2208 Days since retiring July 1, 2005!

"When attacked, unify the upper, middle, and lower parts of your body. Enter, turn, and blend with your opponent, front and back, right and left."
from Art of Peace

Read on and fall sound asleep

I am stunned. It has been eight days since I wrote a full entry. I haven’t been busy or sick. I guess I have just been lazy. A large limb broke from the Oak tree in the front yard. Once again I get notice that I have entered the frail years. I went out and tried to drag the limb off the side walk and within 2 minutes was shaking from the pain in my back and hips. I have spent the rest of that day trying to find the business cards left by various Latinos in the neighborhood who do tree work. Somewhere on my desk, I am certain, are 6 cards. Of course I cannot find one. As soon as I quit looking and use the phone book to find an Anglo and sign a contract I expect the Latinos will be by with, of course, much lower price. It never fails.

I am waiting impatiently for “Captain America” to open in a local theater. He was my first super hero. I had a complete set of Captain America clothes and all his weapons. I remember his shield was almost as big as I was in first grade. Another movie I am waiting for is “Rise of the Apes”. But I expect Hollywood to do something to make the story just “wrong”. In my life I have never seen Hollywood treat a science or technology subject straight up. The bastards always have to invoke irrational fear. So I will likely leave the movies mad.

A week or so ago I was told by Amy Hudson (cardiology PA) that the last blood test showed strange results for kidney function analytes. So she sent me to see a Doctor Shevana. He is a specialist in Nephrology. When his staff member called to set up an appointment she had to repeat everything 3 or 4 times before I understood the time (11:30 am July 18). The only other things I understood was suite 50 in the professional building and the doctor’s name was Shevara. This morning I parked in the parking garage next to the professional building and went in search. The PB has no suite 50 nor a dr named Shevara. The old fart at the info desk had no clue how to use the phone system. He told my to go to the main entrance desk and ask. By the time I had walked that extra 150 feet I was about to cry. My back was on fire and my feet were numb. The young woman at the desk worked with me and we finally figured out where and who the doc really was. Combined with the “She….” and a kidney speciality she determined I needed Dr. Shevan at 1919 North Loop West. That is also called Medical plaza 3. By the time I got to this info desk it was too painful to walk back to get the car. So off I trudged. Past the Emergency Hospital, out into the rain. Past the Rehab and Retirement Center to the Medical Plaza 3 entrance. Finally in the right place 0.47 miles from my car! Dr Shevana was very thorough and told me to stop two of my current medicines. He also ordered more and different specialized blood test and MRI work. He carefully explained the results that had troubled Amy. All in All I was impressed by him manner. But all the furniture was old with the padding sticking through the upholstery. His office looks like he is either just starting his practice or is in severe decline. My next appointment with him is 9/28/2011 and I need a blood workup the week before.

The main thing I have been doing is attending performances of Shakespeare plays in Winedale. So far I have been to “As You Like It”, “Hamlet”, and “Henry VI part 2”. According to the director this was the very first performance of Henry VI part 2 in Texas.

I am going to take senior grandson to see “As You Like It” 7/28/2011.

07/10: Dear God, help us to be sensitive to others' needs -- both physical and spiritual. Amen. 07/11: Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you accept us with unconditional love. Thank you for cleansing us and making us whole. Amen. 7/12: God of love and power, hold us up when life hits us hard, and give us courage and strength to find new life in the face of grief. Thank you for staying with us all our days. Amen. 7/13: Dear Lord, strengthen our trust in your power to help us work for you, even when we feel overwhelmed. Amen. 7/14: Dear Lord, help us to serve those in need, those you send us. Help us always to serve with a loving heart. Amen. 7/15: God of change, who changes not, help us trust you even through tests of faith. Amen. 7/16: Thank you, Lord, for your grace in Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection reconcile us to you. Amen. 7/17: God of all being, thank you for the small joys and surprises of each day. Help us to be aware of you in the little and big moments of life. Help us to let our light shine for you. Amen.7/18: Thank you, God, for forgiving all our sins because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Amen. The prayers are from the Upper Room. For your own free E-Mail Devotional visit : http://www.upperroom.org/devotional/email/

Click the picture for comic strips on-line.

ROASTED ONION SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
3 Spanish onions, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 cup brandy
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic head, large, cloves separated, peeled and cut in half
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin olive oil)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 large shallots, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Set oven rack at the lowest level; preheat to 450 degrees. Combine onions, shallots, garlic and oil in a large shallow roasting pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until the onions are golden. Remove from oven and pour in one-fourth of the chicken stock. Stir liquid in the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen and dissolve any caramelized bits. (The liquid will become quite dark.) Transfer the onion mixture to a soup pot and add brandy, thyme and the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and top with Parmesan cheese.

Sammy has many more recipes HERE.

”The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.”
Mark Twain

SGGP

Webtvers email comments to Lyn1937 and I will paste into the comments.