Saturday December 26, 2015

Friday December 18: Today is our travel day. Our flight does not leave until 1600. Nancy and I walked over to Panera for breakfast. After breakfast we finish packing. I call Metro Taxi for a 1345 pickup. It starts to snow around noon. We are having concerns if we can get out. The taxi is late because of the snow. Check in and board the flight right on time. The plane is deiced and away we go. We arrive in Minneapolis on time. No snow on ground in MN but it is cold. The flight to San Jose was smooth. Both our flights today were overbooked. Debbie met us at the airport and she drives us to her home. Debbie has a home that is perfect for her. I really like it. Nancy heads to bed and Debbie gives me a glass of great wine and we talk until near midnight, 0300 in GR. Saturday December 19, Jet lag because I get up at 0530. Get dressed and walk over to the Willow Glen Starbucks. I have oatmeal and a chance to read the WSJ. Get Nancy a coffee and walk back to Debbie's. We had heavy rain this morning. Saturday is kind of a fog for me. We run some errands and I put a bar stool together. I did take a nice nap. We had dinner at a local restaurant. We watched Netflix this evening. Debbie has the first season of Doc Martin so we watched several episodes. We do not have the first season in GR. Sunday December 20: I am getting over jet lag because I sleep in until 0630. Had breakfast at Starbucks. No WSJ so I bought a copy of the San Jose Mercury News. Around noon we head out to Costco. As always Costco was packed. California Costco stores are great places to people watch. The diversity is amazing and reflects the future of the USA. I would recommend Donald Trump visit. Do you think Trump has ever been in a Costco? We also had lunch at Costco. Debbie and I had a slice of pizza and Nancy had a hot dog. Dining in style! I even had time for my Sunday nap. Nancy fixed scrambled eggs for dinner. We got a call from Stephen and his family is joining us for Christmas. The Girls are happy. Monday December 21: I am in a routine because I had breakfast at Starbucks. It looks like it will rain all day. Today is the Winter Solstice. Nine hours of daylight in GR. Seven hours in Edinburgh and nine hours and 35 minutes in San Jose. My biorhythms always go up after this solstice because the days are getting longer. Spring is not far away. To celebrate I took a 2.5 mile walk. Debbie drove Nancy and I to the Westfield Mall. We finished some shopping. The Mall was packed. We also walked over to the high end shopping district called Santana Row. I looked in Brooks Brothers and Orvis but did not buy anything. Debbie picked us up about 1500. It was pouring rain. I took a nap. Nancy did not want to go out to dinner so Debbie and I visited a local Italian Restaurant. We both had pasta. It was very good. We watched Major Crimes on TV before turning in. Tuesday December 22: Up at 0600 and yes I walked over to Starbucks. The young lady behind the counter already had oatmeal ready. Am I predictable? It is now 0759 and I am sitting in Starbucks writing this blog. It is raining hard outside. Stay tuned! Debbie and I had returned to Toys are Us and purchased a bike for Alessandra. We also ran errands to Food Max and Target. Took a late afternoon walk. We had a light dinner and watched Netflix until bedtime. Wednesday December 23: I am now on a schedule. Up at 0600 walk to Starbucks for oatmeal, coffee and a banana. Read the first sections of the WSJ. I developed a running nose overnight so I headed out to the garage to get some Kleenex. I shut the garage door so the cats would not get out. I forgot the door locks. So I opened the garage door and tried the front door. It was locked, rang the doorbell. Both Debbie and Nancy were taking a shower and could not hear the bell. I decided to take a walk. Walked to the Willow Glen shopping district, 2.5 miles. Yesterday I walked through the District about 1600 and saw a long line outside an Italian Deli. I asked what the draw was and was told it was the ravioli. This morning about 0930 the line was even longer. It is now 1048 and Debbie and I are heading out to Costco. Nancy is making cookies. Steve and family left Long Beach early this morning. They should be here about 1500. At Costco we had a slice of pizza. Nancy called and said Steve and family had arrived. We finished our shopping and headed back to Debbie's. It was great seeing the grandkids. It took some time for them to settle in. Debbie, Veronica and I drove to Toy's are Us to pick up Alessandra's bike. For dinner we all headed to Smash Burger. This was Bob and Nancy's first trip to Smash Burger. We gave it a C+. I was surprised to learn that the entire LB family watch the Food Network. We watched several shows. I will stick with Netflix. Thursday December 24, 2015: Christmas Eve. It was colder this morning in San Jose than in GR. The rain also continued. I know CA needs rain but I want a warm sunny day. Fifty years ago Nancy and I spent Christmas Eve at 875 Woodside Rd in Redwood City, CA. I checked on Apple Maps and our rental was exactly 25 miles from Debbie's. We walked to a local park but cut short our stay because it started to rain. We had a nice sit down dinner. Every one put on their best clothes. Alessandra had on her scotch plaid skirt and Lucas wore a white shirt with a bow tie and smoking jacket. The Grandkids looked great. Debbie had fixed a traditional ham dinner with potatoes and vegetables. TNT is running the movie "Christmas Story" continuously. The movie is set in a small IN town in the late 40s. The main character wants a Red Ryder Daisy BB gun for Christmas. I can relate because I wanted a RR BB gun. My parents got me one for Christmas in about 1948. I can relate to the movie. Speaking of little boys and Christmas gifts, Debbie asked me what was my favorite Christmas gift. That was easy. When I was about 11 I got a small white RCA radio for Christmas. I set it on the nightstand next to my bed. I have found memories of going to bed early on cold winter nights and listening to radio mysteries on my radio. Friday December 25, 2015: Merry Christmas. I got up at 0600 and walked to Starbucks to get three coffees. I was surprised that Starbucks was crowded. The Grandkids were really excited. We all opened our presents. I wish we could bottle the Christmas morning good feelings all year, We had a great egg dish and coffee cake that Nancy fixed for breakfast. Steve and family headed to Church and I took a nice 4.5 mile walk on a trail near Debbie's. Nancy and I had a nice talk with Missy and AJ. They also had a great Christmas. I am looking forward to spending time with them next week. We all attended the 1500 showing of Star Wars. The movie was crowded. I was surprised at the reaction of the crowd. Whenever an original cast member appeared they clapped. The grandkids loved the movie. We had ham sandwiches for dinner. Lucas and Alessandra were still fully energized at 2100. I wish I had that energy. My best present was to be with Nancy for our 50th Christmas. Saturday December 26, It is now 0800 and I am sitting in Starbucks typing this blog. This afternoon I am going with Steve and Veronica to LB. Nancy, Debbie and the kids are coming down on Monday. Stay tuned!

