Happy New Year !!!

    Well, it's already February and I'm just getting around to putting this together. So much for a jump start on the new year. I had been waiting for some better news, but waiting on the VA is like waiting for Christmas when you're 6 years old. On with the show.

    It's 2015 and Christmas is over. I can't say I was happy to see it leave. We saw many of the relatives, but there were many more we just couldn't see due to distance or sickness. Teresa wound up with a nasty cold, leaving me to be the caretaker for a change. Winter has come to this part of the world which means colder temps, overcast days, and rain. I suppose I should be grateful that we aren't living in Wyoming or some such. I would like to reiterate the fact that I'm not missing the snow or traffic at all.

    I am eating mostly solid food now and I have to admit a couple of things. First, the food is tasting better and I'm learning what I can get down. Second, my digestive system is finally coming around and getting used to solid food again. Just about anything that doesn't really have to be chewed a lot is fair game. The tricky part is that although I'm eating again, I really have to remind myself to eat. My stomach still doesn't send the “ I'm hungry “ message like I'm used to. It is waking up though and if I go long enough without something to eat it will send up the signal.

    1-22

    Well, it's a week later and I'm only using the cans as a supplement when I really don't have time to eat. We spent the last week in the north forty. The weather was promised to be moderate and it didn't disappoint. One day was actually in the mid 70's and we were able to work outside. One of the projects is a greenhouse that we bought from a neighbor and I disassembled last summer. This thing is about 8' X 10' and the problem with it is that when we took it apart we had the intention of bringing it up here and reassembling it within a month or so. Of course life got in the way and now here I am trying to put together a puzzle with only holes drilled here and there for clues as to what piece goes where. It's a really nice one with a steel frame, built in heater, three windows, and a full sized door so I want to get it back the way it was. Not to mention the truckload of plants that Teresa has that will need a warm hangout when we move.

    2-1

    Last week I had another appointment, this time back with chemo. They wanted to talk to me about starting another round of chemo on what they perceive is more cancer in my lungs. After a PET and a CAT scan they have identified several of what they call nodules of suspicious nature. One of the doctors said that one of the nodules was possibly large enough to aspirate some fluid to identify whether or not it's cancer. However, I had been told by another doctor that even if it is, there is no harm in letting them go another month or two as the treatment would be the same.

The procedure to aspirate a nodule involves more scans and thankfully being out for the procedure since they will be putting a needle through the chest wall and trying to find the center of the nodule to aspirate it. I say trying because it's like trying to hit something half the size of a grape that's in the middle of a cantaloupe. You have a pretty good idea of where it is, but you're never positive if you're in it or not. If you get in it, you can properly identify whether or not it's cancerous. If you miss, you will always get a false negative which just sets you up for another test later.

    2-3

    Some very dear friends of ours came to visit this past weekend and decided I had been without teeth long enough. We had gone out to eat with one of their friends who had been in the service and had had dentures through them. He said to be prepared for another six months before I got them. After them seeing me and how much weight I had lost they told Teresa to make an appointment for me and they would pay for them. So today I went in for the initial exam and this afternoon I had teeth. They look really good, but it will take time to get used to having this big hunk of acrylic in my mouth all of the time and learning how to talk with them in. I had almost gotten used to the way I sounded without teeth (almost ) and now I have to start over. Dentists will tell you that one of the best ways to get used to new dental appliances is to sing along with the radio. Or I suppose you could just answer out loud to the voices in your head. ( Is that just me ? )

    At any rate, I'm going to post this now so you can see pics of me with teeth. Here's hoping you all have a great and prosperous new year.

Merry Christmas To All !!!

    I have been ready for Christmas this year since Halloween was over. After a little bit of thought, I came up with the fact that if this hadn't been caught when it was, this probably would have been my last Christmas. I usually put up a Bah Humbug type of front with my actual feelings held below the surface so as to have everyone believing that I don't like Christmas. I really do love Christmas, it's just that I absolutely hate the way that in August Wal-Mart has replaced the garden section with trees and decorations, etc. and Home Depot and Lowes put up their Christmas aisles around Halloween.    

   Uh, HELLO, I need grass seed and insecticide. Oh, the insecticide has moved to the paint department and I'm afraid there wont be grass seed until February. I love Christmas but I don't want it shoved down my throat months ahead of time. Black Friday isn't black Friday anymore, it's black Thursday afternoon. What's next Black Halloween ? They're already half way there with the black. Baaahhh !! Humbuug !!!

