Tempus Fugit

I find it difficult to believe that the holiday season that was upcoming when I last updated this blog is now almost over. For that matter, 2008AD is almost over. It seems that for the last few months the Princess and I have been running really hard but not really making any forward progress. We’ve had to run that hard just to keep up. Here’s a quick recap:
The Princess has had several more appointments with several physicians. She continues to heal very slowly (but surely) for unknown reasons.
We hosted the family Thanksgiving in November and it was a rousing success (as usual)
We lost a neighbor and longtime friend to a freak accident in November. We will miss him and his willingness to help out.
I bottled the first run of “Tomorrows Promise Red”. It looks nice and shows promise for great things to come from the winery.

The family was all here on Christmas morning. I think a good time was enjoyed by all. If not, at least I had a good time.

Today we go to the Princess folks place for Christmas festivities there. I’m eagerly anticipating eating WAAAAAAY too much. I think for New Years I will resolve to keep up on my blog. School starts in 2 weeks. I hope my brain will be ready. I’ll keep you fully informed (unless I break my resolution). We’ll see how it goes.

Check back soon (and often),
Dave and (the ever patient Princess) Julie

Ugh!

That’s about all I can say about that. I snapped this picture of the vineyard when i walked out to get the mail yesterday. Once again we are reminded of what it’s like to live in northwest Ohio. Snow and wind are part and parcel of living here between November and April. Personally, I’m never really ready for it these days. The only real good thing it does is get me ready in the mood for Christmas. I enjoy the family get togethers that occur around the holidays and regret that we don’t make time for them more often. As we all grow older, I know that the number of holidays we can all spend together is growing very small. With this in mind I resolve to enjoy each one to the fullest. To paraphrase what the sermon series at church has been about lately:
“Life is kind of like a board game. When it’s over, everything goes back in the box”.
I’d like to leave the world better than I found it before I have to get put ‘back in the box’. I guess I’d better get busy then.

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the infinitely patient Princess) Julie

The Julie Report 3.0

Well as you can probably guess from the title of today’s post, the Princess got to go “under the knife” yet again. Fortunately this time it was relatively minor and I’m pleased to report that all went well and the Princess is now sleeping soundly at home in her comfy jammies. Without going into too much gory detail I’ll tell you that this surgery (like the last) is a direct result of her not healing correctly from her surgery in June. Hopefully this will be the last invasive procedure she’ll have to undergo. The question that remains to be answered is why it’s taking her so long to heal. Her doctor has ruled out the most common (thyroid, diabetes, etc.) reasons for not healing so the Princess has yet another physician who is looking for any other potential problems. To this end she went in for lab work last week and had about EIGHTEEN vials of blood drawn all at once. With luck they’ll find something that is simple to correct. Thanks to all for your thoughts, prayers, well wishes and offers of support as we work through this time of rather annoying health issues.
Now, on to the happy news. The Princess is looking forward to a trip to the Big Apple this upcoming weekend. While there she’ll be spending some quality time taking in the sights and sounds of Manhattan with her friend the Naubinway Queen. I’m sure she’ll give a full report upon her return. And things won’t slow down for the Princess when she does return. She’ll have to go into high gear in her ‘occupation’ as a party planner and hostess. With the Thanksgiving Holiday fast approaching she’ll be scurrying about making preparations for the Rettig family gathering here at the farm, and she’s also taking on a new “chore”. The Princess will be preparing for a Thanksgiving feast for her ‘adopted granddaughters’, twins Cora and Kate who currently have their mother bedridden until they arrive. I’m sure the Princess is looking forward to it far more than either of the girls. And once that’s behind her she’ll go ‘full bore’ into the Christmas season.
Holidays are times filled with gatherings of communities made up of family (the people with which we share DNA) and friends (the family God gives us to sort of make up for what we got with DNA). Either way, community is what it’s all about. I had an interesting conversation with a friend lately. What came out of that exchange was the thought that ALL conversations are either agenda driven (what can we GET from it) or community driven (what can we GIVE to it). I’ve started trying to be mindful of the motivation of my conversations. I won’t tell you what my ‘batting average’ is, but I will tell you that I working to improve it.

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the sleeping with ‘Prince Valium’ Princess) Julie

Red Letter Days

Last weekend brought several red letter days to the farm. The Princess was overjoyed to be able to hang the first laundry out on her clothesline.


To me it seems to be the ultimate irony for a city gal to have had a dryer all these years and wanting to dry clothes hanging on a line outside. Now mind you, I’m not complaining. Any time we can do something without electricity, I’m all for it. I’m happy to report that I can now dry myself with scratchy towels in the morning. And all this just in time for winter.
Another red letter event was the first pressing of grapes this season. I put Andrew to work squeezing the life out of some Concord grapes. He seemed to enjoy it. I’m pretty certain the Princess will enjoy it when I’m finished with it.



Thanks to everyone for their comments and compliments on the Digging Deeper video. I’m pleased that it is serving its intended purpose. We’ll try to keep the good things going. Until then…..

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the scratchy laundry producing Princess) Julie

Digging Deeper

Last Sunday the Princess and I "starred" in a video vignette to support the theme of the day at Gateway EPC which was “Digging Deeper”. The movie is a spoof of our life here on the farm. Lately I’ve been trying to dig deeper into some of the good habits I’ve picked up in my time at Winebrenner Seminary. Someday I’ll tell you all about it, but until then, enjoy the movie (the watermark goes away after the first minute).
Check back soon (and often),
Dave and (the misplaced Princess) Julie

Would you eat chili prepared by this man?

Last Saturday we hosted a chili supper for the Gateway EPC Worship Ministry Teams at the farm. It’s the first time we’ve ever prepared 10 gallons of chili in one batch. I say that it wasn’t ‘quite’ as good as our usual small batches, but it was still really yummy. I think it’s safe to say that a good time was enjoyed by all. It also gave me the opportunity to reflect on something a friend told me recently. “A community places it in context”. He wasn’t talking about a chili supper, but it still fits whether it’s a national election, a community celebration, or raising a child. Fall is the perfect time to come together on the farm. As the growing season comes to an end and many plants prepare to go to sleep for the winter, it’s the perfect time to kindle new friendships and rekindle existing ones. Here’s to relationships!

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the domestic goddess Princess) Julie

An update from the Princess

Well things were busy at the Kroskes this weekend. Cleaned house on Sat, made the video for the church. The plan was to do the video and make beef stew over the fire. Well Dave and his cousins husband were drilling holes in order to plant more grapes. The yard needed mowed, the house needed cleaned and I needed to make dinner. Well as I grow older, I do not multi task very well. I started to clean house and videographer came over, Dave gave him the tour of the "Kroske Estate" inside and out. I had to make sure that he didn't trip over anything. The house can be great until I start to clean, then it looks like a tornado went thru and it's worse than when I started. I got things under control in the house and decided to mow. I was like a little kid. I just didn't know which way to go. I would start on the west side on the yard, then all of a sudden I was on the east side of the house and not sure what I had mowed or how I ended up there. Good thing I was just mowing down the buck horn. If the grass were long, It would have looked like a maze! I then needed to start dinner so I put Dave on the mower. I browned the meat in the house, added the spices and tried to follow the recipe. I really thought I was doing great. I put it over the fire out back and went back in the house and left Dave on the mower. I set the timer so I would not forget about the stew. Now I am really feeling like I have it all under control. Multi-tasking again, I started laundry and decided that I needed to bake a pie for dessert. Now I really don't care what the pie tastes like, I just want it to look like the picture in the cook book. I have yet to make a "pretty pie" so I was really trying hard. I think I got it almost picture perfect this time. I was sooooo proud of the way it looked. After about 30-45 mins. of slaving over this pie, I had flour all over my black dress, face and floor, it went into the oven. I put laundry in the dryer and decided that I would go out and add the veggies to the stew.
Well when I got there, all the liquid had boiled out and the meat was charred black. I guess I waited too long. Now what? It's 3:30 and I have to start again. I really don't want to disappoint Dave and have the dinner with our guests be a bust, so he runs to the store and gets more meat. I knew that I would not have enough time to finish everything on the fire, so I sadly turned on the stove top. It will not have the open flame taste to it, but Oh Well. Remember the timer I set for the meat? Well it finally went off. I guess I must have set it for hours instead of minutes! Now I have to get in the shower and suddenly realize that I can hardly move. I really don't know what I did, but feet ankles and legs were aching. Time for the Aleve. I got in the shower and realized that amongst the other pain, my right arm is painful to lift. Well after thinking about this for awhile, I remember throwing apples, apples, apples and more apples into the field so I can mow under the trees. WOW I am so out of shape and old! Well, the pie is out of the oven, (it looks so beautiful if I do say so myself) the charred meat is gone and the guests are expected at 5:30. Well thank God they were late, because I did laundry, bedding and clothes) but did not have time to fold it. Nor did I take time to make the bed. I just threw it on top of the bed and closed the door. Well that is one mess I will deal with later! Guess where the baby needed to go! Well that's right! He is a tummy sleeper and mom wanted to lay him on the bed. I still have the laundry sorted on the floor and the drying rack set up with damp clothes! Aharg!!! Well I just told her that I would lay the nice clean bedspread over the mattress and he could sleep there all he wants. So much for making a good impression! MARTHA NEEDS TO MOVE BACK IN.

