Phares. It is a good book and explains the nature of the concept of Jihad. The last paragraph of the book:
“In trying to warn, understand, and propose the best possible policies to avoid the rise of future jihads, I seek to contribute to an effort of reasoning so that the future Earth will be more peaceful than ever. It is going to take the hard work of many courageous people to ensure a happy ending to this millennial quest for conflict. Many visionary people in the West and many more brave people in the Muslim world will contribute. This will decide if future jihads end up with mushroom clouds around the world, or if peace, democracy and freedom mushroom worldwide.”

I am concerned about the author of the BAGHDAD BURNING blog. Her last posting was Aug 5 and she doesn’t go 2 months without posting, even when there is little electricity etc. She is very discouraged as she wrote in her last post “Is it time to wash our hands of the country and try to find a stable life somewhere else?”
Over the years she has been able to give insight into the life and living conditions which is not available through the main-stream media. You can access her blog using the hyperlink in the side bar of my blog.
The theatre and the symphony seasons are starting and we will enjoy those. We continue to enjoy the library. Mary is more independent with her new walker. I purchased a new Sony micro stereo outfit with CD and cassette drives. We enjoy the music on it and also I can send music and podcasts to it from my laptop computer. So we are all set to enjoy the winter. I am still trying to stimulate interest in computing here at Drury place.
Trust that this finds everything well with you and yours----until the next time, HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

BACK TO SCHOOL

The last of August is the time when school terms begin again. The teachers in our family are getting ready and here in Salina the classes have begun or will Monday. We have teachers in our family in both the elementary and highschool level and we are proud of all of them. Education is as important as the basic needs of food, clothes and shelter, and I guess that in this time of turmoil around the world ond should also add security.

An excerpt from the “BAGHDAD BURNING” blog

Since the beginning of July, the men in our area have been patrolling the streets. Some of them patrol the rooftops and others sit quietly by the homemade road blocks we have on the major roads leading into the area. You cannot in any way rely on Americans or the government. You can only hope your family and friends will remain alive- not safe, not secure- just alive. That’s good enough.

In the Israel- Hezbolla fighting there is a cease-fire and at least the possibility of a plan to cool or resolve the conflict. The UN and the Europe forces may fill the vacuum and eparate the two sids and the Lebanon army become active in the region—time will tell. Poor Lebanon was pulverized and will take years and a lot of money to recover. In the mean-time Hezbollah is making more converts by dispensing money from Iran. Also Iran has test fired several short range missiles! This is to let the region that Iran is the emerging power. Fanatics require and enemy.

The last two weeks CSPAN’S Q and A progams showed the opposite ends of Islam—Akbar Ahmed stating the Islam is peaceful but admits that there is great need within the community to combat the radical elements, Robert Spencer on the other hand arguing that Islam is inherently warlike and to hate the west etc is a requirement. Pod casts are available but it is evident that there will have to be a change within the Islamic community. We can not do it from the outside. In the meantime we will have to hope that the plots like the one to blow up airliners from UK to US will continue to be thwarted.

I just finished reading “Founding Mothers”. Bless the ladies! We would never have founded this country, a beacon to freedom and liberty, without them.

We are doing quite well here at DRURY PLACE. Mary got a 4 wheeled walker with a seat and this makes it a lot easier for getting around. She feels more secure and if she does get tired she can rest on the seat. Yesterday, we made a test run to take it to the library with us and it just barely fits in the trunk of our little Escort Ford car. She has taken it and walked up the grocery store. She feels more independent. I picked up a book at the library “Julie and Romeo Get Lucky” by Jeanne Ray. It is a fun read.

I notice that the Blogger blog program has been updated with more bells and whistles I have not made the switch yet but will probably do so before the next posting.

I hope that this finds all well with all of you.

Til next time---HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

DOG DAYS

DOG DAYS

I always wondered why this time of the year was called the "dog days" of the year. So, using the trusty GOOGLE, we googled it. It is the 20 days before and 20 days after the star Serius, the dog star, is in alignment with the sun. Now the mystery is gone. I do not know if I feel better or worse. It was nice to think, " why is it called dog days?"