    Where were we ? Oh yeah, Christmas. I have had my radio tuned to an all Christmas music station since it came on before Thanksgiving. I'm just happier this year. Without getting too preachy, I just turned this whole thing over to God. I am no model christian by any means, but my faith has pulled me through some pretty bad situations and I don't see any reason to give up now.

    That being said if I had the means I would hack into something and delete pretty much everything that the music group Wham! has ever done. I realize that an all Christmas program on a radio station is going to have to repeat songs every so often. But I can't count the number of times in a day that Wham! is whining about last Christmas. ( I do have to confess here that when Taylor Swift sings the same song I like it. )

    Something I've always liked about this time of year is that people are usually friendlier and in a better mood. I'm sure that all of the parties that abound this time of year just may have something to do with it. Whatever it is it always seems to make getting used to old man winter a little bit easier. By the time the new year has come and gone everyone has had a chance to get used to the cold. Granted everyone has lost their Christmasy demeanor and depending on your area you might have snow up to your second floor window ledge, but you know that spring is right around the corner, right?

But Christmas is about cheer and good will towards men and this year I have my cheer and it's not with a glass of cheer either. ( I'm not supposed to drink anymore, remember ? ) Never fear, I'm sure I can find something to catch up to the party with.

    Christmas is also about extending a hand to those who are less fortunate. And you don't actually have to give money to make a difference. You can give your time to food banks, go ring a bell, help out at your church, etc. With the financial situation we're facing this year, I've taken to making small gifts for those people in my small circle, and mowing several yards for those who can't get to it themselves. Even if it's just babysitting the two brats from next door while their parents do some Christmas shopping. ( Hmmm, where did that come from ? ) So, if you haven't helped someone yet, go out and get to it. The rewards you will receive will far outweigh the small amount of effort that you will have put into it.

    12-18

    Today I had an EMG. This is where they apply voltage to different nerves and gauge the reaction. You are hooked up to a machine not unlike an oscilloscope that displays different nerve reactions. The juice that they run through you is a low voltage, but with plenty of amperage. Almost every time he hit that thing I jumped. The idea is to find your reflex points and apply it there. Evidently the idea is not to see if I can feel it, but to see how high they can make me jump. Mostly it feels as if someone has hooked up your funny bone to electricity. It's not the most unpleasant procedure I've had done, but it's in the top five. ( The dentist is still number one. )

    I'm eating a couple of meals a day now and still doing a couple of cans of formula. My strength is returning slowly as is my stamina. My biggest problem seems to be being able to stay in a good temperature range so that I'm not too hot or cold. The weather in Texas hasn't been to bad yet and I'm still able to get out to my shop to work on small projects. Everything from the doctors still looks good, so I am hopeful.

   A continued thanks for all of those that are praying and rooting for me. I know all of the prayers are working because I'm still here to pester everyone. Thanks again. I couldn't have done it without everyone's help.

      So, until next year,

             Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

There's news in there somwhere

   Just an opening note to my readers. As I'm sure you have noticed the blogs have gotten farther apart. When I started this I was pretty much a captive to my treatments and as such had much more time to sit, think, and write. Now that I'm at home, the amount of time that I actually dedicate to writing is a very small part of the day. Add to that, that most of the news of my illness has been told and that my appointments are farther apart, and it leaves little to write about so please bear with me while I try to find a style and something to write about. I've said it before, they tell you to write what you know. The problem there is I have a few stories that I could write, but when you clean them up for publication they tend to lose a lot. I have a short story I have almost finished and when I can figure out how to get it out to people I'll let you know that it's ready.

   Oh, and one other thing, I've never been trained as a typist so all of this is done in the old hunt and peck style.

   The house at the north forty has come along slowly, but it is coming together. The place is almost 100% livable, lacking only some caulking, a little insulation, and a little more drywall. We placed the wood burning heater and all it needs now is the piping for the exhaust. The pipe is expensive so we wanted to be sure of all the measurements before we bought a bunch of stuff we couldn't use. We've checked into phone service and they believe that we could have phone and internet within a week of requesting it. Since cell phones don't work within a mile or two of the place, a land line is a must. About the only thing really holding us to the Granbury house is that it hasn't sold. If we had a serious bite on the house I believe we could be out in a week, although I would have to call in a lot of favors.