Well, by the time the evening was over, The video was shot, the dinner was eaten, the pie was good and the blondies our guests bought over were to die for. The kids and adults were tired and all were smiling at the end of the night. However, I think Ely is still having withdrawal from having all the people and kids to play with, but he will get over it. I am glad that all weekends are not as crazy as this one, but I will say that any time we can be blessed with good friends, good times and good food is worth a little bit of crazy. Bring on the good times!!!!

Sunday, Dave and I (well in all honesty it was Dave) cut down a tree. Then we were blessed with the company of another friend. We had chili over the fire, enjoyed conversation, a few laughs as well as a few tears.

What is important is the fellowship that we enjoyed with all the people we spent time with. Soon, we will have a very large fellowship at the farm with The Praise team, techs and the Encounter groups and their families from church. I only hope that it is blessed by God so that we will all have a stronger union and we can become friends with each other as well as better brothers and sisters in Christ.

I hope all who read this can be blessed with the same fun that Dave and I have on the weekends.

Check back soon (and often)

The Princess (Julie) and her favorite farm animal (Dave)

It’s time to play catch up.

The Princess is recovering very well. I sent her along with her friend Sherry over the weekend. I figured riding in the car would keep her down and there was no way I’d keep her off her feet here at home. Their destination was the Bluegrass State (and it may never be the same again). The Princess enjoyed it (or maybe it was the wine) so much she tried to leave her wallet there (ask her about it). Fortunately it was returned by a good Samaritan (or good Kentuckian). With the Princess on the road to recovery, it’s my turn to be molested by medical professionals. Today I paid my regular visit to my eye surgeon. Those of you who know me know that I have the “pleasure” of living with occular histoplasmosis. Since you asked:
What is the Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome?
The fungus is inhaled early in life and causes a usually asymptomatic and self-limited infection throughout the body, including the lungs and choroid (the vascular layer lining the retina). For unknown reasons, several decades after the initial infection, the choroidal scars may develop abnormal blood vessels (choroidal neovascularization) which leak fluid and blood. This leakage can only be seen on a careful, dilated eye examination since the eye looks normal from the outside. Distorted central vision and loss of reading vision occurs when the leakage involves the macula.
(from: © 2008 Bennett & Bloom Eye Centers. All Rights Reserved)
So this means my left eye sees the world kind of like this:

Except that the edge of the ‘cloud’ in my eye is kind of like a fisheye lens. Henceforth I often get ‘seasick’ as my brain tries to process all the disparate information when I put my glasses on and try to move about. In the last twelve months I’ve had three different procedures to try to stop the ‘leaking’. In November I had a ‘thermal laser’ treatment as they tried to seal the leaking blood vessels with a laser. In December they tried PhotoDynamic Therapy (PDT), where they infused a photo-reactive chemical into my system and then ‘activated’ it with a ‘cool laser’. That worked for about two months. In March I had PDT again coupled with a steroid injection directly into my eyeball. Like this:

Yes.

Ouch.

Anyway, my doctor and I discussed future treatment options, but fortunately we don’t have to do anything yet. Now you are caught up with our health status. As things change, I’ll keep you updated.

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the Princess) Julie

The Julie Report 2.0

I'm pleased to report that the Princess came through her surgery very well. Dr. Doty-Armstrong reported no unexpected complications and expects the Princess to make a full recovery. Getting her home was interesting, as she was still somewhat under the influence of the anesthesia and acted somewhat like she does after her third glass of wine (only quieter). At the present time all of the necessary medications have been administered and I have bundled the Princess off to bed where she is sleeping peacefully. She reports being "a little sore" but is pleased that all body parts seem to be fully functional (unlike her legs after the last surgery). Hopefully she'll be back on her feet in no time. Thanks to all for your prayers and support.

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the loopy Princess) Julie

When you come to a fork in the road, take it.

I’ve been spending some quiet time alone in the house tonight. The Princess is out with two of her friends enjoying some ‘girl time’. As I’ve been pondering the more weighty issues in life (or wallowing in self pity, whichever is a more appropriate label) I’ve come to realize one of the big things that’s been bothering me. I’m STUCK! I’m in an in-between place and it’s really uncomfortable. I don’t know how things are going to turn out. Is the Princess going to be all right after THIS surgery (tomorrow)? Am I going to end up blind? If so, how soon? Am I ever going to be able to go back to school? What am I going to do/be when (if) I grow up? Will there ever be peace in the Middle East (ok, I’m not AS concerned about that but you get the idea)? And I strikes me that I’ll be “OK” with however any of those particular items turns out, but I really don’t like not knowing. I guess a time machine would come in handy right about now.
But then again, maybe I wouldn’t like what I saw when I climbed out of the capsule of my time machine. Several yeas ago a group of guys I worked with were discussing what we’d do if we could go back to being 18 and knowing what we know now. I said (only about half jokingly) that if I were 18 and knew what the immediate future held, I’d just shoot myself and get it over with. I guess maybe we can’t see the future for a good reason. Maybe time marching relentlessly along is a good thing. Maybe the steady, measured pace protects us from “event overload”. Maybe it’s time I got back to my idea of the ‘deliberate’ life and started living in the now, rather than wasting time attempting to deal with the future.
Expect full reports on the Princess condition and progress as tomorrow unfolds.

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the soon to be punctured Princess) Julie

So where have we been?

I know. It’s been a while since we blogged anything here. To be honest, I just haven’t felt like it. And I still don’t, but I’m hoping that writing SOMETHING will be cathartic. Lately I feel as though I’m running on empty. So many people rely on me for so many things and I simply have nothing left to give them. I really wish this wasn’t how I feel, but it is. It would be nice if I could “pick myself up by my own bootstraps”, but I can’t. Now bear in mind that I am perfectly aware that the way I feel is part of the normal ebb and flow of human emotion and I’ll be back to feeling “full” again soon, but getting there stinks. I also know that there is a very good chance that this time is bringing about personal growth. Mystics throughout history have reported the greatest amount of personal development comes during times “in the desert”. In fact, many individuals and groups seek out difficulties in order to “force” growth. I have no desire to do that however.
I should probably take my own advice from a conversation I had with a friend a little while ago. My friend was lamenting going through a rough time and wondering what it was for. I told the ‘pretty stone’ story. It goes like this. Next time you walk along the beach, when you find the smoothest, shiniest, prettiest stone on the beach, think what that stone had to go through to get that way. It started out as a rough ugly rock with all kinds of sharp edges. Over time that rock was battered by the waves and ‘smashed’ against sand and other rocks. I’m sure it wasn’t much fun for the rock. But over time, through repeated ‘abuse’, the rock became smooth, shiny and beautiful. And eventually it washed on to the beach where everyone can enjoy its beauty. I’m looking forward to ‘hitting the beach’.
Until then I’ll continue ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ (which is ok if you’re Paul but really stinks if you’re Peter) with finances as we continue to deal with unexpected medical bills, and with time as I continue to try to honor my commitments.
Remember that the Princess is having more surgery next Thursday (the 11th) so please remember her. Expect full reports and updates here.

