Almost ready...
It's that time of year again. Opening day of deer season here in Texas is this Saturday. My rifles have been to the range and have been proven to be accurate. I've checked and packed my gear. My hunting clothes are in the washing machine now with the scent free, UV killer detergent.
I have to go into the office for a little while in the morning, but we should still be on the road for the ranch by mid-day tomorrow (Friday).
It appears that all of my efforts and preparations to attract the deer to my hunting area seem to be paying off. I talked to Ron yesterday, and he said there have been lots of deer in my area. Hopefully the Big Boy from last year will come back this year.
I'll try to make sure to take lots of pictures of this weekends activities.
Wish me luck. I'll give a full update when I get home (no internet access at the ranch).
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Cooking with the Fat Guy...
If you know me or have been reading a while, you will know that I like to cook. I like to eat also, but I discovered while I was in college that I really like to cook. I credit a guy named Billy Smith in Ruston, LA. My first 2 years of college were at Louisiana Tech. The local church paired up college students that were away from home with a local family to hang out with and be a sort of local support base. Billy and Kellie were my "adopted" parents. They were both great cooks, but Billy's style seemed to work well with me. Throw it in the pot and see what happens. A laid back approach to making stuff that just tastes good, but is not overly fancy.
To be honest, not everything works. Some things are easier than others. Some things I like to cook take a while, and some can be slapped together in a few minutes. Since Shelly and I both work full time and have 2 kids (4 & almost 6 months), weeknight meals are quick, mainly one pot or one pan affairs, made with simple ingredients, with an easy side dish thrown together. Most take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Rachel Ray has nothing on me...
Since I've been asked a few times, I figured I'd put a few recipes and quick tips together in blog format. I'll put a tag at the bottom so this post can be referred back to later. Unfortunately, most of the recipes don't have names as I've made them up.
Basics: We seem to use sweet (yellow) onions, green onions, and bell peppers often. Chopping these things is sort of a pain in the butt and takes a few minutes. I usually chop up 4 or 5 onions at a time and put them zip-loc freezer bags. Then you just pull out the bag and break a few out for whatever you are cooking. Same thing for green onions and bell peppers. We don't like green bell peppers, so we mix red / yellow / orange together.
A tip on chicken breasts. I can't take credit for this one, but it is the starting point for most chicken dishes. I think it is sort of making chicken cutlets, so in recipes below, this is what I'm talking about when I mention chicken cutlets... Take each boneless chicken breast and trim the excess fatty stuff off of it. Put it in a zip-loc bag and pound the big end of the breast to about the same thickness as the rest of the breast. I then cut each breast into 2 or 3 pieces to make them a manageable size. I find that this almost doubles the surface area of the breast, allowing for more seasonings / coatings, and it also helps it to cook faster.
Easy chicken recipe 1: Take 2 or 3 breasts worth of cutlets, coat lightly with either ranch dressing or honey mustard dressing, then coat with Italian style bread crumbs. Put a little cooking spray on a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the chicken, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so. This is similar to Shake & Bake, but with a twist. Change it up a little bit and use corn flakes, crushed up Chex cereal, different dressings, etc. If you decide to use either Frosted Flakes or Fruity Pebbles, let me know how it turns out.
More Chicken: mix some Italian bread crumbs and some shredded Parmesan cheese (maybe a half cup of each? - I don't measure) and some salt & pepper in a zip-loc. Moisten 2 or 3 breasts worth of cutlets and toss in the bag to coat. Heat some olive oil in a skillet(not too much, just enough to coat the bottom enough to cook the chicken) and pan fry until browned. You can also bake this as above if you wanted to.
More Chicken (Shelly really likes this one): Cube about 3 chicken breasts. Brown in a little olive oil in a large non-stick high-sided skillet (with a lid). I sometimes add a little onion and bell pepper (see above). Once it is about cooked, add a little Marsala wine (or any wine), a package of fresh, sliced mushrooms, and a can of diced tomatoes (don't drain), mix up, put the lid on, and let it go for a few minutes. When everything else is about done, break up some angel hair pasta and lay it over the top of everything else and cover with the lid. After steaming for about 5 minutes, stir it all up and cover it for another 5 minutes until it is done.
Beef Enchiladas: Brown a pound of ground meat with some chopped onion and drain (use extra lean meat and you don't have to drain). Add about 3/4 cup (1/2 a can?) of enchilada sauce and 1 cup of grated cheese. Spoon onto flour tortillas, roll the tortillas and place them into a greased 9x13 baking dish (I usually get 8-10, depending on how full I get them). Cover with the remaining enchilada sauce and another cup of cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350. A can of pinto beans and some chips and you are in business.
Taco Soup: Brown 2 pounds of meat with a chopped up onion and some salt & pepper (chili meat is great for this). Add a package of taco seasoning, a package of dry ranch dressing mix, a couple of cans of beans (I use pinto & black beans), a package of frozen corn kernels, and 2 cans of tomatoes (diced, stewed, it doesn't matter), and 1.5-2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover & simmer. Like all soups, it tastes good on day 1, better on day 2.
Pasta... We keep several packages of the Buitoni pasta in our freezer. This is the tortellini and raviolli that is in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Simmer a jar of spaghetti sauce while the pasta is boiling, and you literally have a 15 minute dinner. We prefer the Bertolli sauces, specifically either the Vodka Sauce or the Fire Roasted Tomato w/ Cabernet Sauvignon
These are just a few of the things in regular rotation for dinners at our house. They aren't necessarily low fat, but I'm sure you could adjust to make them healthier if you wanted to. Cooking is fun, so don't get too caught up with the recipe. Throw it in a pan or pot and see what happens. If it sucks, pull out a frozen pizza and laugh about how terrible it is. If it works, write it on a note card and put it in your recipe box (what I usually do). When I make it again, I usually change it a little. Sometimes it is better, sometimes I mess it up.
If you have anything good you wouldn't mind passing along, drop me a line and share with me.
If you know me or have been reading a while, you will know that I like to cook. I like to eat also, but I discovered while I was in college that I really like to cook. I credit a guy named Billy Smith in Ruston, LA. My first 2 years of college were at Louisiana Tech. The local church paired up college students that were away from home with a local family to hang out with and be a sort of local support base. Billy and Kellie were my "adopted" parents. They were both great cooks, but Billy's style seemed to work well with me. Throw it in the pot and see what happens. A laid back approach to making stuff that just tastes good, but is not overly fancy.
To be honest, not everything works. Some things are easier than others. Some things I like to cook take a while, and some can be slapped together in a few minutes. Since Shelly and I both work full time and have 2 kids (4 & almost 6 months), weeknight meals are quick, mainly one pot or one pan affairs, made with simple ingredients, with an easy side dish thrown together. Most take less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Rachel Ray has nothing on me...
Since I've been asked a few times, I figured I'd put a few recipes and quick tips together in blog format. I'll put a tag at the bottom so this post can be referred back to later. Unfortunately, most of the recipes don't have names as I've made them up.
Basics: We seem to use sweet (yellow) onions, green onions, and bell peppers often. Chopping these things is sort of a pain in the butt and takes a few minutes. I usually chop up 4 or 5 onions at a time and put them zip-loc freezer bags. Then you just pull out the bag and break a few out for whatever you are cooking. Same thing for green onions and bell peppers. We don't like green bell peppers, so we mix red / yellow / orange together.
A tip on chicken breasts. I can't take credit for this one, but it is the starting point for most chicken dishes. I think it is sort of making chicken cutlets, so in recipes below, this is what I'm talking about when I mention chicken cutlets... Take each boneless chicken breast and trim the excess fatty stuff off of it. Put it in a zip-loc bag and pound the big end of the breast to about the same thickness as the rest of the breast. I then cut each breast into 2 or 3 pieces to make them a manageable size. I find that this almost doubles the surface area of the breast, allowing for more seasonings / coatings, and it also helps it to cook faster.
Easy chicken recipe 1: Take 2 or 3 breasts worth of cutlets, coat lightly with either ranch dressing or honey mustard dressing, then coat with Italian style bread crumbs. Put a little cooking spray on a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the chicken, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so. This is similar to Shake & Bake, but with a twist. Change it up a little bit and use corn flakes, crushed up Chex cereal, different dressings, etc. If you decide to use either Frosted Flakes or Fruity Pebbles, let me know how it turns out.
More Chicken: mix some Italian bread crumbs and some shredded Parmesan cheese (maybe a half cup of each? - I don't measure) and some salt & pepper in a zip-loc. Moisten 2 or 3 breasts worth of cutlets and toss in the bag to coat. Heat some olive oil in a skillet(not too much, just enough to coat the bottom enough to cook the chicken) and pan fry until browned. You can also bake this as above if you wanted to.
More Chicken (Shelly really likes this one): Cube about 3 chicken breasts. Brown in a little olive oil in a large non-stick high-sided skillet (with a lid). I sometimes add a little onion and bell pepper (see above). Once it is about cooked, add a little Marsala wine (or any wine), a package of fresh, sliced mushrooms, and a can of diced tomatoes (don't drain), mix up, put the lid on, and let it go for a few minutes. When everything else is about done, break up some angel hair pasta and lay it over the top of everything else and cover with the lid. After steaming for about 5 minutes, stir it all up and cover it for another 5 minutes until it is done.
Beef Enchiladas: Brown a pound of ground meat with some chopped onion and drain (use extra lean meat and you don't have to drain). Add about 3/4 cup (1/2 a can?) of enchilada sauce and 1 cup of grated cheese. Spoon onto flour tortillas, roll the tortillas and place them into a greased 9x13 baking dish (I usually get 8-10, depending on how full I get them). Cover with the remaining enchilada sauce and another cup of cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350. A can of pinto beans and some chips and you are in business.