11-21

   The weather has been decent and I've felt good enough lately the last several days. I have been able to get Christmas lights hung, the window AC out of our room, and a few more odd chores that I had been putting off for warmer weather. With my right arm not wanting to work right some of that was a little tough.

   For the past several years I have been a bit of a weather nut, paying attention to the cold fronts and the weather patterns, and I have to tell you, I'm not missing the snow and traffic at all.  And that reminds me that whoever wrote the song Home For The Holidays has never actually driven from the Atlantic to Pacific because I've never seen the traffic being terrific ( horrific maybe ). ( Just a note, after researching the song, it was published in 1954. That might explain it. )

However, I have already made my first resolution for the new year, to get back on the road. My appointments have gotten farther apart so that I might be able to plan when to get back for them.

Lately I have been taking four cans of formula and an evening meal. I'm trying to get back into the habit of eating, although it's a bit different without teeth. If I can gain back some of the weight that I've lost, I should be getting back some of the strength also.

12-8

   Well, I guess now it can be told. I had a PET scan done last Friday and the results are in. My neck seems to be free of cancer, BUT there are several spots on my lungs. The Dr. said this could be from several things, including an infection or aspirated food. He also said that you can aspirate a small amount of food and never choke or be aware that it has happened. He has scheduled a CT scan to see what it turns up. If they don't like what they see, then it's on to do an aspiration of one of the suspect nodes. That's one I'm definitely not looking forward too. The needle is about a foot long and they take pictures of the needle while they are inserting it to make sure it's in the right place. Push it in a little, take a pic and repeat until they are happy.

   Right now the largest one is about the size of a pencil eraser and to get an accurate reading on the suspect node it needs to be about the size of a marble. So I'm sure there will be a waiting game for all of that.

   We also saw ENT where they ran a scope up my nose and into my throat. After running through my sinus cavity for a minute, that Dr. said I looked good from what he could see. My appointments for ENT are now set for 8 weeks instead of 4 to 6.

    Next Monday they are going to do a nerve test on my shoulder where they send electric shocks through my muscles to see how they react. ( Dr. Frankenstein, calling Dr. Frankenstein ) They are trying to figure out if my nerve got damaged somehow in all of this. Gee, I just can't wait until they see how high they can get me to jump off of the table.

   Ok, I've made you wait long enough so I'll post this now. I'll try to get another one out before Christmas.

  

Yard sales and Thanksgiving

Sorry for the lateness of this post. Sometimes life just gets in the way.

10-26

We had a yard sale this past weekend and I suppose if you look at the numbers we did OK. The glass top table did not sell as I had hoped, but we eliminated a lot of things that we had been storing and generally cleaned out a lot of stuff. There were two other friends of ours that put some stuff in it, so our entire front yard was covered in everything from clothes, baby items ( she had been holding on to some hoping for more grandkids ) tools, and knick knacks to just about anything else you may have ever seen at a yard sale. The leftovers were donated to a church that is going to have one next weekend so we can go there and buy back all of it. NOT. We had been getting ready for this for about two weeks. Thursday was a killer of a day trying to set this all up. Thursday night I thought I was going to have to crawl to bed. And like most yard sales we had a LOT of lookers. If everyone had bought one item we would have sold out Friday. Of course Sunday was a cleanup day. And as usual we found several things that could have been put in the sale as we were putting away other things. On the other hand, my shop/storage shed hasn't been this clean in a lot of years.

My real food intake now includes oatmeal, scrambled eggs, refried beans, potato chips, candy, and ice cream. I realize that candy and ice cream aren't actual foods, but again it's all about calories. Besides, 4 out of 5 dentists say it doesn't matter if you don't have teeth. I'm trying to add a few things a week so that my digestive system can get used to real food again. I'm still doing the cans of formula to keep my caloric intake up. I've never been one to count calories, but now it seems that I'm supposed to be on a weight gain regimen like the super cut, six pack toting young guns. It reminds me of a comedian that was told to try Billy Blanks workout. ( Paraphrasing ) “ Why, I can't do that. It would turn me into a tough, lean black man and I would have to change all of my family pictures. “

My real problem now is with fatigue. The temperature outside has a lot to do with it. Currently the temperature outside is in the mid 80's. I can go outside for about 10 to 15 minutes at a time and then I have to come in and rest. It does give me some time to write, but not being able to stay out longer gets old really quick. As the weather moderates I'm able to stay out longer enabling me to build up my stamina.