What a difference a day makes! War breaks out in the middle east. Or rather, it spread out or over with a vengance. It is hoped that it is not the fore-runner of WWIII. However in one way we were or are in WWIII, as the radical muslim movement is world-wide and it will persist until there is a change within the muslim world. As long as hate is preached, hate will be returned.

Dalai Lama quotes:

“Freedom is the real source of human happiness and creativity. Irrespective of whether you are a believer or nonbeliever, whether Buddhist, Christian, or Jew, the important thing is to be a good human being.”

“I believe in humanity and its level in a person is more important than his or her belief or faith.”

“My message is the practice of compassion, love, and kindness. Compassion can be put into practice if one recognizes the fact that every human being is a member of humanity and the human family regardless of differences in religion, culture, color and creed. Deep down there is no difference.”

Well, that is enough for “deep stuff”. For some levity a friend sent some jokes in the email.

This ought to make you feel better about your computer skills!
===============
Customer: Hi, this is Celine. I can't get my diskette out.
Tech support: Have you tried pushing the Button?
Customer: Yes, sure, it's really stuck.
Tech support: That doesn't sound good; I'll make a note.
Customer: No, wait a minute... I hadn't inserted it yet...
it's stil on my desk...sorry....

===============

Tech support: Click on the 'my computer' icon on to the left
of the screen.
Customer: Your left or my left?

===============

Tech support: Good day. How may I help you?
Male customer: Hello.. I can't print.
Tech support: Would you click on "start" for me and...
Customer: Listen pal; don't start getting technical on me!
I'm not Bill Gates.

===============

Customer: Hi, good afternoon, this is Martha, I can't print
Every time I try, it says 'Can't find printer'. I've even lifted the printer
and placed it in front of the monitor, but the computer still says he
can't find it...

===============

Customer: I have problems printing in red..
Tech support: Do you have a color printer?
Customer: Aaaah..................thank you.

===============
Tech support: What's on your monitor now, ma'am?
Customer: A teddy bear my boyfriend bought for me at the
7-11.

===============

Customer: My keyboard is not working anymore.
Tech support: Are you sure it's plugged into the computer?
Customer: No. I can't get behind the computer.
Tech support: Pick up your keyboard and walk 10 paces back.
Customer: OK
Tech support: Did the keyboard come with you?
Customer: Yes
Tech support: That means the keyboard is not plugged in. Is
there another keyboard?
Customer: Yes, there's another one here. Ah...that one does
work...

===============

Tech support: Your password is the small letter "a" as in
apple, a
capital letter V as in Victor, the number 7.
Customer: Is that 7 in capital letters?

===============

Customer: can't get on the Internet.
Tech support: Are you sure you used the right password?
Customer: Yes, I'm sure. I saw my colleague do it.
Tech support: Can you tell me what the password was?
Customer: Five stars

===============

Tech support: What anti-virus program do you use?
Customer: Netscape
Tech support: That's not an anti-virus program
Customer: Oh, sorry...Internet Explorer.

===============

Customer: I have a huge problem. A friend has placed a
screen saver on my computer, but every time I move the mouse, it disappears.

===============

Tech support: How may I help you?
Customer: I'm writing my first e-mail.
Tech support: OK, and what seems to be the problem?
Customer: Well, I have the letter 'a' in the address, but
how do I get the circle around it?

===============

A woman customer called the Canon help desk with a problem
with her printer.
Tech support: Are you running it under windows?
Customer: "No, my desk is next to the door, but that is a
good point.
The man sitting in the cubicle next to me is under a window, and
his printer is working fine."

===============

And last but not least...

Tech support: "Okay Bob, let's press the control and escape
keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the
screen. Now type the letter "P" to bring up the Program Manager."
Customer: I don't have a P.
Tech support: On your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: What do you mean?
Tech support: "P".....on your keyboard, Bob.
Customer: I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT!

Hope that this finds all going well with all of you, as it is with us here in Salina, where it is hot, but not too hot; dry, but not too dry and the people are friendly.