Taco Soup: Brown 2 pounds of meat with a chopped up onion and some salt & pepper (chili meat is great for this). Add a package of taco seasoning, a package of dry ranch dressing mix, a couple of cans of beans (I use pinto & black beans), a package of frozen corn kernels, and 2 cans of tomatoes (diced, stewed, it doesn't matter), and 1.5-2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then cover & simmer. Like all soups, it tastes good on day 1, better on day 2.
Pasta... We keep several packages of the Buitoni pasta in our freezer. This is the tortellini and raviolli that is in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Simmer a jar of spaghetti sauce while the pasta is boiling, and you literally have a 15 minute dinner. We prefer the Bertolli sauces, specifically either the Vodka Sauce or the Fire Roasted Tomato w/ Cabernet Sauvignon
These are just a few of the things in regular rotation for dinners at our house. They aren't necessarily low fat, but I'm sure you could adjust to make them healthier if you wanted to. Cooking is fun, so don't get too caught up with the recipe. Throw it in a pan or pot and see what happens. If it sucks, pull out a frozen pizza and laugh about how terrible it is. If it works, write it on a note card and put it in your recipe box (what I usually do). When I make it again, I usually change it a little. Sometimes it is better, sometimes I mess it up.
If you have anything good you wouldn't mind passing along, drop me a line and share with me.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Dumb Liberals...
I left the office today and decided to try to do a little early voting. As my regular polling place typically doesn't have much of a line, I'm not very patient about waiting in lines to vote early. When I was getting out of the car, I noticed that the parking lot was pretty full. I asked a lady that was leaving how it looked, and she told me the wait was probably an hour. Just to make sure, I walked inside and checked it out for myself. The worker there told me it would be 30 minutes or so.
With several days left to vote, I decided to try later in the week (or wait for Tuesday next week). As I was heading back to the car, an obvious Obama supporter was getting out of the car next to me. Now, we all know that Obama supporters aren't very bright, as they have been drinking from the liberal kool-aid. This genius made the mistake of asking me how long the wait was.
Likely Obama voter: How long is the wait to vote?
Helpful non-Obama voter: That depends. The line to vote for McCain was only about 20 or 30 minutes or so. The line to vote for Obama is probably 2 hours long.
Likely Obama voter: Aw, man, I don't have time to wait 2 hours.
The Obama voter then got in her automobile and drove off.
DUMMY!!!
Perhaps I should have hung out a little longer and "helped" a few more people?
*** For anyone that doesn't get why this person was such a dummy, this isn't the primary. There are no "Republican" or "Democrat" lines. Everyone votes in the same lines using the same machines"
I left the office today and decided to try to do a little early voting. As my regular polling place typically doesn't have much of a line, I'm not very patient about waiting in lines to vote early. When I was getting out of the car, I noticed that the parking lot was pretty full. I asked a lady that was leaving how it looked, and she told me the wait was probably an hour. Just to make sure, I walked inside and checked it out for myself. The worker there told me it would be 30 minutes or so.
With several days left to vote, I decided to try later in the week (or wait for Tuesday next week). As I was heading back to the car, an obvious Obama supporter was getting out of the car next to me. Now, we all know that Obama supporters aren't very bright, as they have been drinking from the liberal kool-aid. This genius made the mistake of asking me how long the wait was.
Likely Obama voter: How long is the wait to vote?
Helpful non-Obama voter: That depends. The line to vote for McCain was only about 20 or 30 minutes or so. The line to vote for Obama is probably 2 hours long.
Likely Obama voter: Aw, man, I don't have time to wait 2 hours.
The Obama voter then got in her automobile and drove off.
DUMMY!!!
Perhaps I should have hung out a little longer and "helped" a few more people?
*** For anyone that doesn't get why this person was such a dummy, this isn't the primary. There are no "Republican" or "Democrat" lines. Everyone votes in the same lines using the same machines"
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Busy weekend...
It has been a busy weekend, just not too much blog worthy.
Shelly and I have been trying to make a concerted effort to cook and eat at home more often. Of course, we still eat out, just not as often.
Friday night I baked some venison enchiladas. We still have meat in the freezer from last hunting season, so it makes sense to try to incorporate deer meat into what we're cooking. They turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
Saturday morning I got up and changed the oil in the Expedition. I LIKE working on the vehicles, it's just a time issue. I made time this morning and it took less than 40 minutes, and that included taking out all of the stuff needed (ramps, creeper, drain pan, etc) and putting it all back up once finished.
After changing the oil, we took the truck up to Circuit City to have the remote start looked at. It hasn't worked properly for the last couple of weeks, so we took it in and got it fixed. It turned out to be a loose wire. Once home from Circuit City, Matthew "helped" me cut the grass. Of course, his version of help involves making a huge mess while continually coming up to me while I'm mowing and asking me to get something for him. It is annoying, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. You just have to allow for 3 hours to complete a 1.5 hour job.
After resting a little and cleaning up, we took the boys down to my parents, then Shelly and I headed out for a date night. We met 8 or 9 other couples for dinner and afterwards went to see Fireproof. It's a good movie (no matter what Katie thinks). If you haven't seen it, take your significant other to see it. It is sort of a sappy relationship movie, but worth seeing.
This morning I got up and took 3 of my rifles down to the gun range to get ready for hunting next weekend. In a perfect world, this would have been done a few weeks ago, but that's the breaks. It is sort of nice to hit the range by yourself and poke a few holes in some paper. I need to do it more often.
When I got home, I started thawing some chicken to grill for lunch and headed to the grocery store. After returning, I got busy cooking. I enjoy cooking, and today I was trying something new. I grilled chicken for lunch, but I was also working on a pot of taco soup.
I've never made taco soup before, but I've had several different versions before. I found a recipe today and loosely followed it, using venison chili meat and venison hamburger meat as the foundation. It turned out really well. We'll have some for dinner tomorrow night, a little more at some point during the week, and we have a container frozen for our trip to the ranch next weekend (I have a strict 3 day rule on leftovers, so for a week away, I have to freeze to keep it that long).
Late this afternoon, we cleaned up and headed to meet my sister's crowd and my parents at a Trunk or Treat deal down at the church where my niece goes to preschool. Matthew went with them last year and had a ball, so we went this time also.. Once the deal wound down, we all went to a local grill joint for a little dinner.
Not a bad weekend, just the ordinary stuff. I'm sure that in the next day or so the weekend will process and I'll come up with a good story to tell. For now, it's after midnight, and I'm BEAT.
Have a good week. If you want a recipe for anything I made, let me know and I'll get it to you. Most of what I cook is pretty much made up, but I do write recipes down so I'll be able to make it again later (usually with a few variances from the previous recipe).
It has been a busy weekend, just not too much blog worthy.
Shelly and I have been trying to make a concerted effort to cook and eat at home more often. Of course, we still eat out, just not as often.
Friday night I baked some venison enchiladas. We still have meat in the freezer from last hunting season, so it makes sense to try to incorporate deer meat into what we're cooking. They turned out pretty good if I do say so myself.
Saturday morning I got up and changed the oil in the Expedition. I LIKE working on the vehicles, it's just a time issue. I made time this morning and it took less than 40 minutes, and that included taking out all of the stuff needed (ramps, creeper, drain pan, etc) and putting it all back up once finished.
After changing the oil, we took the truck up to Circuit City to have the remote start looked at. It hasn't worked properly for the last couple of weeks, so we took it in and got it fixed. It turned out to be a loose wire. Once home from Circuit City, Matthew "helped" me cut the grass. Of course, his version of help involves making a huge mess while continually coming up to me while I'm mowing and asking me to get something for him. It is annoying, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. You just have to allow for 3 hours to complete a 1.5 hour job.
After resting a little and cleaning up, we took the boys down to my parents, then Shelly and I headed out for a date night. We met 8 or 9 other couples for dinner and afterwards went to see Fireproof. It's a good movie (no matter what Katie thinks). If you haven't seen it, take your significant other to see it. It is sort of a sappy relationship movie, but worth seeing.
This morning I got up and took 3 of my rifles down to the gun range to get ready for hunting next weekend. In a perfect world, this would have been done a few weeks ago, but that's the breaks. It is sort of nice to hit the range by yourself and poke a few holes in some paper. I need to do it more often.
When I got home, I started thawing some chicken to grill for lunch and headed to the grocery store. After returning, I got busy cooking. I enjoy cooking, and today I was trying something new. I grilled chicken for lunch, but I was also working on a pot of taco soup.
I've never made taco soup before, but I've had several different versions before. I found a recipe today and loosely followed it, using venison chili meat and venison hamburger meat as the foundation. It turned out really well. We'll have some for dinner tomorrow night, a little more at some point during the week, and we have a container frozen for our trip to the ranch next weekend (I have a strict 3 day rule on leftovers, so for a week away, I have to freeze to keep it that long).
Late this afternoon, we cleaned up and headed to meet my sister's crowd and my parents at a Trunk or Treat deal down at the church where my niece goes to preschool. Matthew went with them last year and had a ball, so we went this time also.. Once the deal wound down, we all went to a local grill joint for a little dinner.
Not a bad weekend, just the ordinary stuff. I'm sure that in the next day or so the weekend will process and I'll come up with a good story to tell. For now, it's after midnight, and I'm BEAT.
Have a good week. If you want a recipe for anything I made, let me know and I'll get it to you. Most of what I cook is pretty much made up, but I do write recipes down so I'll be able to make it again later (usually with a few variances from the previous recipe).
Friday, October 24, 2008
Interesting headline...
