Canuck's allergy??

Hi;
0600: Canuck, our Welsh Terrier, has a skin allergy and without medication he can itch himself raw.  The problem is that the medication, cyclosporin, is damned expensive.  We have tried all the food tests and apparently it's not the food he is allergic to.  Our next option is to do the allergy testing on him, also going to be expensive I suspect.  I am writing of this because we are going off to Williston today to get his medication and consult with Canuck's Vet.  Pat also has a yearning for some Mexican food and there is a pretty good Mexican restaurant close to our destination.  My diet takes another hit!!!
Monday we are taking Bruce (me) to see his Dr. the Cardiologist.  I am having some issue with what I suppose is angina and having to use nitro a couple of times during this last month since the angioplasty. The Dr. is in Minot.
This last Mondays snow was enough to whiten the fields and make driving uncomfortable from the blowing snow.  On Tuesday we had a nice day and all the snow melted.  Now we are facing rain for the next 2-3 days.  Spring is wonderful for the viewing of the renewal of life by mother nature, but it can be frustrating with the transition from winter.
Canuck is asking me to let him out so I am going to do that now.

Later;
ß

Maybe it 'aint spring, eh?

I got up a little late this morning (0600) to find that we had snow falling!  Guess spring is on hold for another week, LOL.  North Dakota weather in not predictable, period!  Sure glad I got the lawn mowed, it will look nice with a dusting of snow now.

We are heading off to Minot to pick up our friend Glenda Nygaard at the airport.  Her husband Vernie is tied up with "springs work" on the farm and can't go fetch her.  We are looking at rain/snow mix all the way and the mid 40ºs the rest of the day.  I have a couple of things to pick up while there but there will not be a shopping trip.

Cristal (our granddaughter) has determined that she will not be moving to ND this year. Wisely.  Next year is the goal now.  It would really be great to have her here for our own selfish reasons.  It has to be her decision though.

Well, gotta get ready to go off to the big city.  Talk to you later;
Bruce

Friday already?

0600... We have been working with "springs work" this week.  In the fall we cover many of our plants with piles of leaves to protect them from our severe winter.  Now we uncover the plants for spring.  The yard has had it's first mowing and fertilizer this year and Pat is planting the first annuals in her flower areas.  Speaking of Pat, she has come down with an awful head cold.  You know the kind, can't leave the tissue box too far from reach kind.  I have avoided it so far.  For the most part, my health seems pretty good for now.
I am still waiting to get the RV de-winterized.  We could still have some sub-freezing temps.  Probably not but I'll be save rather than sorry.  Today I will move the winter tools to the back garage and bring the summer tools up to the front garage, an annual rite of spring.

Pat looks like a shoo in for her Alderperson seat.  Three seats available and 3 people on the ballot.  Good odds, eh?  

Trash, Trash, Tra...

Where does all that junk mail come from?  I have filters to put most all of it into the trash folder but I still have to check thru it all to make sure I don't throw away wanted mail.  I wonder what the object is??  If we do not read the stuff why send it out or are there enough that do respond to that stuff?  This is one reason I chose this method to communicate.

TGIF (why do I care?)

5:30am: Habits die hard.  Friday is just another day now.  29ºF and going to be a bright sunny 60's day.  The doldrums are gone.


VISTA, Calif. – Darin Latimer was selected by the Boys and Girls Club of Vista, CA as their Youth of the Year for 2009. He has been a member since 2008 and has set a great example through his helpful actions with the staff at VMMS center. He is often found assisting the staff with cleaning, supporting their activities and mentoring other student members into the club. One prime example of Darin’s character and support of Boys and Girls Club activities was during the Halloween Party this year when he took complete responsibility for preparing the entire event.
He continues to be a positive role model and shining example for the Boys and Girls Club. Darin is also involved in American Youth Soccer Organization, Shoes of Hope and Turkey Trot. Darin aspires to be pursue computer technology at California State University, San Marcos upon graduation from high school.
VMMS is proud of Darin’s development as a young leader, and we join the Boys and Girls Club of Vista at VMMS in celebrating his selection as Youth of the Year for 2009-2010.

We are very proud of Darin and his accomplishments.  I congratulate him.  I also want to commend his parents, Jack and Linda who supported him so well. Well done, Mom and Dad!  Darin is my nephew.

All is well..

That is Pat the politician.  Just a good picture of her.
The weather is just so Oregon.  Grey and wet.
 
I walked my mile today, did 3.6 mph average.  Recovery time was less than 10 min, 13 min yesterday.  I was unable to walk more than 2 blocks before the stent.  Life is good.

Our visit with Cristal and Jayla was really good.  She is thinking very seriously of moving to N. Dakota.  We certainly would enjoy that.

Greg, our Son, is talking about visiting us this year also.  That would make it a banner year if he and his wife Susan would do that.  We are very excited by the thought.  All this and the Lamb reunion August in Illinois gives us a full plate.  Even more excitement, Pat's brother Larry and his wife Eileen have purchased a Motorhome and plan to travel with us to the reunion.  I am really excited by the thought. WOW!

Thoughts & Misc.

It is raining this morning.  The radar thinks it will stop by noon.  More rain for the next several days.  We thought we escaped this when we left Oregon (LOL).
I am finished with installing the auxiliary fuel tank on the truck. (I never spell auxiliary correctly, thank you spell checker).  Now the final test will be putting fuel in the tanks to see if the plumbing is OK and my cutoff solenoid works as planned.  I think I'll do this today.