Days Later

The temps have moderated and I've been able to get outside and do more. Ideal temp for me seems to be between 50 and 75.

And a few more days later

Well, you know how someone says if you don't like the weather just wait a few minutes, it literally hit us in a matter of minutes. At 11:30 PM it was 74. One hour later it was in the 40's. I couldn't tell you the exact minute that the wind switched from the south to the north, but I can tell you that there couldn't have been more than thirty seconds between the two. Now, a day later and it will be in the 30's all day and another 5-6 days before the temps come back up again. I've never liked the cold, and it seems I tolerate it even less than the heat. Of course the wind has been there to intensify the temp and that is never helpful. With the 20-30 MPH winds one to two minutes is about all I can take before I need to find something out of the wind. I have a small heater in my shop, but with us counting pennies now I can't leave it on as much as I would like.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time of year that tends to make you look back at the year gone by and reflect on what you should be giving thanks for. I for one have a great many things to be thankful for, not the least of which is that the cancer was caught before it was too late. I still have a few tests to be done to be a bit more certain that we have gotten all of it. I certainly have more to be thankful for, but I believe that is the one thing I am most thankful about.

I am also very thankful for my wife, Teresa, who I'm fairly sure cares more for me than I do myself. She is always making sure that I have taken any meds that I'm supposed to, making, keeping up with, and taking me to appointments and so much more.

And any list of thanks would be incomplete without my huge list of friends that have prayed for me, given me endless encouragement, and wouldn't let me think for a minute that this could get the better of me. And the list would be nowhere near complete without the care from all (except the dentists ) of the ( mostly ) helpful staff at the VA. The medical staff at the Dallas VA is overworked, underfunded, and doing most of this on the run. I've gone over the problems there before and I don't see any chance of it getting worked out this decade.

No list of thanks would be anywhere near complete without a huge thanks to my brother. He prefers to remain in the shadows, but we would be close to financial ruin if it weren't for him and his wife.

I would also like to thank each and every one who has read these blogs. Early on this was my one way to vent and communicate since my therapy called for being there almost every day for two months. It always helps to know someone is listening.

Until next time,

Just a quick update

    My last ENT checkup was good and my appetite seems to be returning slowly. I'm eating a lot of candy now and am experimenting with other things as well. I had a hand full of Frito's the other day. Of course I had to eat them one at a time and let them slowly dissolve. Not the munchy, crunchy that most people enjoy. But I did like them. I'm trying to eat some scrambled eggs every day. Food is starting to smell good again although it still doesn't seem to bring on hunger pains.

I know this one is awfully short but I'm going to try to post a picture of a table frame that I made. I had bought the glass top several years ago at an auction with the intent to resell. Come to find out that glass top tables ain't the rage I remember when I was delivering furniture back in the 70's. So now I've built a frame for it and will try to sell it as a table. At any rate, here's hoping that the pic gets posted.

   

  Hmmm. I guess it worked.

A look back

    I don't suppose any lay person can really understand how cancer truly affects a person. Its one of those things that unfortunately you just have to get it to fully understand how it affects the body's ability to do all sorts of things. And it affects each and every one it touches in a different way. One short trip through a chemo infusion room will really wake you up. You will see every type of person or humanity hooked up to a machine putting the vilest poisons into their bloodstream just to be able to stay above ground for one more day. Some young but mostly older people. Some you can tell have made their peace with the world, some you can tell haven't quite figured it out yet, and some still have that strange look of disbelief that it cant be happening to them. Chemo affects everyone differently yet there are many things in common. Hair loss, vomiting, and diarrhea are the usual things along with a generally weak feeling and malaise.

    Radiation is a bit of an eye opener if you don't know what to expect. Depending on where it is attacking you the technicians will attach you to a table and turn the machine on for about 20 seconds for each shot with somewhere between five and ten shots again depending on your individual case. For head and neck treatment you are attached to the table from your chest up in a contraption that resembles a bad Halloween costume or possibly something that has come from the set of a really bad horror movie. For 20 minutes or so you can't scratch or do anything but lie perfectly still. You can expect burns from the radiation and a loss of hair at the treatment sight, possibly permanent. In my case my beard is now much lighter and it takes about a week now before I start looking scruffy.