I was perusing the headlines on the Drudge Report and came across this article. I promise I was not in London this week.
Seriously, someone took a crap and they had to shut the airport down? Must have been pretty bad...
Toilet stench clears out London airport
Oct 24 02:24 PM US/Eastern
London City Airport was briefly evacuated and flights grounded Friday due to fumes emanating from the toilets, police said.
The fifth-biggest airport serving the British capital, London City was closed from about 3:00 pm (1400 GMT) to 5:15pm (1615 GMT) after a "suspect substance" was discovered in the toilets, said an airport spokeswoman.
The airport was evacuated as a precautionary measure.
"Some people had suffered coughing and skin irritation," a spokesman for London' Metropolitan Police told AFP.
"It would appear that a liquid or substance was disposed of incorrectly. There are no signs of criminality."
A spokeswoman for the airport, built in the 1980s in the derelict east London docklands, told AFP that passengers were ushered back into the terminal building following the all-clear from the emergency services.
She said: "It was found in the toilets. We don't know what it is or how it got there."
I was perusing the headlines on the Drudge Report and came across this article. I promise I was not in London this week.
Seriously, someone took a crap and they had to shut the airport down? Must have been pretty bad...
Toilet stench clears out London airport
Oct 24 02:24 PM US/Eastern
London City Airport was briefly evacuated and flights grounded Friday due to fumes emanating from the toilets, police said.
The fifth-biggest airport serving the British capital, London City was closed from about 3:00 pm (1400 GMT) to 5:15pm (1615 GMT) after a "suspect substance" was discovered in the toilets, said an airport spokeswoman.
The airport was evacuated as a precautionary measure.
"Some people had suffered coughing and skin irritation," a spokesman for London' Metropolitan Police told AFP.
"It would appear that a liquid or substance was disposed of incorrectly. There are no signs of criminality."
A spokeswoman for the airport, built in the 1980s in the derelict east London docklands, told AFP that passengers were ushered back into the terminal building following the all-clear from the emergency services.
She said: "It was found in the toilets. We don't know what it is or how it got there."
Monday, October 20, 2008
Who reads this stuff?
I took a look at the counter and noticed it has been rising at a fair clip. Feel free to leave a comment to say hello. If you don't mind me knowing who you are, leave a first name and a city. If you prefer to remain unknown, that's fine also. Thanks for reading.
Just a fun fact... Out of the last 500 visitors:
342 use Windows XP
135 use Windows Vista (Wreggie and 134 others)
15 use an unknown OS
6 use Windows 2003
1 uses Linux
1 uses Mac OS (lonely, eh?)
I took a look at the counter and noticed it has been rising at a fair clip. Feel free to leave a comment to say hello. If you don't mind me knowing who you are, leave a first name and a city. If you prefer to remain unknown, that's fine also. Thanks for reading.
Just a fun fact... Out of the last 500 visitors:
342 use Windows XP
135 use Windows Vista (Wreggie and 134 others)
15 use an unknown OS
6 use Windows 2003
1 uses Linux
1 uses Mac OS (lonely, eh?)
Made it home...
The trip home today was pretty uneventful. My classes wrapped up at 1PM and I caught the shuttle back over to the air terminal. After getting a little lunch, I settled into a chair for the hour wait for my flight. I'm happy to report that I visited airport restrooms in 2 states today and not a single person tapped their foot at me.
That reminds me of the first and only time I've ever been propositioned by a prostitute...
Back in 1993, I had spent 2 years at Louisiana Tech and had decided to move back home to Lafayette to transfer to USL. They were starting a new degree program in Insurance & Risk Management, and since that seems to be the family business, I figured that beat the Accounting Degree I was pursuing at Tech.
When I got home, I needed to get a job for the summer to put a little cash in my pocket. I called one of the guys at the plumbing supply house I had worked at in high school to see if he knew of anyone looking for a grunt. I knew it would be dirty work, but I also knew it would get me more hours and better pay than waiting tables. Within a day or 2, I was working as a helper for a 3 truck plumbing company. We worked on the plumbing for the TGI Fridays in Lafayette and had several jobs lined up rehabbing the plumbing in some pretty rough looking houses on the bad side of town. These were so rough that you had to lock the truck while you were working in the house or all of your tools and supplies would be gone
We typically met around 6:30 each morning at the supply house, replenished the truck with the stuff we would need for the day, and were headed out to get to work by 7:30. One morning, we were in the area in the Southeast corner of University Drive and I-10, before 8am. We pulled up to a stop sign and this rough looking black woman came walking up. She had the look of a crack whore all over her, and she looked like it had been a long night. She walked up to the truck and said "Hey, Baby. $20 and you pay the room at the St Francis Motel."
Now, I grew up Southern Baptist. My Dad was chairman of the Deacons at our church. I duck hunted with the pastor each year. I was not an angel, but you could say I had been sheltered. I didn't catch what she said and asked her to repeat it. Oh, My... I said no and Carl drove off. When the shock of what had just happened wore off, we couldn't stop laughing. Carl told the rest of the guys and they teased me about it for the rest of the summer.
There you have it. The first time anyone had offered me the "all access pass" and it was some strung out crack whore.
The trip home today was pretty uneventful. My classes wrapped up at 1PM and I caught the shuttle back over to the air terminal. After getting a little lunch, I settled into a chair for the hour wait for my flight. I'm happy to report that I visited airport restrooms in 2 states today and not a single person tapped their foot at me.
That reminds me of the first and only time I've ever been propositioned by a prostitute...
Back in 1993, I had spent 2 years at Louisiana Tech and had decided to move back home to Lafayette to transfer to USL. They were starting a new degree program in Insurance & Risk Management, and since that seems to be the family business, I figured that beat the Accounting Degree I was pursuing at Tech.
When I got home, I needed to get a job for the summer to put a little cash in my pocket. I called one of the guys at the plumbing supply house I had worked at in high school to see if he knew of anyone looking for a grunt. I knew it would be dirty work, but I also knew it would get me more hours and better pay than waiting tables. Within a day or 2, I was working as a helper for a 3 truck plumbing company. We worked on the plumbing for the TGI Fridays in Lafayette and had several jobs lined up rehabbing the plumbing in some pretty rough looking houses on the bad side of town. These were so rough that you had to lock the truck while you were working in the house or all of your tools and supplies would be gone
We typically met around 6:30 each morning at the supply house, replenished the truck with the stuff we would need for the day, and were headed out to get to work by 7:30. One morning, we were in the area in the Southeast corner of University Drive and I-10, before 8am. We pulled up to a stop sign and this rough looking black woman came walking up. She had the look of a crack whore all over her, and she looked like it had been a long night. She walked up to the truck and said "Hey, Baby. $20 and you pay the room at the St Francis Motel."
Now, I grew up Southern Baptist. My Dad was chairman of the Deacons at our church. I duck hunted with the pastor each year. I was not an angel, but you could say I had been sheltered. I didn't catch what she said and asked her to repeat it. Oh, My... I said no and Carl drove off. When the shock of what had just happened wore off, we couldn't stop laughing. Carl told the rest of the guys and they teased me about it for the rest of the summer.
There you have it. The first time anyone had offered me the "all access pass" and it was some strung out crack whore.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
What a weekend this has been...
I started this weekend with everything in an orderly fashion. On Thursday evening I got a haircut so I would look presentable for my trip. On Friday morning I dropped all of the dry cleaning at the cleaners so I would have freshly pressed clothes ready for the trip. Friday evening I put a few last minute things on to wash.
Saturday morning, we had a leisurely morning at home. My flight was scheduled to depart at 2:00, and since I was not planning to check a bag, I planned to leave around 12:15 or so. Right at 12:15, I was packed up and Shelly logged onto Continental's website to print my boarding pass for me. When she did, she noticed that my 2:00 flight was now a 1:15 flight. CRAP!!!. That's just over an hour away, and the airport parking is 25 minutes or so on a good day. I packed up the computer, grabbed the boarding pass, put my stuff in the car, and took off like a shot. I won't say how fast I drove, but it's safe to say I was "hauling the mail". 15 minutes later I was getting onto the shuttle bus in the airport parking lot.
As I boarded the bus, the driver asked which terminal. I told him terminal B, and my flight was at 1:15, about 30 minutes. He said it was going to be close, at which time I said "Yes, but I have faith in your ability to get me there on time." He wasn't facing me at this point, but he held his hand out in my direction and said "I might be able to work something out..." a little greenery his direction, and we were off. I guess money talks because there were 2 pretty large women with suitcases 15-20 feet from the bus heading our way when he closed the door and took off. They looked a little pissed...
He got me to the terminal quickly and I grabbed my bags and headed for security. After practically getting naked and sending my bags and half my clothes through the conveyor, I cleared security and headed off through the terminal. Of course, when you are running late, your flight will be leaving from the absolute farthest gate from the entrance to the building.
I made it with less than 5 minutes to spare, boarded the plane, and sat to catch my breath. The flight was uneventful, except for the most unfortunate looking Asian woman seated next to me. She had a LARGE, dark, hairy mole in the end of her nose, just between her nostril openings. After takeoff, she immediately closed the window. I hate not being able to see out. Then she proceeded to close her eyes, lean forward, and look like she was going to be sick for most of the 2 hour flight from Houston to Greensboro. I spent most of the flight prepared to jump out of the way in case she lost her cookies. Thankfully she kept it together and we landed in Greensboro without incident.
I got checked in, watched a little TV, then headed to the bar for a little dinner. On the way back to the room, I stopped by the front desk and was told that our group would have a continental breakfast in the conference room at 9:30, with the class set to begin at 10:00 am. I showed up at 9:40, ready to get something to eat, only to find that there was no breakfast. The guy at the front desk was wrong. Damn.