HAF aka HAPPY DOC

GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME

2006 IS ABOUT HALF GONE!!
The harvest is over and with varied results but there will be wheat for bread!! We have had some rain here so there is hope for the fall crops. All in all we have been lucky here. We have had no severe storms--erlier ther was a hail storm which dented cars and made a lot of work for the people repairing dents and also there is a lot of work repairing roofs. The east coast at prsent is getting too much rain so there is such a things as too much of a good thing! The 4th of July is almost here. The birthday of our coultry reminds us that establishing a new governance is a difficult job, as it is proving to be in IRAQ. I have been told that they can not say the pledge of allegiance in the schools now!! I do not know if that is rue but I wouldl not be surprised. We have gone too far trying to be "politically correct". The next 6 months will be given to a lot of noise by the politicians. None of them will do as much good as the effforts of Warren Buffet and the Bill Gates foundation with the non government money and effort. A friend has sent me an e-mail of a tribute to WW2 vets, who are disappearing at the rate of 2000 a day. I am enclosing the URL http://www.managedmusic.com/beforeyougo.html

We are well settled and happy with our new living arrangement. It is very convenient. It was time for us to make a change. Mary has decreasing ability, parfticulary since the last little stroke that shehad. We have been having tests run to try to find out what all is going on and perhaps we will find out something this week. Whether or not it will be anything that much can be done aboout.
I have just finished readng Madelein Albright's book "The Mighty and the Almighty". It is a good book and emphasizes the need that we need to have a better understanding of the cultures of other peoples to get along in this decreasing world. This is certanly true. I am now reading "The Tipping Point--how little things can make a big difference". This fits one of my favorite quotes
Wen a butteerfly flutters its wings
in one part of the world
it can cause a hurricane in another

The Theater closed its season with the production of "Cats". It was extremely well done. They will open the next season in Sept. with the p;roduction of "The Wizard of Oz"

The organizing of my art supplies and checking what I have is progressing and I have begun to practice trying to get a feel for the water and color and different surfaces. Also doing some reading and refreshing of techniques. What will happen will happen

You might check the recent post of the Riverbend blog from Baghdad. Access from the side bar..

Will close for this posting but will try to make entries to the blog more regularly. In the meantime, the very best to all of you. HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

MAY FLOWERS

The April showers came and the May flowers are blooming. Especially they are in the stores in flats to be planted for the garden, but this year we do not have to do that. We can just admire others efforts. The important thing about the rains is that the roof of Drury Place is fixed and there are no more leaks which is a joyous state of affairs for all.
Mary has recieved her new hearing aids as the old ones did not manage to make the move and probably got thrown out by mistake. She has to get used to the new ones and one of the tricks recommended is for her to read out loud for several minutes each day--this is to train her ear to speech etc. I think that she will read to Cleo and she will become the educated cat. We may introduce her to KOKO and YUM YUM who are the cats in the "Cat Who" book series by Lillian Jackson Braun.. We have been reading her most recent book 'The cat who dropped a Bombshell".
With the coming of the Summer, the Symphony season has closed. The last performance the last of April was "Carmina Burana". This was an outstanding performance and was presented with a choir of 200 voices and three soloists all of whom did an excellent job. The symphony as usual was superb. The English transalation was shown on the side on a small screen. The whole performance was a moving experience. The Motto of the Symphony this year is "Music that moves you" and this certainly did. It is a shame that so much effort goes into such a production and then after one day it is gone. As far as I know they do not make any recordings. The recordings do not "move you" like a live performance. The community theater will be presenting "CATS" in June. I have heard it said that one of the reasons that the muslim world is so backward is that they do not encourage the arts--music, art, etc. Even the prehistoric peoples created rock-art in their caves etc. Bill and Peggy have been having a great time exploring the rock art in the Seminole Canyon area of Texas.
I hve been having a session with some of the residents once a week on the computer trying to get some interest going here at Drury Place.
May is Graduation Month. Our youngest grand child, Corey and our oldest great grand child, Lauren, graduate from High-schol and grandsons Eric and Nick graduate from college. We will go to Corey's graduaion "open house" this afternoon and then tomorrow the graduation ceremony. Then she will be spending the summer working as a life guard and getting ready to go to Kansas University. She will be a 4th generation Jayhawker!
I have been looking over my art supplies and equipment and reading some to refresh on water color painting. I am planning to try to do come painting--will see how it goes. It has been probably 13 or more years since I have tried to paint.
This is Mother's day week end. We may be the only nation which has a special day for Mothers. It is approiate that we do honor the Mothers. The American Indian refered to the earth as Mother earth. We have not been taking the best of care or Mother Earth and Mother nature has not been very happy about it. Mothers are the nurturing force of the world and we learn to be "civilized" at our mother's knee.