Check back soon (and often),

Dave and (the looking forward to Fall Princess) Julie

P.S. – I’m considering a career as a superhero. What do you think?

A bad day on vacation beats a good day at work anytime.

Well I must say that today was a much better day. The Princess and I took a mini-vacation in our convertible today after church. We traveled to Ohio’s “North Coast” to visit some of our favorite places and take a breather from all the ‘stuff’ going on. After a nice drive we stopped at Firelands Winery where the Princess tasted some of their best work and I made my customary ‘pilgrimage’ to the winecellar to take in that wonderful aroma. After a quick look around we departed with some unfermented grape juice for me and some ‘big kid juice’ for the Princess. From there we continued on to East Harbor State Park where we walked along the beach and the Princess actually got her toes wet in Lake Erie. After some more sightseeing our next stop was the local legend Cheese Haven. Nothing goes with the Princess ‘big kid juice’ quite like cheese, so we had to get some cheddar and some Swiss to go on the corned beef the Princess cooked up yesterday. We returned home refreshed and as ready as we can be to return to work tomorrow.
Here is a picture of the Princess and me on vacation earlier this month

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the temporarily refreshed Princess) Julie

Bad news, good news.

I’m reminded of the story about the old Native American chief who came out to address his tribe late one fall and said “I have bad news and I have good news. The bad news is that all of our crops have failed and we’ll have to subsist this winter on buffalo dung”. After a few moments of stunned silence, a voice called from the crowd “So what’s the good news?” The chief replied “The good news is that there is an abundance of buffalo dung”.
So goes the Princess luck with doctors appointments this past week. The good news is that they believe they’ve finally found the source of the elusive infection that has been ‘eating’ the Princess since shortly after her surgery. The bad news is that it’s going to require more surgery to fix. So the Princess is scheduled for more surgery on Thursday September 11th. The good news is that this surgery will not be nearly as extensive and her post operative restrictions will not be either. The bad news is (according to the Princess) that she’s not ‘done with all of this’ yet and also (according to me) that she will be at the mercy of her partially blind, inept caretaker again (and by the way SHE will do the grocery shopping before she goes under the knife). Perhaps by the holidays she’ll be back to being better than her old self. Time will tell. At any rate, please remember to keep her, and her medical team, in your prayers.
As for my medical week, I had a ‘routine follow up’ visit to my eye surgeon this past week. The good news is that my intraocular pressure is staying down on its’ own so I won’t need to continue medication for it. The bad news is that the ‘bad blood vessels’ have started leaking again. At this point it’s not bad enough to require intervention, but it is yet another reminder that I’ll get to ‘enjoy’ having that treated again. Yuck. I do not enjoy having needles stuck directly in my eye or any of the other ‘fun’ stuff they have to do.
So with all of these time and financial constraints, it’s pretty obvious that I won’t be taking any classes this semester. I guess that just means that I’ll have to devise my own study plan. The plus side of that is not having to worry about papers or exams.
The grapes in the vineyard are ripening nicely so hopefully I’ll soon have fruit to do ‘something’ with. Gee, I wonder what that ‘something’ will be.
Well, that’s all the “good news” I have to report right now. Hopefully the next blog post will be much ‘brighter’. Until then…..

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the hopefully soon uninfected Princess) Julie

Of hose bibbs and hummingbirds.

This past weekend was a very full and productive one for Andrew and me. We installed a new hose bibb out front so the Princess won’t have to drag a hose all the way around the house to water the flowers out front. We also got the ‘mini-dozer’ out of the barn and running so it could pull the sprayer trailer. And on that note we also built a frame to support the sprayer in the trailer so we won’t have to wrestle with cinderblocks every time we want to set up to spray. During one of our construction breaks we sat on the porch and watched the hummingbirds around the feeders. We counted six hummers at one time around the feeders. I believe I saw seven at once on Sunday. In the past we’ve never seen more than three at a time. It’s great to watch them flutter about.
Unfortunately the Princess was not able to accomplish as much. She and Andrew ‘cleaned up’ the raspberry patch on Saturday and that sapped most of her strength. I made her take it easy on Sunday and she actually took a nap (something she NEVER does). She heard back from the doctors office today. While her ‘culture’ did not yield an identifiable individual source of infection, it did show that she DOES have an infection (of some type). So she’s started on yet another round of general antibiotic drugs. I really feel for her. I know how bad she must feel and I know that it really tears her up that she doesn’t have the energy to do all she typically does.
Saturday night Randy and I played a gig at east harbor State Park Marina. It was fun (as always when Randy and I get together to make music), but it wasn’t the same without the Princess.
All this running around hasn’t allowed for a whole lot of study and reflection time but I do have a few ideas bouncing around in my head that I’ll elaborate on as soon as it’s ‘condensed’ enough.

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the continually infected Princess) Julie

Be the Turtle.

I’m pleased to report that I did not live an un-‘deliberate’ life today. I worked hard at maintaining focus on the ‘big rocks’ and generally “practicing what I preach” (but it’s only Tuesday). I usually live like the rabbit in the story of the race between the turtle and the rabbit. Today I tried to live ‘slow and steady’, rather than burning out early. The Princess, for her part, went out of her way and made hot bacon dressing this evening. It was yummy on a spinach salad for dinner. I just went to the kitchen for some fudge (hey, we WERE in Mackinac), and she shooed me away from it (sigh) “For my own good”. Still no word from the Princess’s doctor on the infection today. Maybe tomorrow.
I’ve been listening to the audiobook “The Language of God” by Francis S. Collins and was intrigued by something today. He speaks of a ‘peace’ accompanying the decision to take a particular job. I have been thinking about ‘peace’ ever since. I believe ‘peace’ is an important part of a ‘deliberate’ life. To muster the required focus in living a ‘deliberate’ life one must have peace. I’ve been studying peace this evening. I’d love to report some earth-shattering realization resulting from it, but I can’t. I’m still studying. How does one “get” peace? I think peace is like happiness. To paraphrase an old adage ”….it’s like a butterfly. If you chase it, it will elude you. If you sit quietly, it will come and perch on your shoulder”. How does one keep from going crazy while sitting quietly and waiting for peace? My answer is “I have NO idea (but I’m workin’ on it)”. But if this picture the Princess took of the Mackinac Bridge taken through a porthole of the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse tower doesn’t bring about some peace, I don’t know what will.

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the Princess who makes me behave) Julie

Monday after vacation.