When we finally broke for lunch at 1:30, I was starving. They announced that there was a lunch buffet set up in the next room. Sweet. Food at last. Upon entering the next room, I see the buffet. It's a table filled with 3 or 4 types of sliced bread and trays of cold cuts. You gotta be friggin kidding me. Half the morning session was wasted by a guy that knew what he was talking about, but he was completely unprepared to give the presentation that we had materials for, so he spent his entire allotted time plus 30 minutes of our lunch break rambling on about similar information, but not from the outline.
All-in-all, the seminar isn't bad for what the subject matter is - trucking insurance. Anything you want to know about truckers, cargo insurance, etc I can probably now tell you.
I returned to the bar this evening for dinner and then retired to the room to watch TV.
Tomorrow is about 4 more hours of the same, then I have a flight heading back to Houston around 3PM.
I try to give a recap tomorrow evening when I get home.
I started this weekend with everything in an orderly fashion. On Thursday evening I got a haircut so I would look presentable for my trip. On Friday morning I dropped all of the dry cleaning at the cleaners so I would have freshly pressed clothes ready for the trip. Friday evening I put a few last minute things on to wash.
Saturday morning, we had a leisurely morning at home. My flight was scheduled to depart at 2:00, and since I was not planning to check a bag, I planned to leave around 12:15 or so. Right at 12:15, I was packed up and Shelly logged onto Continental's website to print my boarding pass for me. When she did, she noticed that my 2:00 flight was now a 1:15 flight. CRAP!!!. That's just over an hour away, and the airport parking is 25 minutes or so on a good day. I packed up the computer, grabbed the boarding pass, put my stuff in the car, and took off like a shot. I won't say how fast I drove, but it's safe to say I was "hauling the mail". 15 minutes later I was getting onto the shuttle bus in the airport parking lot.
As I boarded the bus, the driver asked which terminal. I told him terminal B, and my flight was at 1:15, about 30 minutes. He said it was going to be close, at which time I said "Yes, but I have faith in your ability to get me there on time." He wasn't facing me at this point, but he held his hand out in my direction and said "I might be able to work something out..." a little greenery his direction, and we were off. I guess money talks because there were 2 pretty large women with suitcases 15-20 feet from the bus heading our way when he closed the door and took off. They looked a little pissed...
He got me to the terminal quickly and I grabbed my bags and headed for security. After practically getting naked and sending my bags and half my clothes through the conveyor, I cleared security and headed off through the terminal. Of course, when you are running late, your flight will be leaving from the absolute farthest gate from the entrance to the building.
I made it with less than 5 minutes to spare, boarded the plane, and sat to catch my breath. The flight was uneventful, except for the most unfortunate looking Asian woman seated next to me. She had a LARGE, dark, hairy mole in the end of her nose, just between her nostril openings. After takeoff, she immediately closed the window. I hate not being able to see out. Then she proceeded to close her eyes, lean forward, and look like she was going to be sick for most of the 2 hour flight from Houston to Greensboro. I spent most of the flight prepared to jump out of the way in case she lost her cookies. Thankfully she kept it together and we landed in Greensboro without incident.
I got checked in, watched a little TV, then headed to the bar for a little dinner. On the way back to the room, I stopped by the front desk and was told that our group would have a continental breakfast in the conference room at 9:30, with the class set to begin at 10:00 am. I showed up at 9:40, ready to get something to eat, only to find that there was no breakfast. The guy at the front desk was wrong. Damn.
When we finally broke for lunch at 1:30, I was starving. They announced that there was a lunch buffet set up in the next room. Sweet. Food at last. Upon entering the next room, I see the buffet. It's a table filled with 3 or 4 types of sliced bread and trays of cold cuts. You gotta be friggin kidding me. Half the morning session was wasted by a guy that knew what he was talking about, but he was completely unprepared to give the presentation that we had materials for, so he spent his entire allotted time plus 30 minutes of our lunch break rambling on about similar information, but not from the outline.
All-in-all, the seminar isn't bad for what the subject matter is - trucking insurance. Anything you want to know about truckers, cargo insurance, etc I can probably now tell you.
I returned to the bar this evening for dinner and then retired to the room to watch TV.
Tomorrow is about 4 more hours of the same, then I have a flight heading back to Houston around 3PM.
I try to give a recap tomorrow evening when I get home.
The wait is over... (update from Chris)
It is finished...
These were the words of Jesus Christ as he died on the cross.
Cindy went home to be with Jesus at 10:17 this morning. Her final hours were comfortable and she died with me holding her hands. Dora and Linda (her mom and my mom) were there with her.
I know many of you will cry when you read this and I am crying as I write it. I have both deep sorrow and some relief. We lost a delightful, beautiful and wonderful wife, daughter, sister and friend. At the same time, the battle is over. I can picture Cindy getting to heaven and saying "Holy guacamole! This is great! What was I thinking?" I am sure that she was received into God's open arms in heaven with angels celebrating. Jesus came and died so that we will see her again someday.
A few weeks ago, Cindy and I agreed that this was a win-win situation. Paul said "To live is Christ and to die is gain". Cindy said that if she lived she would be forever changed, and if she died she will be in heaven.
Father God, thank You and praise You for Cindy. I am blessed to have loved her and made her my wife. Thank you for the time we had together. Thank you for having me there to walk her home. I am forever changed. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Logistics...
We will meet with the funeral home tomorrow morning and I will know more about the schedule then. Mom, Dad and I will stay with Dora until this afternoon. We have some things to do. I will post more details on the funeral tomorrow.
It is finished...
These were the words of Jesus Christ as he died on the cross.
Cindy went home to be with Jesus at 10:17 this morning. Her final hours were comfortable and she died with me holding her hands. Dora and Linda (her mom and my mom) were there with her.
I know many of you will cry when you read this and I am crying as I write it. I have both deep sorrow and some relief. We lost a delightful, beautiful and wonderful wife, daughter, sister and friend. At the same time, the battle is over. I can picture Cindy getting to heaven and saying "Holy guacamole! This is great! What was I thinking?" I am sure that she was received into God's open arms in heaven with angels celebrating. Jesus came and died so that we will see her again someday.
A few weeks ago, Cindy and I agreed that this was a win-win situation. Paul said "To live is Christ and to die is gain". Cindy said that if she lived she would be forever changed, and if she died she will be in heaven.
Father God, thank You and praise You for Cindy. I am blessed to have loved her and made her my wife. Thank you for the time we had together. Thank you for having me there to walk her home. I am forever changed. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Logistics...
We will meet with the funeral home tomorrow morning and I will know more about the schedule then. Mom, Dad and I will stay with Dora until this afternoon. We have some things to do. I will post more details on the funeral tomorrow.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Everything else left him, but the music remained...
Ever have one of those days where you hear a song in the morning and it's with you the rest of the day? I had that happen today. It's a song I was introduced to many years ago, and I didn't appreciate it then. The artist is long gone, and you rarely hear the song these days. When I hear it now, I stop what I'm doing and listen to the music.
Deep within my heart lies a melody...
A song of old San Antone...
Where in dreams I lived with a memory...
Beneath the stars all alone...
Some of you will recognize the lyrics. It's San Antonio Rose. I guess I should have researched it to know for sure, but for my memories it is a Bob Wills song..
Papaw was my Dad's father. He had Alzheimer's and died just before Christmas in 2005. Years before he ever got sick, he played the song for me. Bob Wills was his favorite. Years back, he had played for a dance in Kirbyville, Texas, where my Grandparents lived. Mamaw and Papaw went and danced to Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. It must have been really special because it was one of the last things he remembered
Over the last several years of his life, Papaw lost the memory of many things. He didn't know who we were and he couldn't remember the names of things. What he did remember was the music. I remember going over there, and he put the Bob Wills record on the player and started dancing around the living room to San Antonio Rose. It was one of the few things he found comfort in. When Shelly and I got married in 2001, he was still able to function in public to a certain extent, but crowds and unfamiliar settings really bothered him. I know he was uncomfortable at our reception. One of the first songs after our first dance, we had the DJ play San Antonio Rose. Papaw grabbed Mamaw and they danced. He didn't know much about what was going on, but for a few minutes, I imagine he was transported back in time to a familiar.
After his funeral, we joked that instead of the usual funeral songs, we should have played San Antonio Rose as a fitting send off. He would have liked that.
As far as I know, the only things he remembered were the woman he had loved for more than 60 years and the music. He never forgot them.
Ever have one of those days where you hear a song in the morning and it's with you the rest of the day? I had that happen today. It's a song I was introduced to many years ago, and I didn't appreciate it then. The artist is long gone, and you rarely hear the song these days. When I hear it now, I stop what I'm doing and listen to the music.
Deep within my heart lies a melody...
A song of old San Antone...
Where in dreams I lived with a memory...
Beneath the stars all alone...
Some of you will recognize the lyrics. It's San Antonio Rose. I guess I should have researched it to know for sure, but for my memories it is a Bob Wills song..
Papaw was my Dad's father. He had Alzheimer's and died just before Christmas in 2005. Years before he ever got sick, he played the song for me. Bob Wills was his favorite. Years back, he had played for a dance in Kirbyville, Texas, where my Grandparents lived. Mamaw and Papaw went and danced to Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. It must have been really special because it was one of the last things he remembered
Over the last several years of his life, Papaw lost the memory of many things. He didn't know who we were and he couldn't remember the names of things. What he did remember was the music. I remember going over there, and he put the Bob Wills record on the player and started dancing around the living room to San Antonio Rose. It was one of the few things he found comfort in. When Shelly and I got married in 2001, he was still able to function in public to a certain extent, but crowds and unfamiliar settings really bothered him. I know he was uncomfortable at our reception. One of the first songs after our first dance, we had the DJ play San Antonio Rose. Papaw grabbed Mamaw and they danced. He didn't know much about what was going on, but for a few minutes, I imagine he was transported back in time to a familiar.