Thursday December 17, 2015

Finally we have some cool weather. Temps were in the mid 30s this morning. I took the 6, or is it 7, miles route to the Y this morning. I am winding down for our trip on Friday to CA. I did the calisthenics at 75%. I did run a mile. It takes me 11’ to run a mile. The WSJ had several articles on the failures of the Afghan Army. Young army soldiers are deserting at a record rate. We have spent billions of dollars training the army to no avail. When will we learn. I am alway amazed at how dumb smart people are. After a quick lunch I spent several hours writing checks to the various charities we give to each year. I needed to do some banking and mail the checks so I got on my bike and ran the errands. I took a short nap. Nancy fixed hamburgs for dinner tonight. We are now watching Doc Martin on netflix. I love this show. 1962: On the Thursday before Christmas in 1962 I spent my last night on Midway Island. I attended a Going Away Party for Ensign Scott (yours truly) at the Officer’s Club. After one year, two weeks, three days I was going home tomorrow. The flight to Hawaii leaves at 1400. I was two hours early. I survived one year etc on an Island in the middle of the Pacific with a surface area of less the 1,200 acres.

Wednesday December 16, 2015

Today is my easy day. It was 40 when I left this morning for the Y. I took the six mile route. Because it was my easy day I did all my routines at 50%. After a shower I headed to Panera. I quickly read the WSJ and then headed home. Nancy has to work at the Gardens this afternoon and Kim is stopping by to pick up Ms P. I got home too late. Kim had already picked up Ms P. Nancy headed out and I had lunch and did a load of laundry. I spent some time cleaning up my mail. I also started making our annual contribution to charities. I did take a short nap. At 1630 Nancy and I headed to her friend Kathi’s home for dinner. Kathi had her house all decorated for Christmas. It was very impressive. She fixed chicken, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes and salad. It was all very good. We had a great evening. We got home at 2130. No netflix tonight we headed right to bed.