I’m of the belief that the Monday after vacation is like a brick wall at the bottom of the first roller coaster hill. Today I hit that wall. Actually the day back at work wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it might be. John my new ‘partner in crime’ at work did a great job of taking care of things that previously would have piled up for me until I returned. I’m really happy to have the help of someone as capable as him.
The Princess went back to the doctor to be ‘cultured’ again (as if high tea at the Grand Hotel last week didn’t make her cultured enough). Hopefully they can arrive at the correct antibiotic cocktail this time and get whatever is eating the Princess knocked out once and for all. Generally the Princess is feeling and therefore looking better than she has in years. Last week Naubinway Jeff commented “You look ten years younger” to her. I think he really meant it. We’re very thankful for the medical developments and professionals that allow people to have an improved quality of life like that.
Health is one of those things that a person really doesn’t appreciate until it’s gone. I’d say it’s one of the ‘big rocks’ in life. The term ‘big rocks’ is from a story that Steven Covey tells in his book First Things First:
by Steven Covey
I attended a seminar once where the instructor was lecturing on time. At one point, he said, "Okay, it’s time for a quiz". He reached under the table and pulled out a wide-mouth gallon jar. He set it on the table next to a platter with some fist-sized rocks on it. "How many of these rocks do you think we can get in the jar?" he asked.
After we made our guess, he said, "Okay. Let’s find out." He set one rock in the jar…then another…then another. I don’t remember how many he got in, but he got the jar full. Then he asked, "Is that jar full?".
Everybody looked at the rocks and said, "Yes".
Then he said, "Ahhh." He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar and the gravel went in all the little spaces left by the big rocks. Then he grinned and said once more, "Is the jar full?"
By this time we were on to him. "Probably not," we said.
"Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went in all the little spaces left by the rocks and the gravel. Once more he looked at us and said, "Is the jar full?"
"No!" we all roared.
He said, "Good!" and he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in. He got something like a quart of water in that jar. Then he said "Well, what’s the point?"
Somebody said "Well, there are gaps, and if you really work at it, you can always fit more into your life."
"No," he said, "that’s not the point. The point is this: if you hadn’t put these big rocks in first, would you ever have gotten any of them in?"
Part of living a ‘deliberate’ life is to know what the ‘big rocks’ are in your life, and then living accordingly. For me personally, I’d have to say that my ‘big rocks’ are: my faith, my family, my farm, and my friends (I didn’t start out looking for alliteration, but if it works, go for it). Where many people struggle (me included) is after having identified the ‘big rocks’, making sure they go into the vessel of our lives first. To do this requires constant thought and continual focus on the ‘big rocks’. I’ll be honest and say that I’m still working on how to do that in my own life. I do believe however that an occasional ‘depressurization’ from the stresses of life in the form of a vacation is a good place to start. Here is a pic of the Princess and me along with the Naubinway Queen and youngsters on our recent vacation.

Aren’t we a sharp looking bunch?

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the re-cultured Princess) Julie

One foot on the brake and one on the gas.

The opposite of a ‘deliberate’ life is the life we’ve been living lately. As I’m sure you know it’s been a while since I’ve updated the blog. I’ll try to bring you up to date. On Friday August 1st the Princess and I headed out on vacation to ‘da yoop’ to spend some time with our good friends at the Naubinway Nook (http://naubinwaynook.blogspot.com/). Friday was a ‘travel day’ and Saturday was spent getting the ‘lay of the land’ and boating on a small lake near the cabin. Sunday brought a trip the Rexton Mennonite Church, followed by a trip to Tahquamenon Falls, and then on to the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Point. Monday was a work day. Naubinway Jeff had a large rock that needed to be moved. He said it’s been his nemesis for several years and has never been able to move it. I guess all he needed was a big, dumb ox from Ohio to supply the horsepower. We had it moved in about three hours. Right after the rock was moved, the girls (Princess and Naubinway Queen) called to inform us that they were stranded. Seems the Convertible decided to run out of power. Had to jump the battery and drive it back to the Nook. Charged it all night, but alas, had to take over to Car Doctor Dan and have the battery replaced! Tuesday was one of my favorite days of the trip. We all went over to Mackinac Island for the day. While we were there we had dinner with some island residents and a matriarch of the island (and mother of the mayor), Mackinac Island Town Crier/St Ignace News columnist Ms. Jeannette Doud. The meal and the conversation after were great. Wednesday brought another island trip for the girls and another day of work for the guys. Thursday was a trip into Mackinac City for the Princess and me. We saw toured Fort Michilamackinac, The lighthouse, were we were able to go to the top, then to Mill Creek, There we saw how the mill was operated with water power. A long, great day. Friday was a drive back home to the highly pollinated state of Ohio. Our allergies (among other things) have us wanting to return to the great white north. Well, I’m off to bed before the Benadryl kicks in. Here is a pic of the Princess and me on vacation.

Check back soon (and often).

Dave and (the sneezy Princess) Julie

Vacation.

There is just something about that word that makes us smile. The Princess and I have determined that as of 1630hrs today we are on vacation. In honor of that thought, we went grocery shopping. Well actually we went to the SuperStore (the same one in which I ‘soloed’ in an earlier blog) so we got more than just groceries. I used a gift card I won at one of last seasons midget football games to procure an inverter for the car/truck to keep the laptop running while we’re on vacation, and not miss out on any opportunity to blog. So now we’re stocked up on snacks and drinks and ready for the road. An eight hour stint on the road awaits us tomorrow. We have books on CD and personal mp3 player to occupy us while we drive. And if that doesn’t work, we can always go back and do it the old fashioned way and have Julie read to me as we drive (like we usually do). I’m really looking forward to spending some time relaxing on the shores of Lake Michigan. The Princess picked up her antibiotics (forth round) from the pharmacy on her way home from work tonight. Her culture was ‘contaminated’ so the doctor prescribed an antibiotic she hasn’t yet been on (in hopes that will work on whatever is ‘eating’ the Princess).

I hope to be able to spend some time reading and reflecting on things to help develop my ideas surrounding what I’ve been calling the ‘deliberate’ life. I’m going to have to start researching that name. I don’t want to be accused of encroaching on someone else’s term. I recently saw a book entitled “The Deliberate Church”, so I’m concerned that I may have to find another word for my idea. But then again I guess I’m still developing the idea so I might as well develop a name for it too. Stay with us as I ramble on through the development of my idea.

Check back soon (and often).

Dave (and the uncontaminated Princess) Julie

I’m tired of being tired.

Well, yesterday ended up being a twenty hour workday so needless to say, I never made it here to blog. We’ll start with the Julie report. The Princess returned to her doctor to see how things were progressing. It seems the three rounds of antibiotics haven’t kicked the infection. So the next step is to have the Princess cultured (and I thought she already WAS cultured), in a lab to see which drug(s) will kill off the nasty bugs that won’t leave her alone. The very capable Dr. Doty-Armstrong anticipates having a treatment plan put together by the end of the week. This is a good thing since we’re leaving on vacation Friday to spend a week with my very good friend Jeff and his family in their northern home. I’m sure you’ll be able to read a full account of the shenanigans we get into on his blog (http://naubinwaynook.blogspot.com/).

Twenty hour workdays do not give a person time to devote to living a ‘deliberate’ life, so I’ll leave you with a few thoughts. From Dr. Steven Covey (I think): “The enemy of the best is not the bad. It is the good that is the enemy of the best”. When I have a place like this to come home to, how could life get much better?

Check back soon (and often).

Dave and (the newly cultured Princess) Julie

Kudos to my mom for pulling all the weeds and revealing these glorious flowers.

This belongs to you.

Well at long last I’m home from Washington DC. In addition to the education that I picked up, I had the opportunity to spend an evening walking on the National Mall. I snapped this picture with my cell phone camera. I had absolutely NO idea how large the Lincoln Memorial actually is. I was awestruck. I was equally moved at the thought that like the PBS commercial (the one with the Dances With Wolves music in it) says, I own part of it. I’ve heard it said that taxes are the dues we pay to live in a civilized society. After a week in a big city like Washington DC, I sometimes wonder if we’re getting our money’s worth of civilization. But then seeing something like this makes it all worth it. I’ve also heard it said that the living conditions in America may not be perfect, but it sure beats the heck out of whatever is in second place. I couldn’t agree more.

My hours of traveling lately have given me time to read (books on CD) and reflect. I’ll share my thoughts with you in upcoming blogs. For now I’ll close with a quote from Socrates “The unexamined life is not worth living”. I’ll be back to my ‘normal’ log style tomorrow.

Check back soon (and often).

Dave

“Warp Factor Seven, Mr. Sulu.”