    The good news is that chemo and radiation do work. With roughly 2 months of daily treatments mine was reduced to almost nothing. This combination is still the best option. Treatments are being developed now that target your own personal DNA and in time may even lead to a more painless cure.

    New problems will crop up from time to time throughout your treatment. You will find that foods quit becoming the tasty little morsels that they once were and some smells that used to set your mouth to water now you almost gag at. The smell of popcorn can almost make me run from a room.

    There will come a time when you are through with treatment for a while and you'll think hey that wasn't so bad. I had a few rough days during chemo but it straightened itself out soon enough and I was feeling normal again. What I wasn't prepared for is the delayed reaction to chemo. I started losing weight almost immediately and I didn't have that much to lose. And with the weight loss also came a loss of strength that I wasn't ready to accept but had to give in to eventually. For me its been a very long battle and its still a fight to do some of the things I used to do. Thankfully I have a riding mower because if I had to do my yard with a push mower it would just have to look shaggy. By the time it would take me to make four passes over my front yard it would be time for me to take a nap. Thankfully now my strength is starting to return but its a slow process and I still find many limitations on my activities. The cooler weather has been a blessing and I'm doing exercises to regain some of my strength. The heat affects me more now than ever and tends to accentuate my lack of strength and stamina. And truthfully how many games of solitaire can you play and how much TV can you watch before you go stir crazy ? I personally have to get up every hour or so and go outside and walk around. Then after I've made my round of the backyard and made sure it's all still there I go back inside.

    Sleep is another thing to get messed with. I had been a day sleeper and a night stalker. My standard line to other drivers was that Teresa was the day shift and I was the night shift. Some of my sleep was surely upset by the fact that my treatments were all morning times and if you do things long enough you will eventually fall into that schedule. However, always before when I worked a day shift I would sleep late on weekends and stay up till 2 or 3 in the morning. Not now. By 11 at night I'm looking at the bed longingly and by 8 in the morning I couldn't sleep anymore if I had to.

    The PEG tube or G tube ( Gastric ) as the doctors call it which is just a small rubber hose that comes out of your abdomen and is connected to your stomach is another inconvenience that you will have to mold your life around. A dietitian at some point has made the calculations as to how many calories it takes to keep you alive and maintaining your weight. The tube allows you to be fed usually by means of a baby formula looking liquid. For me it's six cans a day and I am highly encouraged to eat anything else I can manage. My major problem at this point is that food has now become inconvenient. It's a bit surprising really but when you don't eat food for quite some time and you don't have hunger pains any more you totally forget about eating. I have almost turned into one of those bratty kids that refuses to eat anything. With the sense of smell ( which is very closely linked to your sense of taste ) screwed up and your taste buds on vacation it gets really hard to tell yourself that you want something. Your brain asks the question “ Why bother?” and after a bit when you can't come up with a reasonable answer you just quit eating. In my case there were other things at work but the result was the same. I have finally convinced myself that at this point in my recovery that I am going to have to start eating at actual food if I'm ever going to fully recover. And trying to explain the almost total disinterest in food borders on the impossible. It's almost like a habit you once had but have moved on past it. If I could just figure out a way to sell that.

    To add insult to injury I was informed last week that the VA is not going to give me any teeth even though the dentists had told me that I would indeed get them. Add to that the cost of dentures runs between $ 400 and $ 2300 depending on how well you want to look after they finish and how long you want them to last. So it's looking like I'll have to wait until I can get back to work before I'll be able to afford dentures. The biggest problem with that is that in order to gain strength and weight I need more than the liquid diet I have been subsisting on. Catch 22.

    When I first went to the doctor about this I figured it was goiter or something similar. Of course when we found out it was cancer our whole lives changed. We decided that we would take off of work while treatments were ongoing. What we never expected was how long this might take. It's been ongoing for ten months now and we're still not sure when it may end. It's been less and it's been more than expected. Less in the sense that it wasn't totally debilitating and more in that I wasn't really expecting this long of a recovery. All of the weight I have lost has really eaten into my energy and stamina reserves to the point of almost having none.

    My right arm and shoulder are another issue. It was originally thought to have been a complication of the cancer. Turns out I must have done something at one time or another to tear some stuff up. Physical therapy people have now looked at it, worked on it, and given me some exercises to strengthen it back up.