The May 2 posting of the BAGHDAD BURNING blog is interesting. You can access it by using the link in the side bar of this blog. She has a different spin on things in Iraq. The Iranian infiltration in Iraq plus the inadequacies of the Iraq governance and police results in the Iranians having 150,000 Americans hostage in Iraq. Another site of interest is INFORMED COMMENT by Juan Cole. the address is www. juancole.com
The political posturing and retoric will be heating up between now and the election. I hope that some concrete improvement will happen in the middle east, but that is probably wishful thinking.
I guess that on that pessimistic note I will close. However, the day is sunny and very pleasant temperture. We will enjoy the day and hope that you all also will have a great day.
HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

APRIL SHOWERS

The trees are blooming, the robins are here, so Spring is busting out all over.
We are settling into our new location. Mary says that we are never moving again. In the process of this move, by some unknown reason we lost some of Mary's summer clothes and her hearing aids. We have to say "huh?" a lot! I have a hearing aid but do not use it most of the time. It does increase the volume of the high frequency tones so I hear more clicks and clacks but there is some question whether that helps any. In the not too distant future we will get it checked out.
The living in the apartment is different but we are enjoying it. The people here are all great and friendly. The meals are good and quite ample. There are activities of one kind and another going on. We have put our 2 tower computers in the activity room and they are connected to my wireless internet connection in our apartment which appears to reach thru most of the building. I have started some instructional session and will get people "wired". Also they can prtactice and the the machines for games and text operations.
Ther in an exercise area with stationary bikes and a weight machine. However, we will continue with our vitacise band exercise program thru the Park and Rec. which we have been doing ever since we have been living in Salina.
The Drury Place Building has a flat roof and it had some leaks and we had a rain and some of the apartments got quite a bit of water! We had a little. The rooofers are here now and a new roof is being installed so we are hoping for not too smuch rain until it is completed. Then, it can rain a lot as we are behind normal in rainfall. The flowering trees however have been "doing their thing" so, there must be some moisture down deep.
Cleo has adjusted to the move. We find that there are severl cats who have brought their "cat moms" here. Cleo has not met them yet but DOMINO a black and white tom lives on the second floor as well as JETTA MARIE and SNOW. TOBY live on the first floor.
We really like our location, it is walking distance (we ahve haven't done it yet) to the grocery, pharmacy, bank and Wendy's and Dairy Queen.
We realize we are are very fortunate. Several of the people here have walking aids of one kind or another and there are 2 with motorized units to get around. Also there is a very spry 97 yr old who is very alert, straight posture and walks with a firm steady gait and takes the stairs with no problem.
I had a small skin cancer on my forehead removed this week. It was quite small and was totally removed.
If you are reading t his, check the "BAGHDAD BURNING" link in the side bar, the April 2 posting is interesing.