They say “Time flies when you’re having fun”. That is of course unless you’re Kermit the Frog, in which case you say “Time is fun when you’re having flies”. Either way, it’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to document anything and I’m going to try to ‘catch you up’. Hold on tight, we’re gonna move fast.
Greetings from our nation’s capitol. I’m here for a training class (it’s work stuff. You’d find it boring). As I sit in my hotel room and look out over the Potomac (well OK, I’m looking out on a building that looks out onto Reagan National Airport which overlooks the Potomac) I think back over the events of the last several days.
As I was anticipating a quiet weekend last Friday, Julie’s younger brother Dave decided that re-roofing his house in the ninety plus degree heat just wasn’t any fun anymore so he thought it would be a real hoot to fall off the roof on his head. Well I doubt that it was a conscious decision he made, especially since he ended up with two broken arms, a fractured skull, a fractured back, a broken collarbone, broken facial bones and broken ribs (and other various and sundry injuries). If it weren’t for the familial trait of a hard head that he shares with the Princess, I question if he would have survived the fall. Be that as it may, the whole family got to make a ‘flying run’ to St. V’s in Toledo (actually Dave was the only one flying. He got airlifted there on a LifeFlight helicopter). But to the credit of modern medical science his doctors believe he should make a full recovery in due time. The Princess (in her ever pessimistic way) quipped to me on the way home that since things happen in three’s and since she and her brother were both hospitalized, there would have to be another. I told her that was just an old wives tale and that she was just being silly. Boy was I stupid.
In the midst of all THAT excitement, Julie’s dad decided he wasn’t feeling the greatest either. Thinking that he had a problem with his blood sugar, Julie convinced him to go to the Emergency Room on Saturday night to get checked out. Much to our surprise, Julie’s mom called a little later to say that they were admitting him to the hospital thinking he may have had a heart attack. He was eventually diagnosed with a condition called ‘total heart block’ (at least I think that’s what the doctor said it was called. It was REALLY late on Saturday night). That is a condition where the upper and lower chambers of the heart do not operate in unison and therefore do not supply enough blood to the body. At any rate, the doctors implanted a temporary pacemaker around midnight Saturday night to keep his ticker running correctly until they could implant a permanent one. He didn’t have to wait long though since he got his permanent one at 7:30 Sunday morning.
While that surgery was going on I was at the 9am church service that was being led by Miriam’s youth group to celebrate their mission trip to Arizona. The youth did a great job and I truly believe that great blessings await many of the youth in that group and the world at the hands of the youth in that group. I feel that The Spirit is strong in several of them.
After church and a quick trip to the hospital to check on Julie’s dad I set out for Washington DC. What should have been about a seven hour trip took almost eleven because I drove in rain (and some severe thunderstorms) through most of W.Va, PA and Maryland. It cleared up just as I was approaching Washington. After driving around for about an hour looking for my hotel (because my laptop battery had died, rendering my map, directions and reservation information useless) I FINALLY found the right hotel and got checked in. Apparently there were no rooms available in the Marriott hotel I had requested (the one where my training sessions are being held) so my overachieving Administrative Assistant (who routinely goes above and beyond the call of duty) took the initiative to book me at the closest Marriott hotel. She probably told me this and as usual I wasn’t listening. Anyway, this would have been all well and good had I taken the time to actually READ my reservation and see where a room was waiting for me. Oh well.
Monday had me learning a lot of stuff about radio waves and Julie playing food delivery girl to all the shut-ins. I think we’re all going to collapse in bed tonight and sleep VERY well.
I’ll blog more about a ‘deliberate’ life when I’m no longer moving at what Captain Kirk of the Starship Enterprise would call “Warp Factor Seven, Mr. Sulu”. Until then I’m just trying to hang on and I hope you do the same.
Check back soon (and often)
Dave and (the no longer the most unhealthy Princess) Julie

Some infections kill harder than others.

Well the Princess found out tonight that she still hasn’t completely kicked her infection. She learned this while at yet another doctors appointment unrelated to her latest surgeries (what are we gonna do when we get old?) and asked to have it checked just for safety. I guess kudos are in line for the Princess for listening to her body enough to know to get checked out. She still claims to feel pretty good though. Feeling good is not necessarily easy in weather we’ve had here. The temperatures were in the 90s outside today with high humidity My office building developed a problem with the A/C today and when I finally decided just before four o’clock that I’d had enough, it was 87 degrees in my office. I’m thinking about going in to work early tomorrow in order to ‘beat the heat’.
The Princess and I went for a walk in the vineyard this evening. It sounds romantic until I tell you that we were looking for re-infestations of Japanese beetles. We found a grand total of three beetles. That’s still enough to convince me that I need to stop by the garden store tomorrow and get some Sevin to spray in the vineyard. I’m also intrigued by things I’ve read about Neem oil. I may ask about that too.
A few days ago I wrote about an important part of the ‘deliberate’ life being the connection between thought and action. I’ve been meditating over what keeps people in general, and me specifically, from making the transition from thought into action. I think a lot of it has to do with health. We’ve been paying more attention to our health lately. I recently got a copy of the DASH diet book. Julie is reading through it now. I hope the health benefits to us inspires us to lead a ‘deliberate’ life. I’ll let you know how it’s going.

Check back soon (and often).

Dave and (the still infected Princess) Julie

Some days you’re the statue, and some days you’re the pigeon.

And then there are days like today where you’re both. But first, the Princess update. Julie seems to be tolerating the antibiotic well and I think it’s already helping. Her mood is good and I think she feels pretty good. She now almost ‘plops’ down into a chair and can cough without her eyes watering. She drove herself to work again today and got to take the car BACK to the tire place. I’m beginning to wonder about her driving habits (or if she has a thing for the tire guy). She took Ely along for a ride when she went to the market tonight. Here is Ely on our front porch pretending to be a watchdog.

Look real close, He's kinda short!

I sprayed for Japanese beetles in the vineyard tonight. I was amazed at the profusion of bugs. Since I mowed on Saturday some of the second year vines were almost defoliated. I think I’m going to have to spray again with Sevin or something like that. The beetles almost came out in clouds when I hit some of the bigger vines. Wow.

We’re now sitting here watching “Wipeout” on TV. It’s a funny show.

Julie’s turn:

Dave is correct. I am feeling better about the whole operation thing. I was beginning to think I did it all for nothing. I feel better mentally and physically (at least for today)

As for my driving habits, I feel I must defend my self. I have nothing to do with the valve stem or the nail. I am sure of this. I am getting to know the tire guy Dan. He seems to be real nice and soft spoken. I hope he has a good life outside the tire shop!

I am also learning the inventory of the Hardware store attached to the tire shop. They have a little bit of everything.. Just like the old hardware in Arlington had. Now for the tip of the day .I found the best glass cleaner. It’s called “Perfect Glass” Get some and love it!

Check back soon (and often).

Dave and (the increasingly frisky Princess) Julie

Monday Monday

Not one wanting to be bored, the Princess decided that her recovery was going along too smoothly and that an infection was in order (just to keep things interesting). A quick visit to the doctor (or Nurse Practitioner in this case) yielded a prescription for antibiotics which should kick the infection in short order. According to the health care professionals this type of infection is fairly common after surgery and at this point is nothing to be overly concerned about. So the Princess has yet another pill to take in the morning and evening for a while (as if she didn’t already sound like a maraca after her pills). The Princess is also pleased that she was able to drive herself to work today (and to the tire shop for a repair) for the first time since her surgery. I guess that means that I get to relinquish my role as chauffer now. I can probably do the same for the ‘chief cook’ role since she made dinner (delicious chicken enchiladas). So I guess life is getting that much closer to normal.