After his funeral, we joked that instead of the usual funeral songs, we should have played San Antonio Rose as a fitting send off. He would have liked that.
As far as I know, the only things he remembered were the woman he had loved for more than 60 years and the music. He never forgot them.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Update from Chris...
This man has my admiration for his unwavering faith and trust in God. I hope if faced with a similar situation my faith will be as true and strong as his.
Cindy woke up with me this morning. We prayed and she said amen. She still kisses and smiles. I didn't know if she would make it through the night.
No more visitors please...
Cindy is getting very weak and basic things take an extraordinary amount of effort. It takes a lot of effort for her to sit up and acknowledge someone. I told her that I was going to tell everyone that and she nodded "yes".
She has the hiccups again - sometimes for 30 minutes at a time. they hurt when she was in the hospital but they don't hurt now, they just make lots of noise. She sleeps through the hiccups, but I don't. It is strange to pray and ask for the hiccups to stop and ask for no more hiccups. She is not eating anymore - it just takes too much effort and hurts as it goes through her system. She is also not needing much medication anymore since there is little pain. We still give her schedule medication, but nothing else is needed.
God will take her soon. I don't know if that means today or in three days, but it will be soon.
She is ready to go.
For planning purposes, we will have a funeral at South Park cemetery in Pearland (on Hwy. 35 between Beltway 8 and 518). Obviously, we do not know which day it will be. I will try to schedule it in the afternoon around 3:00 p.m. We will not plan to have anything else by way of a viewing before or fellowship afterwards, so family and friends are free to get together in separate groups after the funeral. Thanks for understanding. This has been a difficult battle starting over 2 years ago.
Thanks for the prayers and food. It has all been wonderful and timely. I know I would not be as strong or as caring if I didn't have so many people lifting us up. With God's hand on us, we will make it through this storm and Cindy will be in heaven soon.
This man has my admiration for his unwavering faith and trust in God. I hope if faced with a similar situation my faith will be as true and strong as his.
Cindy woke up with me this morning. We prayed and she said amen. She still kisses and smiles. I didn't know if she would make it through the night.
No more visitors please...
Cindy is getting very weak and basic things take an extraordinary amount of effort. It takes a lot of effort for her to sit up and acknowledge someone. I told her that I was going to tell everyone that and she nodded "yes".
She has the hiccups again - sometimes for 30 minutes at a time. they hurt when she was in the hospital but they don't hurt now, they just make lots of noise. She sleeps through the hiccups, but I don't. It is strange to pray and ask for the hiccups to stop and ask for no more hiccups. She is not eating anymore - it just takes too much effort and hurts as it goes through her system. She is also not needing much medication anymore since there is little pain. We still give her schedule medication, but nothing else is needed.
God will take her soon. I don't know if that means today or in three days, but it will be soon.
She is ready to go.
For planning purposes, we will have a funeral at South Park cemetery in Pearland (on Hwy. 35 between Beltway 8 and 518). Obviously, we do not know which day it will be. I will try to schedule it in the afternoon around 3:00 p.m. We will not plan to have anything else by way of a viewing before or fellowship afterwards, so family and friends are free to get together in separate groups after the funeral. Thanks for understanding. This has been a difficult battle starting over 2 years ago.
Thanks for the prayers and food. It has all been wonderful and timely. I know I would not be as strong or as caring if I didn't have so many people lifting us up. With God's hand on us, we will make it through this storm and Cindy will be in heaven soon.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Update from Chris...
I debated whether or not to keep posting these updates, but I've asked you to pray for my friends, so I'm going to keep sharing them with you (feel free to sign up to receive the updates straight from the Care Page if you want to.)
Here is Chris's post from this morning:
Cindy slept most of the night last night. Praise God. I think we've got a medicine cycle that works for her. She is only coherent for a few minutes at a time and sleeps the rest of the time. Dora and I think she may leave us any time now. It could be a few hours or a few days. We don't know.
Thanks to everyone that has visited and offered food and rides and gifts. We appreciate it. I know Cindy sees them and appreciates them even if she cannot express it. We are limiting visits to family and very close friends and only a couple of people at a time and only a few times a day. Please forgive us if Cindy leaves before you get a chance to see her. We have so many friends and family, it will be impossible for everyone to visit. It is a blessing to know that Cindy touched so many people and had so many friends.
Cindy is uncomfortable with her body and being alive now. She says she doesn't know what to do with herself. She asks how she can make it go faster and asks for help. We have to tell her that there is nothing else we can do but wait. At the same time she wants to go, she doesn't want to leave me. We tell her it is OK to go when she is ready.
Father God, please make Cindy's passing comfortable and without fear. Please take her soon. Please send angels to help her go and give her a glimpse of heaven so she will want to follow them. Please pour out your grace and mercy on her. We love her and we do not want her to suffer any more. We love You and we trust You, God. In Jesus name. Amen.
I debated whether or not to keep posting these updates, but I've asked you to pray for my friends, so I'm going to keep sharing them with you (feel free to sign up to receive the updates straight from the Care Page if you want to.)
Here is Chris's post from this morning:
Cindy slept most of the night last night. Praise God. I think we've got a medicine cycle that works for her. She is only coherent for a few minutes at a time and sleeps the rest of the time. Dora and I think she may leave us any time now. It could be a few hours or a few days. We don't know.
Thanks to everyone that has visited and offered food and rides and gifts. We appreciate it. I know Cindy sees them and appreciates them even if she cannot express it. We are limiting visits to family and very close friends and only a couple of people at a time and only a few times a day. Please forgive us if Cindy leaves before you get a chance to see her. We have so many friends and family, it will be impossible for everyone to visit. It is a blessing to know that Cindy touched so many people and had so many friends.
Cindy is uncomfortable with her body and being alive now. She says she doesn't know what to do with herself. She asks how she can make it go faster and asks for help. We have to tell her that there is nothing else we can do but wait. At the same time she wants to go, she doesn't want to leave me. We tell her it is OK to go when she is ready.
Father God, please make Cindy's passing comfortable and without fear. Please take her soon. Please send angels to help her go and give her a glimpse of heaven so she will want to follow them. Please pour out your grace and mercy on her. We love her and we do not want her to suffer any more. We love You and we trust You, God. In Jesus name. Amen.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
What's the fascination with Europe?
This has been going on for years, and it pisses me off. Have you ever noticed how many products on the market have "Euro" as part of their name? Is that supposed to make them better? Of course, these are not European products, they are just marketing to the more "progressive" among us that think Europeans are somehow more advance than Americans.
Of course, this is bull. Americans are light years ahead of most of Europe. When I think of Europe, I first think of France. Sure, France has been settled longer than the USA, but what do they have? Wine? Cheese? What else? Sure they have Peugeot and Renault. Yes, those are 2 automobiles known for their quality. They don't sell them here anymore because they were CRAP.
just tonight I saw a commercial on TV for a children's cough syrup. It was a good ad until they said that this product is the same product used by mothers in Europe for more than 30 years to treat kids coughs and allergies. Excuse me? Medical advice from Europe? They send all of their medical students here to the USA to learn modern medicine.
Does this bug any of you? I actually make it a point not to buy any product with "Euro" in the name. Probably makes no difference, but it does make me feel better.
This has been going on for years, and it pisses me off. Have you ever noticed how many products on the market have "Euro" as part of their name? Is that supposed to make them better? Of course, these are not European products, they are just marketing to the more "progressive" among us that think Europeans are somehow more advance than Americans.
Of course, this is bull. Americans are light years ahead of most of Europe. When I think of Europe, I first think of France. Sure, France has been settled longer than the USA, but what do they have? Wine? Cheese? What else? Sure they have Peugeot and Renault. Yes, those are 2 automobiles known for their quality. They don't sell them here anymore because they were CRAP.
just tonight I saw a commercial on TV for a children's cough syrup. It was a good ad until they said that this product is the same product used by mothers in Europe for more than 30 years to treat kids coughs and allergies. Excuse me? Medical advice from Europe? They send all of their medical students here to the USA to learn modern medicine.
Does this bug any of you? I actually make it a point not to buy any product with "Euro" in the name. Probably makes no difference, but it does make me feel better.
another update from Chris...
I can't even begin to imagine how hard this week is and will be for Chris. These updates are dufficult for me to read, and post here without tearing up a little.
Here is Chris's latest update:
Yesterday was a bit of a circus. We woke up in a hospital room after a long and confusing night. Dora (Cindy's Mom) came to the hospital and shortly after that we talked to Dr. Murray. He explained the same thing that Dr. Gonzales explained the day before.
We are out of options for fighting the cancer. We can treat Cindy's pain and nausea at home through hospice care. We needed her to agree to a DNR order. Up until now, Cindy has always said she wanted to be kept alive so she can continue to fight. We explained to her that they don't have a liver machine. Dr. Murray explained that all a DNR (do not resuscitate) order means is that if she has an acute event (heart or breathing stops) that no ambulance would come and put a tube in her throat, beat on her chest or otherwise shock her body into working for a little while longer. He said that it would not be a good thing and they would have to do that That was a nice way to put it. The hospice care can get her home and comfortable, but then need a DNR order. Cindy agreed. We went home.
