2.08.2013

Notes from the Dugout

Hello cyberspace friends!  How has life been treating you?

I've not checked in much this week, and, I have to tell ya', I miss the connection.  Writing and chatting with you via the sky gives my brain time to reflect and just be still a minute.  I suspect writing does that for most of us who love it.

My update on Dad is that he's doing better.  The medications have finally balanced and enabled Dad to concentrate on his therapy.  He's getting up on his feet (with help) and spends more time dressed and in the wheelchair than in bed.  He'd like to be on his walker tomorrow, but recovery is very slow, and he will likely be in rehab another three weeks.  At the moment, he does not have a roommate, and his broken TV was replaced.  Those things make life a little more enjoyable.  He discovered he can wheel himself down to the bistro to get free ice cream.  This makes life a little sweeter.

Here he is with his bride of 62 years.   He calls her Janey-baby. 


Here on the home front, we received a tax refund that enabled me to pay off the new stove and slap another chunk of dough on student loans I swear are going to follow me to the grave.   I'm all for higher education, it's worth it, it's worth it, just get the degree before you're 42.  I'm just saying.

Regarding the new stove: the glass flat top is a puzzle to clean. The cleaner they recommend is just a polish, doesn't have any effect on globs of red sauce or bacon grease.  Scraping the glass with a razor's edge, as they also recommend, gets off the globs of stuff, but I cringe as I do it, knowing at some point the glass is going to get scratched.  The razor doesn't remove the smeary kinds of stuff we generate, either.  I've tried oven cleaner and even Windex (the top is glass, right?) to no avail.  Any tips from other flat top stove owners?  I'm sure there's a magic solution out there.

I was back in a high school class room this week, after seven years away, teaching character education to teens, making good choices regarding dating and sex, etc.  I felt old and a bit out of touch, but the students were attentive and responsive and asked excellent questions.  At 14, their faces are open and vulnerable, and I fell in love with all of them, especially the few with autism.  They were genuine and unafraid and told me straight what was on their mind. Teenagers get a bad rap, but I think they're pretty cool.


I also made a decision this week I'm already regretting.  I signed up for the April A-Z Blogging Challenge.  Staring April 1, bloggers write a post a day, starting with a topic that begins with A, then work their way through the alphabet.  They can have a theme, or no theme.  I thought I had a good theme, but after I wrote three posts in preparation, I was out of material.  So, I'm back to square one, which is, what the heck am I going to write about every day?  

Drop by in April and see how it plays out.  I'm warning you right now, some posts are bound to be doo-doo. 

What are your plans for April?

 

15 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I agree about writing/blogging. It does gives us opportunities to reflect on our own lives too. Glad your dad is doing so well. That is really good news. Good luck with the A-Z. As far as April goes, I'm just so looking forward to some nicer weather. Spring is going to be a welcome relief.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I agree about writing/blogging. It does gives us opportunities to reflect on our own lives too. Glad your dad is doing so well. That is really good news. Good luck with the A-Z. As far as April goes, I'm just so looking forward to some nicer weather. Spring is going to be a welcome relief.

Unknown said...

Glad things with Dad are sweeter! Him and mom look adorable in the picture..
If I remember correctly last April you A-Z posts were great.

I've decided to do it again too and I have a vacation planned. Not sure what I was thinking either!

Oh well I figure it will be fun, just think of all the new potential new friends we can make and things we can learn. That itself makes it worth the effort!

Joyce said...

I'm also doing the A-Z...I still need a theme. I like to have a theme, otherwise I struggle with it. The past two years I had ready made themes, but this year life is quieter. Not a bad thing, but not much in the way of blog fodder.

I'll look for you there!

Dana said...

I'm glad your dad is doing better. That's such a sweet picture of him and your mom.

I also signed up for the A to Z, and I don't have a solid theme yet, either. I'm sure I'll come up with something one of these days. :)

Have a nice weekend!

momto8 said...

love the photo..and the 62 yrs! wow. I have a 14 yr old...the stories they tell me about school would not have me volunteering for too much...but I agree with you..I love the teen age yrs...there is way more good to be found than bad!

Retired Knitter said...

Glad to hear your dad is doing better. Progress is always a slow climb at the upper years.

I did the A to Z challenge for the last 2 years. In 2011 I was not able to finish on time due to mom's chronic illnesses and hospitalizations. In 2012 - I finished with the crowd.

This year I have decided to pass on that blog event. I found 30 days to be a very long time and I have totally exhausted my alphabetic creativity. I did join the Grow Your Blog event last month that was sponsored by Vicki at 2 Bags Full. That was a short commitment and it drew in a lot of folks who have similar interests. I will do that event again next year if she sponsors it.

Good luck with A to Z. I will enjoy reading your entries.

betty said...

Glad your dad is doing better; they make such a sweet couple! I agree with you about teens; they really are so neat to be around; I loved being around them when my son was a teen (although I'm sure he didn't like that I liked being around them :)

A/Z, it will be a wild ride but we'll get through it :)

betty

kim said...

I'm glad your dad is doing better! I hear you on the student loan. My husband has one that I feel we will be paying off until I have to go be a greeter at WalMart. There's got to be a better way to get a higher education!

Brenda said...

Glad to hear your dad is recovering nicely. I love his name for his wife!
Would diluted vinegar do the trick? I use vinegar on everything including laundry and in my dishwasher.
Yep, I signed up too...for both my blogs. I'm determined to finish it this time.

Jo-Anne's Ramblings said...

Yes teenagers get a bad rap all the time, as for cleaning your stove top I have no idea I have an old oven/stove............lol

Cindy Dwyer said...

Glad to hear Dad is doing better. I did A2Z last year and worried about completing it too. It was the best thing I ever did for my blogging. But start NOW stockpiling posts. No person with a life outside of blogging can reasonably write a decent post everyday.

Jerralea said...

Glad your dad is doing better!

I never heard of the A-Z blogging challenge. I might check that out. I'm impressed you are writing April posts in February!

I chuckled out loud when you warned some of your A-Z posts may be doo-doo. Hadn't heard that expression in a long time. I know your posts will be good and entertaining. They always are!

Lynn Proctor said...

glad to hear your dad is going better---sounds like you have lots going on---i too am having trouble with my stove top---my son gave me his old-stove recently and it has a cook top which is black--i love it but it is hard to keep clean----don't know if i am doing the april thing--:)

Cecilia Marie Pulliam said...

First, I am also glad to hear that your dad is doing better.

And as for your new stove top. I have one and keep it beautifully clean with Weiman Cook Top Cleaner. It cleans burned on foods, grease, water spots and residue. To be used with Cook Top Scrubbing Pads. Mine is also black, and this works well for me. Not sure which brand you used. I picked this up at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Good luck with your blogging A-Z.