Tuesday December 15, 2015

The rain has finally stopped so today I can ride the bike to the Y. We did not get up until 0700. Because I don’t like to ride in the dark I cannot start until sunrise which at this time of year is 0806. It was dark and gloomy when I started out with temp in the mid 40s. I took the 7 mile route to the Y. I did my calisthenics and then ran 1.6 miles. Showered, shaved and then headed to Panera. While reading the WSJ I got a text from Missy saying the LA Schools were closed because of a credible bomb threat. What does credible mean? The world is a confusing place. Are the Russians on our side and if so why are the fighting with our ally Turkey. Why is Turkey in Iraq? I listen to SOS Kerry and POTUS Obama and I think they are more confused than the average citizen. Speaking of confusing how come the GOP Governors running for President are not doing better in the polls. I could vote for any Governor but not the clowns leading in the polls. I got home at 1200 and immediately took Ms P on a two mile walk. Had lunch and then spent some time in my office. At 1430 Nancy and I drove to Kidder Safari. Originally we were to meet Trevor Shaw the owner of the safari lodge in South Africa. While we were in SA he sold Nancy her diamond. But Mr Shaw had to postpone his trip to GR because of a serious illness. The Kidders and Shaw are old friends. Nancy looked over the selection that Mr Shaw had sent. It was a large inventory but Nancy finally found the stone she wanted. It is a tanzanite stone and I think very pretty. Nancy fixed a pork chop and sweet potato for dinner. It is now 1937 and we are watching Jeopardy. It looks like a NCIS evening. We recorded a Major Crime episode Monday and we will watch it tonight.

Monday December 14, 2015

The rain continued all night. The temperature this morning was in the 50s. The Security Company is coming this morning to fix our alarm. They said some time between 0900 and noon. I did the calisthenics at home. Nancy is not exercising this morning because her foot is acting up. The Security folks put in the new mother board for our system. I hope this solves our problems. It looked like it had stopped raining so I decided to walk to the Y. It is 1.75 miles and I walked about 0.5 miles when it started to pour. I headed home. I was soaked so I changed clothes and drove to the Y. I ran two miles, showered and headed to Panera. I read the first section of the WSJ. I got home about 1430 and Nancy was just walking out the door. She had a Doctors appointment to have her pacemaker checked out. It was just sprinkling so I took Ms P on her walk. We made it with not getting very wet. The Doc said Nancy’s pacemaker is working fine. We will have a light dinner and then watch Major Crimes on TNT. Despite the rain I did get my 30 in. The temperature will start dropping tomorrow with snow predicted for Friday. Friday we leave for CA!

Sunday December 13, 2015

It rained all night and was still raining when we left at 0800 for the Y. This is our first Sunday at the new Y. The pool is not ready so we ran/walked. Nancy walked two miles on the treadmill and then walked a mile on the track. I ran two miles on the track. We stopped at Meijer’s and bought some supplies. The fill up today was less than $18. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. Watched some Sunday news shows and read the funnies before taking my Sunday nap. After the nap the rain had stopped so I took Ms P on a short walk. At 1430 we got in the Taurus and headed to the Moleski’s. They are hosting Nancy’s Book Club’s Christmas party. Every one showed up and the food and wine was good. We got home at 1900. Watched 60 Minutes and read the GRP. We also watched a show on netflix. It is warmer in GR than San Jose, CA.

Saturday December 12, 2015

Nancy and I head out and walk to Panera. It was 0800 and the sun would not come up for another 10 minutes. Panera was not very crowded. We both had a toasted whole grain bagel with peanut butter. I also had their oatmeal. It was very foggy when we left with the temp in the 40s. It remained foggy and mild all day. First thing I did when we got home was to take Ms P on her walk. Today we stayed on the sidewalks for our two mile stroll. Nancy had a package to mail so I drove to the mini PO at the Cascade D&W. I wanted to read the WSJ so I drove to Woodland Mall. I stopped by the Track and Trail store. I bought a pair of Merrill walking shoes. Had coffee at Starbucks and read the WSJ. Having just visited South Africa I read an article on their sagging economy. It is sad. Will the Climate Plan developed in Paris really impact global warming? At home I took an hour walk. It was starting to mist as I completed the walk. I spent some time paying bills and then took a short nap. I walked to the mailbox to mail our taxes to the IRS. Nancy fixed a pulled chicken sandwich and a steak and ale pie for dinner. It was great. We had a long FaceTime talk with Debbie tonight. We are now watching Doc Martin on Netflix. The warm weather will continue through tomorrow.