I should say that I realized yesterday what a hard job Dr. Murray and his staff have. That goes for Dr. Osborne and his staff at Baylor as well. I've been critical of them in the past - sometimes rightly so - but I have the utmost respect for them and their professions. They have to figure out a disease that nobody else has ever figured out. They have to give people drugs that are going to make them sick and may not work. They have to balance quality of life with quantity of life. Then they have to tell people on a regular basis that they are out of options. I could tell that Dr. Murray was very sad yesterday. He has a lot of those days.
I should also say that once we made those decisions, the staff at MDA and the hospice agency moved quickly. They got her pain meds and sent her home a couple of hours after that. I know that things can move slowly in a hospital and I thank God for things moving quickly yesterday.
My mom and dad came to Houston yesterday. They will help us through this. Thank you to all of our family, friends and church family for prayers and visits and wanting to help.
I can't even begin to imagine how hard this week is and will be for Chris. These updates are dufficult for me to read, and post here without tearing up a little.
Here is Chris's latest update:
Yesterday was a bit of a circus. We woke up in a hospital room after a long and confusing night. Dora (Cindy's Mom) came to the hospital and shortly after that we talked to Dr. Murray. He explained the same thing that Dr. Gonzales explained the day before.
We are out of options for fighting the cancer. We can treat Cindy's pain and nausea at home through hospice care. We needed her to agree to a DNR order. Up until now, Cindy has always said she wanted to be kept alive so she can continue to fight. We explained to her that they don't have a liver machine. Dr. Murray explained that all a DNR (do not resuscitate) order means is that if she has an acute event (heart or breathing stops) that no ambulance would come and put a tube in her throat, beat on her chest or otherwise shock her body into working for a little while longer. He said that it would not be a good thing and they would have to do that That was a nice way to put it. The hospice care can get her home and comfortable, but then need a DNR order. Cindy agreed. We went home.
I should say that I realized yesterday what a hard job Dr. Murray and his staff have. That goes for Dr. Osborne and his staff at Baylor as well. I've been critical of them in the past - sometimes rightly so - but I have the utmost respect for them and their professions. They have to figure out a disease that nobody else has ever figured out. They have to give people drugs that are going to make them sick and may not work. They have to balance quality of life with quantity of life. Then they have to tell people on a regular basis that they are out of options. I could tell that Dr. Murray was very sad yesterday. He has a lot of those days.
I should also say that once we made those decisions, the staff at MDA and the hospice agency moved quickly. They got her pain meds and sent her home a couple of hours after that. I know that things can move slowly in a hospital and I thank God for things moving quickly yesterday.
My mom and dad came to Houston yesterday. They will help us through this. Thank you to all of our family, friends and church family for prayers and visits and wanting to help.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Travelling Man...
This is shaping up to be yet another busy week, with no rest for the weary.
The weekend before last, I loaded the Lackey crowd, Jonathan, Matthew, Shelly, and Sweetie the Chihuahua, along with Shelly's friend Janice and everything you need to feed and entertain such a crowd for a weekend and headed to the ranch. The Expedition was crammed full, and I had the hitch haul on the back to carry the cooler that didn't fit inside the truck.
Last weekend, we spent the better part of Saturday at a Fall Festival put on by the company Shelly works for. After the festival, Matthew and I headed back out to the ranch on a quick trip to replace and fill my deer feeder. As you probably remember me complaining about last week, the cows or some other critter broke the motor off of my deer feeder and completely destroyed it. My choice was to spend $150 for a new motor (solar powered charged with a pretty fancy digital timer) or to send the old one back with $25, which would cover rebuilding it, changing out the rechargeable gel cell battery, and return shipping. Bonus that I bought the one with the lifetime warranty to be able to get the cheap rebuilds. Unfortunately, the rebuild will take 8 weeks to get it back. In the interest of time, I borrowed a motor from my Dad that he's not using, and Matthew and I set out to install it. No problems, just a quick trip out there and back. One small duffel bag and we went in the Altima instead of the Expedition. I like that car more and more these days (29 mpg average for the entire trip, with my heavy foot).
This week is busy at work, then I leave Saturday for a conference in Greensboro, NC. I always laugh about my work trips vs the ones the owners take. They take several trips per year to places that have the word "Palm" or "Island" in the name. I've been to Chicago, Dallas, and the Airport Marriott in Newark, NJ. I'm about to add the Airport Marriott in Greensboro, NC to the list. Not a golf course in sight, and I don't even leave the airport grounds. Also, the things I attend are actually learning deals where you spend all day in a hotel conference room, not boondoggle trips with golf, fishing, etc, etc. This one is a deal about trucking insurance. If anyone reads this and lives in Greensboro, feel free to pick me up and take me out Saturday night so I'm not eating dinner in the hotel bar - you don't have to buy, just provide transport and company. I believe my flight gets in mid to late afternoon on Saturday.
I think I have one weekend at home after that, and then we get into deer season and the holidays. Buy stock in the major gasoline distributors now, because we're going to burn a few gallons between now and the end of the year.
This is shaping up to be yet another busy week, with no rest for the weary.
The weekend before last, I loaded the Lackey crowd, Jonathan, Matthew, Shelly, and Sweetie the Chihuahua, along with Shelly's friend Janice and everything you need to feed and entertain such a crowd for a weekend and headed to the ranch. The Expedition was crammed full, and I had the hitch haul on the back to carry the cooler that didn't fit inside the truck.
Last weekend, we spent the better part of Saturday at a Fall Festival put on by the company Shelly works for. After the festival, Matthew and I headed back out to the ranch on a quick trip to replace and fill my deer feeder. As you probably remember me complaining about last week, the cows or some other critter broke the motor off of my deer feeder and completely destroyed it. My choice was to spend $150 for a new motor (solar powered charged with a pretty fancy digital timer) or to send the old one back with $25, which would cover rebuilding it, changing out the rechargeable gel cell battery, and return shipping. Bonus that I bought the one with the lifetime warranty to be able to get the cheap rebuilds. Unfortunately, the rebuild will take 8 weeks to get it back. In the interest of time, I borrowed a motor from my Dad that he's not using, and Matthew and I set out to install it. No problems, just a quick trip out there and back. One small duffel bag and we went in the Altima instead of the Expedition. I like that car more and more these days (29 mpg average for the entire trip, with my heavy foot).
This week is busy at work, then I leave Saturday for a conference in Greensboro, NC. I always laugh about my work trips vs the ones the owners take. They take several trips per year to places that have the word "Palm" or "Island" in the name. I've been to Chicago, Dallas, and the Airport Marriott in Newark, NJ. I'm about to add the Airport Marriott in Greensboro, NC to the list. Not a golf course in sight, and I don't even leave the airport grounds. Also, the things I attend are actually learning deals where you spend all day in a hotel conference room, not boondoggle trips with golf, fishing, etc, etc. This one is a deal about trucking insurance. If anyone reads this and lives in Greensboro, feel free to pick me up and take me out Saturday night so I'm not eating dinner in the hotel bar - you don't have to buy, just provide transport and company. I believe my flight gets in mid to late afternoon on Saturday.
I think I have one weekend at home after that, and then we get into deer season and the holidays. Buy stock in the major gasoline distributors now, because we're going to burn a few gallons between now and the end of the year.
Because I've been asked for it, here is a link to the Care Page that Chris updates regularly for Cindy. Because Chris and Cindy appreciate all of the prayers offered on their behalf, they have made this page and the information contained in it public.
http://www.carepages.com/carepages/CindyBrown/updates/1765380
You will need to create a sign in, but it is secure, so you won't be a part of some crazy mailing list. If it asks you for the name of the Care Page you are looking to join, the name would be CindyBrown (no spaces). If you have any trouble, leave me a comment and I'll see what I can do to help you gain access.
http://www.carepages.com/carepages/CindyBrown/updates/1765380
You will need to create a sign in, but it is secure, so you won't be a part of some crazy mailing list. If it asks you for the name of the Care Page you are looking to join, the name would be CindyBrown (no spaces). If you have any trouble, leave me a comment and I'll see what I can do to help you gain access.
Update, not the news we were hoping and praying for...
Many of you will remember my post on October 10th about a friend of ours, Cindy, that has cancer. In the last month, Chris has been turning over every stone he can to help Cindy continue the fight after her doctor gave up and said he was out of options. In the last month, Cindy has had 2 operations, one to put a stint in her kidney, and one last week to put a catheter in her liver.
They located, applied for, and were accepted to take part at a clinical trial at a hospital in San Antonio, with plans to begin last week. When they did all of their lab work, her creatinine levels were too high to begin. Potassium and sodium levels were also low. She was sent home with some instructions on things to do to try to get the levels within an acceptable range to start the trial this week.
This is an update I received from Chris this morning (he posted it last night):
My heart is very heavy tonight. Cindy is not doing well and getting worse. Today was perhaps the most difficult day of my life. I know there are at least a few more difficult days ahead.
Cindy was confused last night so we called San Antonio to see what they said. We took her off the morphine and had her drink some water and eat a little. If it was medication, it should get better. She woke up this morning more confused. Confusion (dementia) is not usually good news for a cancer patient. We went to the emergency room at M.D. Anderson and they admitted her.
Some good news - the CT scans of her head and chest were OK. Her heart is OK.
Bad news - her liver and kidneys are not doing well. Her ammonia is very high. Her bilirubin is higher than it has been - even after we had the catheter put in. Her creatinine is higher - indicating poor kidney function. Her sodium is dangerously low. She is weak, confused, in pain and nauseated.
We won't be going to San Antonio for a clinical trial. M.D. Anderson wants her to stay in the hospital tonight so they can try to get her ammonia levels down and sodium levels up to alleviate the confusion. They will start paliative care - which treats the symptoms like nausea, pain and confusion - and recommended hospice care starting tomorrow at home.