Best wishes to all HAF AKA HAPPY DOC

MOVING ON

No blogging occured during February as the month was spent in "MOVING ON" . We have moved to a reitement facility. The name is "Drury Place" and the address is 1000 Schippel Drive Apt. 120 Salina, Kansas 67401. The telephone number and the e-mail remains the same as it was. The process of downsizing to get into a one bed-room apartment took some doing. We got rid of the couch and got a love seat, changed the TV for a thin LCD model etc. Anything smaller and getting rid of unnecessary STUFF enabled us to get the ob done and now we can begin to live "normaly". We hve a small kitchen which will not be used very much because 2 meals a day are furnished. There will be much less house work for Mary to worry about. Even the laundry is reduced as they do the sheets and flat work.
The people are all very friendly and helpful and we will like the new living situationl. The location is good in that we are in walking distance to Wendy's restaurant, grocery store, post office, bank and eveN a liquor store (which we will not need). There are acitivities going on at different times.
We have vowed to not accumulate so much stuff and will ask 2 quetions, where can it go and do we need it!! Mostly anything coming in--something will go out.
Cleo, our cat, was able to be moved with us. She had a lot of boxes etc to explore but mosstly hid under the bed for the first 3 days, but now is out and about and demanding attention and telling us what to do in her singular regal way. We are glad that she could come with us. I was surprised that they would alow small pets but I think tht it is a change for the better in the thinking of geratric management. Some people have been here at Drury Place for 8 to 10 years. One gentelman here is 97 and very active and walks with a spry step. We do see a wide variety of walking asstive units, some with wheels and baskets etc. One person hs been here for 10 years and has a motorized unit.
I have just finished the some 800 page book by Doris Kearns A team of rivals. I has a lot of details in about Abaham Lincoln's :Presidency. It also gives a lot of insite into the living in America during that time. I recomend the book if you have the time.
I think tht the last couple of postinge of the Blog Baghdad Burning are of interest. She tells about the life in Baghdad and one gets a feeling that is not available from the mainstream media. It is a hectic time for the people there. The link to the blog is on the side bar of my blog--just cllick on it.
We have placed our two tower computer machnes in the activity area in the basment of Drury and have them connected and operatng. Hope to get some interest in learning some computing and at least they can be used for some games. I tested one out yesterday and plalyed a game of checkers and won which may be the first time. I have a chess program which I have not installed yet. I plan to get a wireless card nstalled ad then they can have internet access using my connection. I tested and the signal from my transmitter in the apartment reaches into the basement, so we should be able to make it work.
This brings you all up to dae as to the happenings to us. More at a later time.
Sending best wishes to all HAF AKA HAHPPY DOC

=Jan 20 2006
OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW!!
The new year has started and we hope that it will be more peaceful and with fewer disasters than 2005. This is a time for me to wish all of the viewers of this blog and very happy new year and best wishes for all of your endeavors.
Here in the middle of Kansas we have had very little winter weather and it is approaching the end of Jan. As with much of the mid-west we are in need of moisture, but we have not had the prairie fires that have been so bad in TX and OK.
I have been lax in making postings to the blog. We are in the process of making changes in our living situation by moving into a retirement living facility. The process takes time and making decisions during the downsizing process. I am very pleaed with the facility, we will have our own apartment and no yard work and very little cooking, as two meals a day are provided. There will be adjustments but I am looking forward to it. The process of getting things ready for the move is slowed down by having to read over old things that you have tucked away and nearly forgot about, It is good to see them again. I have found pictures that were lost, re-read old newsletters, reunion booklets etc which have broght to mind many memories of old friends. Also it is somewhat startling to see the names and pictures of class mates who are now with us only in spirit. I found a Haiku that I wrote on the occasion of a class reunion.
"Old high-school memories
Flowed like well-aged golden wine
Laughter, fed the heart"

We start our mornings with quotations of the Dalai Lama, we were given a day calendar for Christmas, A recent quotation--
The three R's of life
Respect for self
Respect of others
Responsibility for all of your actions.

I am reading a book about Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Title: TEAM OF RIVALS The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.
It is good but big and filled with a lot of information--not real fast going. I need to split up reading time with frivolous, so went to the library today a checked out a Rita Brown book with Sneaky Pie cat and her friends.

I am cutting back some on my involvement with the senior center computer program. I will spend more time with Mary and transportation etc. She has started on some physical treatment session to see if her strength. balance and endurance can be improved.
We were surprised to learn that an old school mate from Ellsworth High is moving into Drury Place about the same time that we will be moving there. Once we get settled I hope to get out my brushes and do some water coloring, it has been probably 12 years since I have wet a brush so we will see what happens--hope for what some call "happy accidents".
May the wind be at your back and the sun on your face
AF AKA HAPPY DOC