Friday December 11, 2015

December 11, 2015: A Christmas Story, 2015 will be the 50th Christmas Nancy and I have spent together. All 50 have been great but you always remember the first. We were living in Redwood City, CA in a two bedroom rented apartment located at 875 Woodside Road. Until just before Thanksgiving I was working for Clifford Engineering, a small engineering firm. I knew the firm was having trouble. Several pay days were missed or late. I headed to work the Monday after Thanksgiving and the office was locked up. Calls to my boss Watson Seeley Clifford went unanswered. Nancy did not like Clifford but I always thought he had a good resume. He went to the elite Hawaiian HS, Punahou, graduated from Stanford and was a US Marine Corps Officer. Nancy as usual was right. I started looking for a job. Nancy typed up my resume and away I went. I spent several week looking and traveling around the Bay Area. I had an interview with the cities of Redwood City and Santa Rosa. I even drove over to Livermore to interview with a National Lab. I stopped at all the Civil Engineering firms in San Francisco and along the Peninsula. I had no luck. On a Friday several weeks before Christmas I started out early stopping at Civil Engineering firms listed in the Yellow Pages. About 1600 on this dark gloomy day I decided to make one last stop. I stopped at Charles S. McCandles and Company, 1020 Corporation Way, Palo Alto. The firm’s office was at the end of a cul-de-sac. I walked in and was met by a surly secretary. I asked if they were hiring and she told me to sit down. She disappeared and about 15 minutes later a 5 foot five inch, 250 pound man appeared smoking a big cigar. We retired to his office. He looked over my resume and asked several questions. Finally he said what do you want. I was making about $3 per hour so I said what the heck and told him $3.80. He said could I start on Monday. Silly question. I got in the VW beetle and flew up the Bayshore Freeway to 875 Woodside. I told Nancy we had just gotten an early Christmas present. I had a job! The man who hired me was Marvin Nachetein (? sp). Marvin was from a German farming community in Oregon. He was given a football scholarship to Stanford. Marvin was a blocking back in the single wing formation. During WWII Marv was a bomber pilot flying missions over Germany. His plane was shot down and Marv parachuted to safety. Because he spoke German he was able to find his way out of Germany. He made contact with the Dutch underground and was picked up by a British patrol boat. Friday December 11, 2015. I had a quick breakfast and got on my bike with the snow tires and headed to the Y. The temp early this morning was in the mid 40s. The Y was not very crowded. I did my calisthenics and ran 2 miles. I achieved my running goal. Had coffee at Panera and read the WSJ. After Panera I pedaled to Macatawa Bank to make a deposit. Took a long route home. I had lunch and then spent some time paying bills and cleaning out my in basket. I took Ms P on another long walk. I did talk to my computer guru this afternoon and he said that he thinks my netflix problem is lack of data capacity. Netflix will conk out several times during a show. I will give ATT a call and see what additional capacity will cost. When I watch netflix on my iPad netflix never conks out? Nancy had lunch with her friend Kathi today. They stopped by the Two Scotts to get some pulled chicken for dinner. I took a short nap. Nancy fixed a pulled chicken sandwich with a sweet potato. It is now 1936 and I am on hold with ATT. Stay tuned! ATT could not fix my problem. They said I had their elite package with plenty of band width and capacity. Now were back to square one. Can anyone solve my problem?

Thursday December 10, 2015

Medical Thursday: I don't know if it is the nose spray or the fact that I am running again but I have been sleeping like a baby. Got up at 0710 and after breakfast got on my bike with the new snow tires and took the short route to the Y. I did the calisthenics and ran 1.8 miles. After the shower I headed to Panera. I only spent about 30 minutes reading because I have a 1120 appointment with the skin Doctor. The Doc sprayed my pre cancerous spot with liquid nitrogen. After I stopped at the credit union to get money to pay Kim for keeping Ms P while we were in CA. Next stop was Orvis for a Christmas gift and finally Costco for wine, prunes and grapes. Lunch and then I got back in the Cobalt and head to the Dentist. They added a tooth to my partial. I tried it on and it fit great. Ms P and I took our long walk. After a quick nap, Nancy and I headed to Sundance for dinner. We both had their eggs and ham. It is now 1945 and we are watching Jeopardy. It looks like a Netflix evening.