Hospice care. I thought I was prepared for today. Cindy is going to die - at least according to M.D. Anderson and Baylor. She was very close to dying when we brought her in this morning. Cindy doesn't want to stop fighting, but we don't have any options left. They said she has days left. They wouldn't say how many. My impression is not many.
She still smiles when I wink at her. I love her more than anything. This is definitely the hardest day of my life.
At this point, we're still praying for a miracle for Cindy, but Chris could use a little extra boost himself. I don't think anyone is ever really prepared to lose a spouse, but having to prepare while still in your prime has to be almost impossible to face.
Many of you will remember my post on October 10th about a friend of ours, Cindy, that has cancer. In the last month, Chris has been turning over every stone he can to help Cindy continue the fight after her doctor gave up and said he was out of options. In the last month, Cindy has had 2 operations, one to put a stint in her kidney, and one last week to put a catheter in her liver.
They located, applied for, and were accepted to take part at a clinical trial at a hospital in San Antonio, with plans to begin last week. When they did all of their lab work, her creatinine levels were too high to begin. Potassium and sodium levels were also low. She was sent home with some instructions on things to do to try to get the levels within an acceptable range to start the trial this week.
This is an update I received from Chris this morning (he posted it last night):
My heart is very heavy tonight. Cindy is not doing well and getting worse. Today was perhaps the most difficult day of my life. I know there are at least a few more difficult days ahead.
Cindy was confused last night so we called San Antonio to see what they said. We took her off the morphine and had her drink some water and eat a little. If it was medication, it should get better. She woke up this morning more confused. Confusion (dementia) is not usually good news for a cancer patient. We went to the emergency room at M.D. Anderson and they admitted her.
Some good news - the CT scans of her head and chest were OK. Her heart is OK.
Bad news - her liver and kidneys are not doing well. Her ammonia is very high. Her bilirubin is higher than it has been - even after we had the catheter put in. Her creatinine is higher - indicating poor kidney function. Her sodium is dangerously low. She is weak, confused, in pain and nauseated.
We won't be going to San Antonio for a clinical trial. M.D. Anderson wants her to stay in the hospital tonight so they can try to get her ammonia levels down and sodium levels up to alleviate the confusion. They will start paliative care - which treats the symptoms like nausea, pain and confusion - and recommended hospice care starting tomorrow at home.
Hospice care. I thought I was prepared for today. Cindy is going to die - at least according to M.D. Anderson and Baylor. She was very close to dying when we brought her in this morning. Cindy doesn't want to stop fighting, but we don't have any options left. They said she has days left. They wouldn't say how many. My impression is not many.
She still smiles when I wink at her. I love her more than anything. This is definitely the hardest day of my life.
At this point, we're still praying for a miracle for Cindy, but Chris could use a little extra boost himself. I don't think anyone is ever really prepared to lose a spouse, but having to prepare while still in your prime has to be almost impossible to face.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Train Wreck...
I'm not a huge sports nut. I do like to watch NASCAR, but I've never been overly interested in stick and ball sports. As a kid, I tried soccer, football, t-ball, and pitch baseball. I SUCKED at all of them.
That was until I met Shelly. I'm still not a sports nut, but I do watch Aggie football. Shelly is an Aggie, her brother is an Aggie, and her dad is an Aggie. He was even in the Corps of Cadets. Yep, I was done for. I'm not an Aggie (I'm a Ragin' Cajun), but I had to convert if I wanted to fit in. Shelly had season tickets to the Aggies when we met, and we renewed them every year. Every year, that is, until this year... It turns out we made a pretty good choice.
Our tickets have been getting more and more expensive each year. When I first started going to the games, RC Slocum was the coach. They did ok, but never beat Texas. A couple of years later, they decided to go big, and stole Coach Fran away from Alabama. My friend Katie almost didn't speak to us for a couple of years there since they are Bama folks. Well, it turns out that we did them a favor and took that joker away from them. After a few years of stinking up the place, Fran was out and the Aggies hired Mike Sherman away from the Houston Texans.
Each week this season, We've either watched the game or checked the score periodically. Last weekend, they played Oklahoma State, we didn't bother even looking at the score until Sunday. I can't tell you what it was, other than they got beat, and it wasn't by a slim margin.
Here are my thoughts (from the shower stall this morning)...
The Aggies weren't doing that well under Fran, but most of his losses were at least close. He never lost a home opener, and he beat Texas the last 2 years in a row. This year, the Aggies got spanked at home for the season opener. I don't remember how long it's been, but it has been a LONG time since the season opener was lost in Kyle Field. When they got rid of Fran, it was expected that the 12th Man was going to dig DEEP and hire a top name.
Instead of hiring a top name college coach, they hired Mike Sherman. Sherman was the Offensive coordinator and asst head coach for the Houston Texans. Let's get this straight. You have the money and the fan bast to hire a proven winner, and you hire the guy that is offensive coordinator for the Texans? Their best season was 8-8. They kept David Carr and drafted Mario Williams when they could have picked Vince Young or at least Reggie Bush.
I'm not an expert, but I've heard and read enough to understand that college and NFL coaches rarely have much success when moving from one level to another. Why would the Aggies think that they could hire an offensive coordinator from an NFL team that has NEVER had a winning season and have success?
As an Aggie fan, I HOPE that Sherman can get things going, but at this point, the future looks a little bleak.
I'm not a huge sports nut. I do like to watch NASCAR, but I've never been overly interested in stick and ball sports. As a kid, I tried soccer, football, t-ball, and pitch baseball. I SUCKED at all of them.
That was until I met Shelly. I'm still not a sports nut, but I do watch Aggie football. Shelly is an Aggie, her brother is an Aggie, and her dad is an Aggie. He was even in the Corps of Cadets. Yep, I was done for. I'm not an Aggie (I'm a Ragin' Cajun), but I had to convert if I wanted to fit in. Shelly had season tickets to the Aggies when we met, and we renewed them every year. Every year, that is, until this year... It turns out we made a pretty good choice.
Our tickets have been getting more and more expensive each year. When I first started going to the games, RC Slocum was the coach. They did ok, but never beat Texas. A couple of years later, they decided to go big, and stole Coach Fran away from Alabama. My friend Katie almost didn't speak to us for a couple of years there since they are Bama folks. Well, it turns out that we did them a favor and took that joker away from them. After a few years of stinking up the place, Fran was out and the Aggies hired Mike Sherman away from the Houston Texans.
Each week this season, We've either watched the game or checked the score periodically. Last weekend, they played Oklahoma State, we didn't bother even looking at the score until Sunday. I can't tell you what it was, other than they got beat, and it wasn't by a slim margin.
Here are my thoughts (from the shower stall this morning)...
The Aggies weren't doing that well under Fran, but most of his losses were at least close. He never lost a home opener, and he beat Texas the last 2 years in a row. This year, the Aggies got spanked at home for the season opener. I don't remember how long it's been, but it has been a LONG time since the season opener was lost in Kyle Field. When they got rid of Fran, it was expected that the 12th Man was going to dig DEEP and hire a top name.
Instead of hiring a top name college coach, they hired Mike Sherman. Sherman was the Offensive coordinator and asst head coach for the Houston Texans. Let's get this straight. You have the money and the fan bast to hire a proven winner, and you hire the guy that is offensive coordinator for the Texans? Their best season was 8-8. They kept David Carr and drafted Mario Williams when they could have picked Vince Young or at least Reggie Bush.
I'm not an expert, but I've heard and read enough to understand that college and NFL coaches rarely have much success when moving from one level to another. Why would the Aggies think that they could hire an offensive coordinator from an NFL team that has NEVER had a winning season and have success?
As an Aggie fan, I HOPE that Sherman can get things going, but at this point, the future looks a little bleak.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Back from the ranch...
Weekends just aren't long enough. We headed out Friday evening for a weekend at the ranch. One of Shelly's friends went with us, and it worked out great. It was nice for Shelly to have an extra set of hands to help with Jonathan while I was out on the ranch with Matthew.
Matthew and I filled the deer feeders, checked the deer stands, rode the ATV, and fished in the pond (caught a small catfish). We also got to go watch the caretaker kill a wild hog that had been trapped on a neighboring ranch. Matthew is only 4, but he was enthralled seeing that wild boar in the cage and watching Ron shoot it. He then watched intently while Ron cleaned it. The little guy also watched while I cleaned deer last fall. Maybe he'll grow up to be a doctor?
All was not perfect on this trip, however. Something, I assume it was a cow, got into the pen that holds my deer feeder. When I built the pen, I only used 3 strands of barbed wire, and since I am not a professional fence builder, the wires have loosened up considerably in the last 5 years. I just used a single corner post at each corner, instead of the "H" or similar posts that allow the wires to stay tight. The cows also push against the fence, causing it to loosen (corner post being bent in slightly. Anyway, whatever it was, my feeder motor had been knocked off the feeder and completely destroyed.
We generally have the cows on the South end of the property, and most of the deer feeders are on the North end. After hunting season, we open the gates on the cross fence and let the cows move to the North end. After I replace the feeder motor, I guess I'll start taking it off after hunting season to keep it from getting broken again. It is a little disheartening that I spent a weekend and the expense of a trip out there and was able to fill every feeder but my own.
Around mid-day today, Matthew figured out we were packing up to go home. He was a little sad and said he didn't want to go home, he wanted to stay at the ranch. I felt the same way, but unfortunately, I haven't figured out a way to live there and still support my family.