After my ‘day job’ I stopped off at a ‘night job’ client site to generate a little “billable time” before I went to the Garden Store to get some insecticide for the grapes in the vineyard (and on the pergola). The Japanese beetles are TERRIBLE this year. I hope to be able to spray after work tomorrow night. It’s too late to spray the raspberries, but I hope to be able to ‘save’ the grapes. Miriam should be back from her mission trip tomorrow or Wednesday. She called home and spoke to Julie briefly the other day. She says she’s having a great and Spirit filled time. I hope this trip continues to minister to her as well as the people she went to serve.

Mission trips and things like that are great examples of what I’ve been calling the ‘deliberate’ life. I’ve talked about the ‘deliberate’ life requiring thought. That is very true, but for a life to BE deliberate also requires action which is the result of thought. That’s where I’ve been ‘falling down’ lately. No matter how hard I ‘think’ something, it still requires me getting off my big fat backside and ‘doing’ something (I’m really having a tough time with being a mere mortal). A ‘deliberate’ life requires thought and action. And probably the MOST important element (and therefore the most difficult) is the connection between the two. I plan to focus on that aspect of it for a while. This upcoming weekend I have some extensive traveling to do and I plan to take the audiobook “Man’s Search For Meaning” by Viktor Frankl to keep me occupied on the trip. I’ll let you know what new thoughts spring out of this.

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the infected Princess) Julie

P.S. since I don’t have a recent picture of the grapes, here is a part of the raspberry crop from this year.

Time flies when you’re having fun

Here it is Sunday and I have an entire weekend to recount.

Well the Princess seems eager to regain her total independence. She thought Saturday would be a good day to pretend like she was back to her pre-op self. First (unbeknownst to me) she thought she’d do some housework while I was out mowing. About the time I was finishing up on the mower she left (her first time driving since the surgery) to go to Sam’s Club to “pick up a few things”. Well, she wasn’t able to find everything she wanted there (although she did manage to pick up MANY things she didn’t know she was looking for) so she thought she’d try K-mart. Finding nothing there she continued her excursion with a stop at Wal-Mart. Needless to say she had a REALLY rough night last night and stayed in bed this morning (not that I’m complaining). We spent the day like pagans and didn’t make it to church. That rarely happens. When we finally got up we had a DELICIOUS breakfast of Bacon –n- Egg Pizza (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bacon-N-Egg-Pizza/Detail.aspx). We spent the afternoon outside doing light yard work, playing with the ‘critters’ and picking berries. My mom joined us for dinner and provided country sausage links for us to grill as well as a fantastic Cherry Cordial Cheesecake. Now it’s evening and our focus turns to preparing to return to the stress-fest we know as our day jobs.

I’d like to make an observation. A stressed life DOES NOT equal a ‘deliberate’ life.

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the suffering at her own hand Princess) Julie

Forget Thursday. Today was GRUMPY Day.

The Princess had a rather sleepless night and was a tad on the ‘edgy’ side this morning. Of course, not being able to have breakfast and needing to be at the doctors office at 0800 for a blood draw isn’t likely to make me chipper in the morning either. I also think now that the initial trauma of the surgeries has worn off, she’s in that place in her recovery where she just instantly wants to be back to 100% again. Of course she is fully aware that she won’t be, and no matter how many times I say “You must learn patience, Grasshopper” (and she slugs me), it won’t make her heal any faster. But at any rate she improved as the day went on. I have a philosophy that ‘grump’ is neither created nor destroyed, it merely changes people. As the Princess’ mood improved, mine degenerated. It seems that I had a sign on my forehead that said ‘get in my way’ all day. I had no major issues, just a lot of irritations. By the time we came home I’d had enough. I laid down to do some reading and didn’t feel like getting up to make dinner. Much to my surprise the Princess decided to make dinner while I took a snooze. I awoke to orange Dijon pork chops and pasta-roni. It was delicious.

Even though my mood was much improved by a nap and a wonderful dinner, I still didn’t read the next chapter in the book I’m reading. Julie and I went outside, watered plants, took a little walk and played with the ‘boys’ after dinner.

I’m glad tomorrow is Friday.

My turn:

Dave is right; I do want to be back to 100 percent. I also agree that I need to be patient. I am real tired of not being able to all the normal activities of day to day life. If I am good, and take no more heavy pain medication, Dave has agreed to let me drive! I will be able to gain a little normalcy back. Don’t misunderstand, I do love spending time with my husband, mother & father, It’s just I would like to be able to feel we are spending time together because we want to, not because they have to do stuff for me. I know...PATIENCE!

Check back soon (and often).

(The Grumpers) Dave and Julie

PS I just could not leave this on such a down note so here is the good & funny news. Dave has lost so much weight now that as he was watering the plants tonight, he was walking across the porch and his shorts actually fell down. Now thats Funny!

Three steps forward, one step back.

The Princess didn’t take any Aleve last night. She reports that she awoke with “ a headache in the pelvis” and some other indications that her ‘innards’ got scrambled yesterday. The heating pad and Aleve were her friends today. We think we’ve traced the change to the increased amount of coughing and sneezing due to allergies she’s been experiencing (Ah, to be in Ohio now that Summer is here). At any rate I’ve placed her on “light duty” here at home tonight while I take care of the laundry and supper. After a quick nap she's working on her needlepoint. Supper was chicken cordon bleu (from the freezer) and lima beans (also from the freezer) with Catawba Grape juice. I’m now fighting the desire to have some ice cream that I saw in the freezer while I was poking around for dinner. Julie loves lima beans (I do not). I have to be on the road tomorrow, but if I’m home in time I think we’ll grill steaks and asparagus (that I also saw lurking in the freezer).

I'll get back to my musings on the 'deliberate' life tomorrow. I HAD to share this story with you today.

Well as I said in an earlier post (I think), these updates are coming from the ‘funny farm’ where we live. With that in mind let me tell you about my evening. In addition to my duties a ‘domestic goddess’ this evening (dinner and four loads of laundry), I also had to be “the destroyer”. Ely the Corgi had something cornered under/in my Blazer which was parked behind the house in the barnyard. Anticipating something exciting (as things in my life usually are) I armed myself and went out to investigate. At first glance I couldn’t see what he was barking at so I figured I’d start the engine and rev it up to scare out the bird or rabbit or kitten I suspected was under the hood. No such luck. I shut the engine down and went to investigate more closely because the dog was still barking like crazy and wouldn’t back off. As I had feared by this time, Ely had gotten a groundhog somewhere it really didn’t want to be. He had it cornered on top of the axle, between the right front tire and the wheel well. No chance of a clean shot. Not one to be outdone by a rodent, I figured I’d take the truck out onto the road and hope the ‘critter’ went off the front axle and under the rear wheel. Again, no such luck. After backing all the way out of the barnyard and through the vineyard (did I mention we had a vineyard?) all the while watching closely so as not to run over Ely, I backed onto the road and turned the wheels hard to the right. The groundhog sensing himself to be exposed by the turning wheels “bailed out” and headed for the trees. After parking the Blazer I determined that there would be NO sleep tonight (for animals or humans) with Ely ‘barking treed” on that groundhog. I reluctantly decided to dispatch him and looked for an angle to get a clean shot. Of course there was no such thing. Ultimately, after what must have looked like a Keystone Kops show, I can say my mission was a complete success because the groundhog did not survive and I was not injured (somewhat to my surprise on both counts). To my target shooting friend Detective Snyder I proclaim “your position as champion marksman is safe”. Let’s just say my grouping wasn’t the greatest (but hey what do you expect from a partially blind man). It took an entire clip to do what should have been a single shot job (I need more target practice). Since I’m not one to post a picture of a dead rodent, here is the vineyard I had to back the Blazer out through.

Check back soon (and often).

Dave (the Destroyer) and (the achy Princess) Julie

The Julie Report +1 week +1

At this rate the Princess may be doing cartwheels by the weekend.