I am sharing a photo I took at the Peace Gardens last year.  We are looking down the border of the two nations, United States (L) and Canada(R).  Pretty neat.  Each country maintains it's side of the border, a lovely place for sure.  If you click on the picture it will enlarge for better viewing.

Pat has turned in her completed petition for Alder(person, lady, man).  Elections are in June.  She seems popular so she may be in politics soon.  Many voters know her from working on the election board for the last several years.

Pat is off to the hairdresser.  Canuck and I have the run of the house now.  We're off to mischief now.

Snow, Canuck, Lamb Reunion etc...

We had SNOW early this morning.  Not very cold though, 32ºF white dusting that will disappear as soon as the sun hits it.

Canuck's haircut and bath occurred on Sunday.  He is a very good subject for both activities and now looks like a Welsh Terrier as he should.  I'll upload a picture or two to this post later.  

We have started de-winterizing the Fifth-Wheel for use.  This takes a while because we basically unload all the stuff in it and store it in a heated area in the house.

We're both excited about our trip to Illinois/Indiana this year.  A whole month is planned at this point, or, until we are thrown out.

Canuck's haircut day...

Pat does the clipping of Canuck's coat to make him look like he is supposed to.  She really does a nice job.  I'll do the bath thing on Sunday.
I cannot believe how much better I am feeling since the Stent.  I don't wear out so easily.

Just babbling;

Where we live  a web link to Google Maps, just for fun.

Yesterdays rain was short and sweet, about an hours worth then sunshine to dry everything off.

I have started a diet to loose about 20#.  Dieting and diabetes conflict a bit.  Calories and carbohydrates have to be considered and counted then insulin too.  I have increased my exercise regimen to help with this project.  We'll see how it goes.

Brian and the family are coming over for a visit this afternoon. With Jayla of course!  We will have a pizza feed (I wont participate in that) to finish the evening off.  Brian's 'stepdaughter', Naomi has two very delightful children Riley and Mckenna.  We enjoy their company very much.  Both are precocious and a delight to be around.
More Later:

It feels like Spring....

The nights are still cool and may drop below freezing but the days are hovering around the 60º mark.  Some of the bushes and trees are trying to bud and grass in the farm fields is turning green is spots.  That is Spring for us.  The heavy coats of winter can be placed in the winter closet for a few precious months.  Long sleeves and light jackets for now.  Life is good.

Pat's Long Arm Quilting business is doing well and feels like it will be a good business.  People seem very pleased with her work.  That is very gratifying for her.  Her artistic talents are being exposed for the first time.
I am beginning to really feel good for the first time in recent memory.  More energy.  I think the stent is working.  I would become fatigued easily before.  Thought is was old age catching up with me.
Later Note;
It is 2:50 PM and we are having our first rain of the year.  Our spring shower.  I feel like running through the rain drops like I did as a child in Illinois.  It is just a bit cool to do that now, 52.9ºF.  I did not get the electronic rain gauge set up yet. DARN.  Looking at the radar image on line it appears the the weather developed over us.  Pretty neat.

She's here, She's here!

Cristal and Jayla made the trip without incident.  Train was on time!  We went out as a group (8) to a mexican supper.  Pat grabbed Jayla and retained custody for much of supper.  We are having very pleasant weather here in 'big sky' country.
Gosh, Jayla in tiny!  She is a beautiful little girl.  I'll not bore you with a lot of pictures and graphic prose.  It will suffice that my first great grandchild is purrrfect.

Cristal is coming, Cristal is coming, Cristal is coming!

Cristal is our Granddaughter, she is carrying our Great Granddaughter (Jayla Brianne) to us for introduction. We are anxiously watching the train status on Amtrak.com.  At this point Cristal has entered into Montana from Idaho.  This is her first train ride.  The train is scheduled to arrive in Williston, ND at about 7 PM.  It is running about 30 minutes late.  This will be Cristal's first trip to North Dakota.  It is all very exciting for us!  WOW! a Great Granddaughter, how 'bout that, eh?

It is EASTER and..

I am pleased to be here this Easter.  I'll explain.  April Fools day was traumatic for me.  I had a bit of chest discomfort (pressure) in the late morning and it escalated to very uncomfortable after lunch.  A quick trip to the ER at the local Crosby hospital confirmed what I had been in denial the previous several hours (weeks maybe, eh?).  I was having a heart attack.  I was transported to a hospital in Minot, ND (120 mi) by ambulance where it was determined I had 80% blockage in an artery in the upper right quadrant of my heart.  A stent was installed and here I am.  The heart attack was "minor" and simply a early warning of very serious things to come.  IF YOU HAVE CHEST PAIN, PAY ATTENTION! OK?.  If I had continued to ignore this condition as I had previous times I was in great risk of missing next Christmas.  Not good!
The amazing thing is that this life giving surgery was available and so easily acquired.  Angiography and its relatives angioplasty and angioplasty w/stent are remarkably easy procedures for the patient.  From the time of the procedure to release was slightly more that 24 hrs.  I live!

We will be celebrating Easter with a dinner at home with a lady friend of ours, Tamara Rodam.  Tamara owns the local quilting supplies store where Pat teaches quilting.

We will be thinking of all of you that read this blog in our prayers today, God Bless you all.