Weekends just aren't long enough. We headed out Friday evening for a weekend at the ranch. One of Shelly's friends went with us, and it worked out great. It was nice for Shelly to have an extra set of hands to help with Jonathan while I was out on the ranch with Matthew.
Matthew and I filled the deer feeders, checked the deer stands, rode the ATV, and fished in the pond (caught a small catfish). We also got to go watch the caretaker kill a wild hog that had been trapped on a neighboring ranch. Matthew is only 4, but he was enthralled seeing that wild boar in the cage and watching Ron shoot it. He then watched intently while Ron cleaned it. The little guy also watched while I cleaned deer last fall. Maybe he'll grow up to be a doctor?
All was not perfect on this trip, however. Something, I assume it was a cow, got into the pen that holds my deer feeder. When I built the pen, I only used 3 strands of barbed wire, and since I am not a professional fence builder, the wires have loosened up considerably in the last 5 years. I just used a single corner post at each corner, instead of the "H" or similar posts that allow the wires to stay tight. The cows also push against the fence, causing it to loosen (corner post being bent in slightly. Anyway, whatever it was, my feeder motor had been knocked off the feeder and completely destroyed.
We generally have the cows on the South end of the property, and most of the deer feeders are on the North end. After hunting season, we open the gates on the cross fence and let the cows move to the North end. After I replace the feeder motor, I guess I'll start taking it off after hunting season to keep it from getting broken again. It is a little disheartening that I spent a weekend and the expense of a trip out there and was able to fill every feeder but my own.
Around mid-day today, Matthew figured out we were packing up to go home. He was a little sad and said he didn't want to go home, he wanted to stay at the ranch. I felt the same way, but unfortunately, I haven't figured out a way to live there and still support my family.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Probably won't get invited back...
OK, it's been a couple of weeks since the last post. Lots of stuff has been going on, but very little of it is blog worthy. Work is busy, as you would expect after losing almost a week of working time, but still having the same amount of work to get done. Also a little bit of drama around the office (actually sort of stupid crap), but nothing really to blog about. I've also got this rule about blogging either about company business or on company time.
Our Sunday School class at church has been doing "small groups" for about a year now. Basically, several people open up their homes to meet periodically in smaller groups for a more in-depth type bible study and also to build closer friendships with each other than you might be able to in a class of 70-80 people. Nothing is assigned, you just pick the one you want to go to based on location or how often / when they meet and show up.
I've been resisting, because I think we're busy enough. There is also the issue of a 4 yr old and a 5 month old that spend all day in daycare. It seems a little unfair to me to pick them up and immediately leave them with either a sitter or a grandparent. Well, one of the couples that is now hosting a group has an infant and they started a more informal group and they encourage you to bring the kids. So, we went tonight and took the kids. Sounds good, right?
One of the other couples there has 2 boys, I believe they are 5 and 3. Bookends to our 4 yr old, so that part was fine. They played well together and shared toys really well. Our hostess had baked several great desserts for us to enjoy while we were there. One of which was a chocolate cake with sort of gooey icing. There was also an assortment of fresh fruit. All of this was in the kitchen, and we were meeting in the living room.
Once we got things going, the kids went into the kitchen area to play on the floor, while the adults were talking. I went in to check on the kids, and Matthew wanted to eat some fruit, while eyeing the cake on the table. I set him up at the end of the dining table with some grapes on a napkin, and told him he was to either play on the floor with his toys, or eat the grapes at the table, but he was not to touch any of the other desserts. I repeated it and got him to respond to me that he understood.
All was going well for 20 or 30 minutes. Every little while, one of the parents would go in and make sure the kids weren't destroying anything and to settle them down a little, but they were fine for the most part. Then, as we were wrapping up with a prayer time, Shelly leaned to me and said, is that chocolate around Matthew's mouth? Oh, no. The kids were coming into the living room, and not only did Matthew have chocolate around his mouth, he had it all over the front of his shirt. I took him out and made sure there was no mess in the hosts kitchen / dining room, then I got a wipe from Jonathan's diaper bag and cleaned up his face and hands.
No obvious damage done, we returned to the group. Things were wrapping up, and we started visiting amongst ourselves, while the kids played in the living room. Kids are fast, and before I knew it, Matthew climbed on the ottoman in front of the sofa and jumped from the ottoman to the sofa, and back to the ottoman. (the chocolate was kicking in, the kid was starting to bounce off the walls, so it was time to go). I grabbed Matthew, sat him on the ottoman with the order to settle down, and I turned around to get his shoes and socks. Just as I turned back to him, he coughed, sputtered, and chucked what I can only surmise was his last drink of apple juice along with some remnants of chocolate cake onto the hosts ottoman. I wish I could say it was leather... Luckily it was a stain resistant cloth, and brown in color, so it cleaned up really well with a damp cloth.
OK, I'm at my whits end by now. We've got to get out of here. I put Jonathan in his car seat, grab the toys we brought for Matthew and tell Shelly we have to go. As we're going into the kitchen to get Shelly's purse and the diaper bag, the hosts are in there telling everyone goodbye as they leave. They are great folks and tell us that they understand kids are kids, and they hope to see all of us next week. Then I noticed the cake. What was once a cake, perfectly iced and smooth as glass, now had almost zero icing left on it, and the few patches remaining had the marks of little fingers running through them. We're talking half of a cake remaining...
Well, folks, I think that just about does it. No more of these adult get togethers at other people's houses that allow you to bring the kids. I appreciate that they are doing what they can to accommodate those of us with kids, but it just doesn't work. A couple of kids can destroy a house in a short amount of time if you aren't watching them like a hawk. If you are watching them like a hawk, you can't really participate in what's going on with the rest of the adults, meaning, you might as well just stay home.
Next week, we just stay home. (probably much to the relief of our hosts.)
OK, it's been a couple of weeks since the last post. Lots of stuff has been going on, but very little of it is blog worthy. Work is busy, as you would expect after losing almost a week of working time, but still having the same amount of work to get done. Also a little bit of drama around the office (actually sort of stupid crap), but nothing really to blog about. I've also got this rule about blogging either about company business or on company time.
Our Sunday School class at church has been doing "small groups" for about a year now. Basically, several people open up their homes to meet periodically in smaller groups for a more in-depth type bible study and also to build closer friendships with each other than you might be able to in a class of 70-80 people. Nothing is assigned, you just pick the one you want to go to based on location or how often / when they meet and show up.
I've been resisting, because I think we're busy enough. There is also the issue of a 4 yr old and a 5 month old that spend all day in daycare. It seems a little unfair to me to pick them up and immediately leave them with either a sitter or a grandparent. Well, one of the couples that is now hosting a group has an infant and they started a more informal group and they encourage you to bring the kids. So, we went tonight and took the kids. Sounds good, right?
One of the other couples there has 2 boys, I believe they are 5 and 3. Bookends to our 4 yr old, so that part was fine. They played well together and shared toys really well. Our hostess had baked several great desserts for us to enjoy while we were there. One of which was a chocolate cake with sort of gooey icing. There was also an assortment of fresh fruit. All of this was in the kitchen, and we were meeting in the living room.
Once we got things going, the kids went into the kitchen area to play on the floor, while the adults were talking. I went in to check on the kids, and Matthew wanted to eat some fruit, while eyeing the cake on the table. I set him up at the end of the dining table with some grapes on a napkin, and told him he was to either play on the floor with his toys, or eat the grapes at the table, but he was not to touch any of the other desserts. I repeated it and got him to respond to me that he understood.
All was going well for 20 or 30 minutes. Every little while, one of the parents would go in and make sure the kids weren't destroying anything and to settle them down a little, but they were fine for the most part. Then, as we were wrapping up with a prayer time, Shelly leaned to me and said, is that chocolate around Matthew's mouth? Oh, no. The kids were coming into the living room, and not only did Matthew have chocolate around his mouth, he had it all over the front of his shirt. I took him out and made sure there was no mess in the hosts kitchen / dining room, then I got a wipe from Jonathan's diaper bag and cleaned up his face and hands.
No obvious damage done, we returned to the group. Things were wrapping up, and we started visiting amongst ourselves, while the kids played in the living room. Kids are fast, and before I knew it, Matthew climbed on the ottoman in front of the sofa and jumped from the ottoman to the sofa, and back to the ottoman. (the chocolate was kicking in, the kid was starting to bounce off the walls, so it was time to go). I grabbed Matthew, sat him on the ottoman with the order to settle down, and I turned around to get his shoes and socks. Just as I turned back to him, he coughed, sputtered, and chucked what I can only surmise was his last drink of apple juice along with some remnants of chocolate cake onto the hosts ottoman. I wish I could say it was leather... Luckily it was a stain resistant cloth, and brown in color, so it cleaned up really well with a damp cloth.
OK, I'm at my whits end by now. We've got to get out of here. I put Jonathan in his car seat, grab the toys we brought for Matthew and tell Shelly we have to go. As we're going into the kitchen to get Shelly's purse and the diaper bag, the hosts are in there telling everyone goodbye as they leave. They are great folks and tell us that they understand kids are kids, and they hope to see all of us next week. Then I noticed the cake. What was once a cake, perfectly iced and smooth as glass, now had almost zero icing left on it, and the few patches remaining had the marks of little fingers running through them. We're talking half of a cake remaining...
Well, folks, I think that just about does it. No more of these adult get togethers at other people's houses that allow you to bring the kids. I appreciate that they are doing what they can to accommodate those of us with kids, but it just doesn't work. A couple of kids can destroy a house in a short amount of time if you aren't watching them like a hawk. If you are watching them like a hawk, you can't really participate in what's going on with the rest of the adults, meaning, you might as well just stay home.
Next week, we just stay home. (probably much to the relief of our hosts.)
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