The Princess spent another full day at work today. And to top that all off, she says she’s almost completely caught up from being out last week (that means she had a good day). She hitched a ride home after work because her chauffer had to stop by one of his ‘night job’ clients after his day job. For those that don’t know it, my day job is making computer & phone systems talk to each other. My ‘night job’ (or one of them anyway) is setting up and managing communication systems for small offices and home offices. Anyway, Julie was at her parents place and I thanked them for Juliesitting for me when I stopped by to pick her up. They were OK with it. I marveled at how fast she moves (and sits down or stands up) now.

Julie says she may actually take some Aleve this evening. Her last steri-strip came off this morning and she hasn’t taken ANY pain meds since Monday morning before work. I’d say she’s in pretty good shape (and she’s darn tough). She made dinner tonight (well she combined some pre-cooked ground beef and a Hamburger Helper lasagna mix in a skillet). Still, it beats the heck out of my scrambled eggs of last Wednesday. We chased that with some of the frozen fruit Diana brought over last week. I limited myself to a single serving of each. I jumped on the scales today. I’m down almost ten pounds. Gee, only 90 more to go.

I read today where the single most effective thing a person can do to loose weight is keep a detailed food journal. It forces the dieter to ‘think’ about what they’re eating. That plays right into my post about living a ‘deliberate’ life. You make better choices when you think about them first. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done. Thinking takes time (and effort). Often the pace at which we run our lives in the early 21st century does not leave time for thinking. It seems that we only have time (or desire) for doing, not thinking. We need to remember that we are human beings, not human doings. We need to utilize that portion of the infinite that is within each of us and think before we act (or look before we leap). I had a difficult time doing that today. I hope and pray that tomorrow will be better.

Check back soon (and often).

Dave and (the rapidly rebounding Princess) Julie

The Julie Report +1 week

So much for being royalty.

The Princess returned to work today (as did her bumbling caretaker). I guess she couldn't lounge on the patio with animal footwarmers forever.
(that's Tigg'r the tomcat looking at you in the picture while hugging Julies toes)

She certainly is in better shape than I thought. I said this morning that I would be surprised if she lasted until noon in the office. She not only made it through the whole day, but when I picked her up at quitting time she actually had more 'spunk' left in her than I've seen her exhibit for some time. I guess maybe spending the day around people who pass gas for a living must do something to invigorate you (in the spirit of full disclosure I have to tell you that she works for a natural gas utility company). My day was like most of the others; trying to take care of about eighteen things at once because nobody thought to plan out what the ramifications of their business decisions would be. Oh well, I guess that's "job security" (which really doesn't exist anymore, but I'll save that for a future blog).

After our first day back on the job we're both wondering why we spend so much time making a living at the expense of making a life. I guess maybe it's because living a 'deliberate' life is hard. By deliberate life I mean one where you make your own decisions rather than letting someone else make them for you, and you take your own actions rather than allowing someone else to act for you. It's easier to just 'go with the flow' and take advantage of all the good things that life in the 21st century has to offer (like blogging). Recently I've committed myself to strive to live a more deliberate life. I'll try to share with you how it's going.

Well I should go help Julie pick up in the kitchen after our scrumptious dinner of scrambled eggs & little sausages.

Check back soon (and often)

Dave and (the ever harder to keep down) Julie

The Julie Report - Day 7

The Princess enjoyed a normal Sunday today. We got up early and actually went to church. All but one of her 'steri-strips' have fallen off and she says her 'stab wounds' itch (in addition to the obvious discomfort). She wasn't able to sit through the entire service though (imagine that) and had to retire to a couch in the ladies lounge to finish it out. Ben's message dealt with America's 'National Treasure' (The Word). Julie and I came home alone since Miriam is leaving on her Mission Trip. We read for a little while and then went outside. I finished putting the vine-training wires on top of the pergola and Julie played with Ely (our Corgi) and read/napped in a chaise lounge chair in the shade (ask her about the sunburn she got yesterday). We picked a few berries too.

Julie is off of her prescription pain med's entirely today. She's hopeful to be well enough to stay that way but is planning to return to work tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes. Julie actually made dinner tonight (leftover mac&cheese and salad out of a bag).

The Julie Report

This is the first of the "Julie Reports". I am happy to announce that according to her doctor, Julie's surgery went well. She went in around 7:30 and finished up a little after 11. Apparently the doctor had to work a little harder than anticipated. We're currently waiting in her room (4172), for her to come back up. If therer are no unanticipated complications, Julie may get to come home as ealy as tomorrow morning. I will send more reports as more details become available. Thanks for your prayers.

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:48 pm
Julie is now back in her room and sleeping peacefully. She came back up around 12:15 local time. She developed a little nausea in the recovery room and they kept her until that was under control. The doctor is pleased that Julie did not have the abdominal adhesions that were feared and the first portion of the surgery was done without a major abdominal incision (thereby shortening recovery time). I expect that she will sleep until around dinnertime tonite. At this point she is a 'model patient'. Now, let's just hope she stays that way. I hope you all help me in convincing her that her ONLY job right now is to heal, and that means rest and take it easy. Please feel free to pass this report along to any who may need to know.We can't thank all of you enough for your thoughts and prayers.Dave (and a sleeping Julie)

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 3:56 pm
THE PRINCESS HAS AWAKENED!! Julie (sort of) woke up a little after 3pm for the first time. She had some ice chips and asked some questions. She also said she wanted to roll over because she was stiff. When the nurses came to roll her over she tried to help. "OUCH!". That was a big mistake. The nurse then gave her more pain medicine so she's sleepy again, but she was able to roll onto her side and flex her knees. That's much better according to her. Now she says she's hungry. I guess I'll have to start cooking when she wakes up again (probably in another 3 hours). Her vitals still look really good so we're keeping our fingers crossed for an early release.Thus far the nurses here have been GREAT!Thanks to Gene and Bonnie for staying here until Julie was 'settled' in her bed. And thanks to my mom for locking her keys in her car (ask her about it). The old saying is true "No good deed goes unpunished".That's all for now. I'll report more information as it becomes available.Dave and (an ouchy, sleepy, hungry) Julie

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 6:39 pm
Dinner was a smashing success. The Princess enjoyed beef broth, orange jello and cranberry juice. She says it was delicious and is now snoozing again. She also claims to feel pretty good, all things considered. She should be sitting on the edge of the bed and dangling her feet before the evening is over. Julie learned an important lesson today too. When your pain med's make your BP drop to 82/51 you get kind of 'light headed'. I asked her how she knew the difference. She responded with a very weak "Poop on you". I've been passing along your well wishes as she is coherent enough to appreciate them.Please keep Julie in your prayers (if we go home tomorrow she will have to endure ME as her nurse). Dave (and the recovering Princess) Julie

The Julie Report - Day 2
Tue, 1 Jul 2008 7:39 am
Well, we survived the night.Julie is now on to "real" food. She's now on to pain pills instead of in the IV. She's also ordered breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast and is really looking forward to it. The amazing Dr. Doty-Armstrong was in this morning to admire her handiwork. She says all looks good to go. Throughout the course of the day the nursing staff will be disconnecting Julie from all of her 'lanyards' and getting her up and moving. Once she can get herself around (with help) she can go home. It probably won't be until around dinnertime though. Time will tell. I'll continue to provide updates throughout the day to keep you all apprised of the situation.Dave and (the ouchy Princess) Julie

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 9:41 amSubject: The Julie Report - Day 2
SHE'S FREE, SHE'S FREE!!!!!The Princess is not free of all her 'rigging' and able to move about. I've helped her out of bed and she is now sitting in the chair beside the bed (where I spent the night). The Percocet seems to be taking care of the pain (imagine that) and Julie says her pain is no more than a "3" sitting in the chair. We anticipate going home around 5 today. I'm probably more scared than she is. At that point I become nurse, chef, cook and chauffeur. Eeeeeeeek. I hope I'm up to it.Well back to tending the Princess. More to come..........Dave and (the Free Princess) Julie

