hands

hands
Originally uploaded by Heather's Shot.

These hands held mine.

My father's hands lived 88 years. They danced, they threw footballs and baseballs, they lifted weights, they canoed, they gardened, they drafted, they invented the wall saw, they married, they held three daughters and three grandsons, they held the newspaper every day, and turned page after page of the National Geographic every month, they cooked and did laundry, they drove, and they held mine.

My father's hands were always busy. Even when he sat still he would twiddle his thumbs.
In the hospital, I kept telling my dad he could rest. At one point he said "tired of resting". I laughed and then he laughed. So now I say, "move in peace".

Still Standing

Playhouse
Originally uploaded by Heather's Shot.

My playhouse is still standing (barely). It's 34 years old this year. Although my father is not standing right now, he too is fighting against time and nature.
My dad has been in critical condition at the hospital for 1 week. He got a cold which turned into pneumonia. At 88 years old, his body must fight hard. He quit smoking 30 yrs ago, works out at the gym 3 nights a week, runs (or shuffles) on the weekends now, works 5 days a week, and shops only at the health food store. He's quite the character. He can cuss up a storm and would not be surprised that I'm telling everyone he's a "stubborn shit". He sure does have a lot of people praying for him. His older brother and younger sister call every day.

Tonight he responded to the nurse when she told him to move his hands and his feet. The "good drugs" were turned off this morning. The plan for tomorrow is to get the ventillator out but they're just waiting for him to wake up enough. The ventillator and drugs have kept him quiet, but now we want him to wake up and start cussing.

He's got a line of us waiting for him to get better so we can slap him for not going to doctor earlier.

For a few more pic of my visit to his house last week, go here.

Me n my pops.

POM POMs

Originally uploaded by glamorama.

"Furballs of LUV". That's what their mom calls 'em. These POM POM's the cutest furballs I've ever seen. OMG.

Jane & Dick LUV their POM POM's.

Josephine (Jo Jo) is in front. She was an only child until last year when she graciously took Dragon into her *circle of LUV". At 11 yrs old, she's a wise woman in her prime. Dragon was left at the humane society after losing his previous master to old age, but has been given a second chance with his amazing new family. It's a sweet story dammit.

Springing-Forward SUCKS

Spring has always been my favorite time of year. Green hills and colorful flowers popping up everywhere. My camera calls to me, "take me out.........take pictures of all that color............please please please". I also love springtime sun. I can enjoy some direct sun for more than 15 minutes (with my daily spf 50-something), get a little color (okI actually just connect my freckles but it's color dammit), and get some good 'ole Vitamin D, and not get sunburned. The timer's gotta come out for the summer sun.

So it's a dirty trick when the spring solstice is followed by this stupid time change. Congrats to all of those you like it. When you leave work, it's still light. Yippeee for you. You better go out and take a bike ride or hike or whatever the heck you need light for at 7pm. I better see your joy and happiness over this late light thing!!

I, on the other hand, am miserable because I am a night owl. I struggle to get myself to bed before I turn into a pumpkin (or purn into a tumpkin), and this time change makes that HARDER!! And then there's the morning. I am dead asleep at 7:30am when my alarm begins that WTF-is-that noise. You can imagine how delighted I am that the rudeness-that-is-my-alarm will actually begin at 6:30am.

AND to add insult to injury, as you all know, my son is a night owl too. The dreaded part of my day is getting him to fall asleep. Tonight he flopped about in bed, a good fish-out-of-water imitation, until 11 instead of 10. Oh the joy of it all............

And for those of you who WISH you could sleep in, enjoy your next day off; maybe you'll sleep 'till 8.

OK. My rant is almost over. I must explain the night owl thing to you morning people. Just IMAGINE if the world starting work at 5am. Imagine that you normally sleep until 6am. Imagine the alarm going off at 3:30am so you can be at work at 5. EVERY WORK DAY. 3:30am. What do you feel like at that hour? Just imagine...........
And then just for kicks...........imagine trying to go bed at 8pm. Hurry hurry. Better be alseep by 8:30p if you want a decent nights sleep.

Guess I better go so I can ENJOY my 5 hrs of sleep tonight.

And if you only need 5 hrs of sleep..............I have nothing to say to you.