    Mostly though, as I look back I see how lucky I was to have caught this when I did. The doctors had originally said it was stage 4A meaning that if it wasn't caught very soon my time would have been limited. Although you never know really how long any of us have, I like most people would like to stretch it out for a bit longer. I have no hopes or intentions of seeing 100. By the time I'm in my 80's I'm sure I'll be sitting in front of a TV or computer trying to find enough to keep my mind occupied. I have known for a long time that God has had a purpose for me although I'm never really sure as to what it is.

            Until next time.

Getting better bit by bit

9-25

    Well I finally feel confident enough to tell it. I'm beginning to feel better. It's been a very long haul and I still have a very long way to go. The last few days have been good and I've actually been able to get out and do something. I'm sure the weather moderating has had a lot to do with it since I can stay outside for more than 10 minutes at a time. I have a small workshop that affords me shade and a stool to sit down on with a fan to cool me if I feel the need to cool off or rest. Monday I built a table frame for a glass top that I've been carrying around for several years. If I have any luck at it I will post a picture of it. I can also tell that I'm more steady on my feet and I don't feel as much like a doddering old man. There were times that I was not sure that I would be able to get across the back yard without some kind of help. My demeanor has gotten a bit better also. The pain in my shoulder has eased fairly significantly and I'm off of all pain meds with the exception of occasionally some Tylenol. The lump in my neck has diminished to the size of an almond and you have to know where to feel for it to find it. I know I still have a long way to go to be where I was physically in January when I felt good. My legs are gaining some small amount of strength which makes me more stable and able to stand for longer periods. My biggest complaint now is the daily dalteparin shots which I have to give myself in the abdomen which now resembles what happens when someone falls asleep on a dress assembly line and the sewing machine runs right over your belly. My abdomen is bruised almost everywhere and there are no good places to stick myself. On the occasion that I find a sight that doesn't hurt when it goes in, it pays me back by feeling like a bee sting for several hours.

I suppose my biggest complaint is that my mind wants to do things and my body isn't quite ready. My good spells come and go and the only way I know if they're here is to go outside and see how long I can stay busy before I have to rest.

    Friday we're heading up to the north forty to drop some things off and to attend the electric co-op's annual meeting. It seems you don't get a dividend check if you don't attend but mostly it's just an excuse to go to town.

9-28

    Sunday afternoon at the north forty, no TV ( the signal has dropped out completely, sunspots or the ISS has set up in stationery orbit or hell it could be the durn wind flapping my Signal Sucker 1000 so hard it can't keep up ) but that's no great loss since the only signal I get here right now comes from OKC. We get four local stations that provide us with weather and news and most of what passes for prime time TV. Eventually we will have some dish or another for TV and the local phone company for phone and what passes for DSL here. Not quite as bad as dial-up but we will be taking an eight times speed drop when we move in up here. It's likened to the difference between 240 MPH and 30 MPH, and that is as fast as it gets. There is very limited cell service here so a land line is a must. Besides it's still the cheapest choice and it may be slow but there isn't any cap. All of the satellite internet services we have looked at have monthly caps on how much you can use much like data plans on a smart phone. We were hoping to be moved in here within the next month or so but there are so many things to do before we can move it's downright overwhelming.

    My point to this is that I'm perfectly happy with life here ( at the north forty ) as it is now. And when we get technology here don't think I won't be using my share. But I know that technology won't get in the way of my appreciation of nature and my little piece of it. I absolutely love that the only eyes that can see anything I'm doing are straight up above me, and we're fairly familiar with the local pilots.

    I know this has been a short one. We have a very dear friend who is a writer that has written a book titled “ Writing is a Process “ which one of these days I'm gonna hafta read. My biggest problem with keeping up this blog is that I don't have as much to say now mostly because most of my treatments are over and other than trying to figure out what my strength level is on any given day I either sit and play solitaire or watch TV or go outside and do something. ( I know it's a run-on sentence. In school my teachers couldn't figure out why I did so well in literature and stunk so badly in grammar. Hey teach, I have yet to have ANYONE ask me to diagram a sentence. ) At any rate I'm going to let this one loose and maybe in the days to come I'll get a light bulb to go on and put something else to write about.

   I'm still working on the table so pics will be posted on Facebook when it's done and I'll try to get them on here too.