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 11:54 amSubject: The Julie Report - Day 2
Great things are happening.I'm very proud of Julie. I just helped her into the bathroom so she could go potty like a big girl (now I've got to find some M&Ms for her). I was also encouraged by her report that while I was across the hall getting ice she had a toot. I would seem that everything is returning to normal. All we have left to be concerned about now is a big #2. She is choosing her food very carefully in 'preparation' for this major moving event. Salad, applesauce and a chicken breast just delivered for lunch.A trip home this afternoon now seems inevitable. Please feel free to drop the Princess an email with your well wishes. She's been checking it here and will continue to when she gets home.Thank you for your support,Dave and (the internally resurrecting Princess) Julie

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 5:11 pmSubject: Re: The Julie Report - Day 2
The Princess is home!We got home around 4:30 and I promptly bedded her down with lots and lots of pillows. All of the 'kids' here were really happy to see 'mom' return. Her pain pills will be a necessity for the near term. She seems to believe that even though they took her to suite 3 for her surgery, she is CERTAIN that her left leg was stretched into the next room. Ouch. But even with that, things are starting to return to normal. Hopefully the next few days will be peaceful, restful days for the Princess. I will continue to send updates (but less frequently) as to how Julie is healing and dealing with her less than competent caretaker.Thanks to all who have offered or provided help of ANY kind. You are appreciated more than you know.Dave and (the stiff and sore Princess) Julie

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 10:47 amSubject: The Julie Report - Day 3
The blessed event has occurred.The Princess has informed me that she had a very "moving" experience in the bathroom this morning. That's one more 'biggie' out of the way. She is now sitting on the couch reading a new book by her favorite author (Janet Evonavich). Things seem to be healing well and she is already down to needing only one pain pill instead of two. She actually wanted to get up and have breakfast (oatmeal w/crasins) at the table this morning.Anyway, thanks to everyone for their well wishes and calls and prayers and offerings.Dave and (the moving forward Princess) Julie

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 8:00 pmSubject: Re: The Julie Report - Day 3
The recovery continues.The Princess has now survived a full day and three meals at home at the hands of her bumbling husband. She requested scrambled eggs for dinner. I can say that my attempt could be termed "The stuff prison riots are made of", but we ate it anyway. Julie responded by taking two pain pills and is now sleeping it off with her heating pad. Now if only that were an option for me.........Her dad and mom stopped by this afternoon to bring out a prescription that the pharmacy had to special order and brought homemade cherry pie and ice cream. Fantastic! Thanks to the Gateway Worship Team for the very nice floral arrangement that was delivered this afternoon and more importantly to everyone for their continued prayers. I truly believe it is helping speed her recovery.We are hopeful that tomorrow will hold a walk to the great outdoors (or at least out onto the porch). I will include a full report here.Dave and (the amazing recovering Princess) Julie

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 10:35 amSubject: The Julie Report - Day 4
The saga continues.The Princess had a fairly decent night. Although she has started to experience a touch of the insomnia they told her to expect. I suspect she will deal with it in short order (or I will get her a night job for the extra money). She went back to two pain pills at a time last night. She's also having strange dreams thanks to them. Ask her about her 'pimped out' Crown Victoria limo and the hookers she helped escape in it (I GOTTA get me some of those pills). Breakfast this morning was a far cry from dinner last night. The Princess enjoyed mini-cheddar-smoky links, oatmeal w/crasins and cranberry juice. It was a culinary delight. After breakfast (and all of her pills) she got a little woozy and laid down on the couch for a little snooze. She's now up & about with her contacts in her eyes for the first time this week. I know things are returning to normal because as I type this she's sitting on the couch (in MY spot) working on some needlepoint.The plan as of now is for Julie to stay at her mom and dads for a little while this afternoon while her bumbling caretaker (the one who tried to feed her pain meds to the cats) goes grocery shopping. It will be her first excursion out. Expect a full report this evening.Dave and (the recently patched Princess) Julie

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 9:44 pmSubject: The Julie Report - Day 4
Improvement continuesToday was a good day for the Princess. She made her first road trip since her surgery. She went to her dad and moms while her bumbling caretaker went to the grocery store. And I can honestly say that after spending that 'quality time' at Wal-Mart, I was the one who needed sedation. The blind man in Wal-Mart is an adventure all it's own. Screaming kids, ugly people and strange items on the list were almost more than I could take! I have to confess, it was my first solo trip since the loss of vision in one eye. WOW it is a whole different trip. Little kids, strange people. Not to mention having to really look at every item on the shelf, just to find the one thing that I wanted. The items are not where they use to be. It should have taken me 1/2 an hour. It took 2 HOURS. I HATE TO SHOP! Well I think you get the idea.We were graced with a visit by Randy and Diana They stopped by for a little while this evening. And we are very fortunate that they brought FOOD! I'm already salivating at the thought of the casserole in the morning. It was very nice and meant a lot to the Princess to have thoughtful people all around her. From her parents "Princess Sitting" to my father offering her jobs (on behalf of the firemen), she feels blessed to have all of you thinking of her, laughing with her, she is grateful for all of you. As for me, the bumbling caretaker, I am also grateful for the feed back letting me know that I am doing it right. Well the Princess is tucked into bed with her snack of gourmet orange jello (with cool whip) and hopefully will have a restful night. I know that I need it. I will never take her weekly shopping trips for granted again. She is so much better at dealing with Wal-Mart than I will ever be! Well, we're signing off for the night. I'll send more updates tomorrow.Dave and (the increasingly mobile Princess) Julie

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 9:32 amSubject: The Julie Report - Day 5
Greetings from the PrincessWell, I have decided to do my own update today, Poor Dave has just exhausted himself taking care of me. Between all the cooking, dishwasting, laundry and babysitting, I think he is ready for the nap! Seriously. Dave has taken such good care of me, that I am ready to play outside today. Gonna try to take a book outside and get some much needed sunshine and time with the dog. We missed the Arlington Fireworks last night and I was a little sad, but there will be more displays tonight. Depends on how tired the slave is, we may go tonight. All kidding aside, I really am doing well, I still have pain, but have cut back on the pain pills. I hope to just take them a few times today. and get back to doing some things on my own. Well, time to go outside now. My chair and cushion awaits!Thanks again to Randy and Diana for the breakfast casserole. It took a huge burden off of the cook.Julie and (the imaginarily overworked caretaker) Dave

I know, I know. How DARE we go almost 36 hours wihout an update.Well, the truth is that we've been too active to sit down at a computer to draft one up. Following breakfast this morning (more of Diana's delicious breakfast casserole) I went out to start the mowing. Andrew came out a little later to help. After a quick lunch break (grilled hot dogs at the Princess' request) we got back to our chores. we finished a little after 3. While we were working, Miriam (and the Princess) made a margarita cake and watched a movie. Kevin and Jenn Snyder brought pizza (and brownies) over for dinner. We dined on the patio. It was very niceThe Princess continues to improve and in spite of having a rough night last night,, had a good day today. She continues to get more 'spring in her step' and 'fire in her eyes' almost hourly now. My primary duty seems to have shifted from doing things for her to keeping her from doing too many things herself. She's trying to be a good patient, but as we all know, that is not her nature. Her turn!OK,OK, so I try to do a few things on my own. In my defense I have not been use to having everything done for me. I have always been a care giver, not use to being on the receiving end. A girl can only take so much! I did relax in the lawn chair today. Actually got a sun burn on my legs. Have finished my book. I didn't even take a nap! As I continue to feel better every day. I will have to try to not do too much. I have been reading about what happens to women who start to feel good and forget their limitations. Lets just say, I don't want to do that, but I understand how it happens. I know that Dave will keep me on a short leash!.. It has been a relaxing week, but soon to come to an end. I plan on returning to work on Monday and see how it goes. I still tire quickly, but I think I will do OK. I will let you know! Dave is now snoring beside me, I guess this care giving stuff wears a person out! Think I will turn out the light and join himThe (getting good as new) Princess and her Sleeping Prince Dave