Archives for 2007

I was originally going to title this post Breakfast in Houston but by the time I finally sat down to write I had been through Houston, in California and back to Alabama.

I was flying out to Ontario, California to attend the Podcast and Portable New Media Expo (yes, they are already planning the 2008 conference) with my boss, who is a big podcaster. He does The Final Taxi – me, I’m not into podcasting. Who would want to listen to the ranting and raving of a mad woman?

Breakfast in Houston consisted of a Starbuck’s Mocha and a scone while making our way from one terminal to another. Remind me, I don’t like scones. Fortunately it wasn’t too far – trading up one size 737 for a larger size 737. It was a full flight – almost too full. I almost got a shot the voluntary bumping perks. Instead a few people would be missing their connection because their plane would be late.

So we fly from Houston to Ontario, California. Off to the rental car location – we offer another podcaster Dr. Ginger Campbell a ride with us. The boss gets the rental car while I take a quick “break”. I come back to be told “we have a surprise” – our rental car was a Cadillac DTS – sunroof and all.

The Podcast camp ended Sunday around noon, so we wanted to at least see LA and Hollywood before we headed back to Alabama on Monday. We settled on Hollywood, starting off with a visit to Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery – the cemetery to the stars. Then we headed to Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Drove down Rodeo Drive, the found a place off Hollywood Boulevard to park. We did the Hollywood Walk of Fame and then Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Then we drove Sunset Boulevard to the coast and back to Ontario via I-10.

Other then an issue with food poisoning, it was a good trip. Now I just need to get the few pictures I took published in the gallery.

Megan finds herself in a very motivational situation. She is broke, hungry and has $3 in the bank. She called me on her way to the mall. She is going to submit job applications. It’s something she really has been needing to do. I’ve been after her to try and get a part-time job so she could start earning money of her own. I thought she might have found a part-time job working with her uncle but that sort of “went away”.

She’s now understanding what it’s like to live “paycheck to paycheck” but it’s not her check, yet. Suggestions I’ve made in the past went unheeded. She did attempt to make a commitment to pay certain bills but that was when she had a part time job. Now she’s in over her head because she doesn’t have a part-time job anymore, and gas, food and prices in general have gone up.

It’s times like this that I wished she lived a lot closer, I could put her to work for me – she doesn’t need a college education to help me. I still want her to get one though.

I finally bought a new sewing machine to replace the two I lost in the divorce. Both were my mom’s – one was as old as I am and the other she bought in Germany. I doubt whoever has them would appreciate that “value”. A while back I also replaced the KitchenAid mixer I had. That one really didn’t have a lot of sentimentals attached to it – how could it? I never even took it out of the box. A few years back I bartered for the Mac I have. I suppose that could be considered a replacement for the Mac I had. I think Megan was using that Mac a while back. She has an older iBook now (she’d love a new one for Christmas) and she has the Dell PC we gave her. I haven’t replaced the two Minolta SLRs I had – Jeff got me a great Kodak digital camera that is taking some great pictures and video clips. Let see if Blogger can truly handle video clips.

This might be one for YouTube but I would have to upload the longer versions. To say the least this was taken BEFORE his shoulder surgery. He is doing better – he drove a little yesterday.

Jeff had his shoulder surgery Friday August 10. The doctor met with me while he was in recovery – there was more damage than the doctor expected, including an uncommon subscapular rotator cuff tear “It’s unusual to see this type of tear in someone your age” – meaning it’s one you would see in older people. The first weekend home was tough – sort of like being on a newborn’s schedule – we were up every 3 hours. The pain medication pump was just a pain. It leaked and Jeff said it just hurt. And pulling the catheters out was no picnic either. No one warned us that each catheter was over 12 inches of tubing – which had to be very carefully removed. I would much rather pull tinsel out of a cat’s butt than to do that again.

When we went to his first rehab appointment, his physical therapist tells him it’s one of the worst shoulders she has seen in a while. She also reminds him he is going to have to take this one very slow, it won’t be like his other shoulder.

Then we go to the doctor to have his stitches removed – more of the same, how much damage, didn’t expect to see the torn rotator cuff and how unusual the tear is. Jeff’s main question – when can he drive again? The doctor’s answer – when he can hold his arm out and keep it there for 10 seconds.

Back to physical therapy – more reminders on needing to take it easy, not over doing it and that there is more to being able to drive than being able to hold your arm out.

This past weekend was a little better – he did attempt to drive only to find out how hard it really is. Yes, I’m still driving. Good thing we work together. I know it frustrates the begeevers out of him to not be able to drive. In time, in time.