Wednesday December 9, 2015

Breakfast Club Wednesday: Up at 0545 and when I took Ms P out I noted that the temperature was in the 40s. It was pitch black when I headed to BC. Traffic on the freeway was heavy. Today's speaker talked on being happy. It was a Holiday message. We had a small turnout. Folks must be leaving early for warmer climes. Last year at this time we had 35 inches of snow. So far this year our snowfall total is 3.5 inches. Blame El Niño. After BC I drove to the Y. Did the calisthenics at 50% but ran 1.6 miles. I like the running track. Tomorrow I will run 1.8 miles and 2 miles on Friday. My goal is to run two miles every time I go to the Y. Stopped at Panera for a chance to read the WSJ. The big news was the proposed merger between Dow and DuPont. I hope the headquarters for the merged firms is Midland, MI. Dow has been a great corporate citizen. Midland is a great community. Nancy worked at the Gardens this afternoon. I took Ms P on our long route today. She seems to perform best when the temp is in the 40s. Had a quick lunch and then got in the Cobalt and ran errands. First stop was Macatawa Bank to make a deposit. My second stop was the Ada Bike Shop. They had installed winter tires on my bike. The tires have steel studs. The also put on a new chain and cleaned the gears. Final stop was at the Chow Hound. Bought dog food and also a block of salt. I will put the salt in the back yard for the deer to lick. At home I started out on a 2 mile walk. This morning I talked to a neighbor and asked who he had do his taxes. He said he used a firm located on my walking route. I decided to check out the firm. They greeted with open arms. I might use them this year. As soon as I got home I decided to take a nap. I laid down at 1715 and woke at 1840. I really must have been tired. We had a light dinner. Debbie called this evening and asked about Christmas suggestions. It is now 2115 and we are watching one of the last episodes of MidSomer Murders.

Tuesday December 8, 2015

1745: It was another cloudy mild day with temps in mid 40s. Started the day with a 6 mile bike ride to the Y. I did the calisthenics and ran 1.4 miles. My goal is two miles by the end of the week. After the Y I pedaled to Panera. I had less than an hour because I have a 1215 appointment with the dentist. At home got in the cobalt and headed to the dentist. They made impressions of my missing tooth. I had to leave my partial so they could add a tooth. For the next three days I will have a three tooth gap. I hope they can have it fixed by Thursday PM. The Ada Bike store has some steel studded tires waiting for me to bring my bike in. I loaded up the bike and drove to the store. They should the tires on tomorrow. Had a quick lunch and then took Ms P on her walk. Meijer’s called and said my prescription was ready. I walked over to Meijer’s and picked it up. Finished the afternoon with a nap. Nancy fixed spaghetti with meat sauce for dinner. It was great. It is now 2050 and we are watching NCIS. At 2100 we will watch Dr Martin on netflix.

Monday December 7, 2015

Pearl Harbor Day December 7, 1941: I was only 3 when the attack took place so I don’t remember it. I do remember on Dec 7, 1961 I was stationed on Midway Island Naval Base. I had the duty and I can remember talking to a Chief Petty Officer who was just a young seaman on the day of the attack. He was stationed on a destroyer in the Harbor. He started talking about 2300 and continued talking until 0300 the next morning. We did take one break. As the OOD I had to inspect 24 hour enlisted mess hall. I brought back a dozen fresh donuts and the Chief continued talking. It was very emotional. I regret that I did not take notes. In fact I had many late night conversations with CPOs. They told stories about the Naval battles in the Pacific. It was very foggy with the temp just above 32 when I got up this morning. The sun does not come up until 0800 but today the fog ruled all day. Nancy headed out early to go to MVP and walk on a treadmill. I headed out at 0815 and pedaled to the new Y. The route I used was 6 miles. The Y was sorting out some first day problems. I did get to pick my locker. The facility has all the exercise toys but no chin up bar. I did my calisthenics and then for the first time since Dec 2013 I ran a mile on the Y’s inside running track. I hope to be running 2 miles soon. The new Y meets all the environmental guidelines for an energy conservation. That means not much water comes out of the shower nozzle. I hate being PC. After the Y I pedaled the 1.8 miles to Panera. I had my coffee and read the WSJ. The San Bernardino attack dominated the news. Nancy attended a Christmas luncheon today. I took Ms P on a two mile walk. I think she likes the longer walks, as long as the temp is above 32. After lunch I got on my bike and headed to Meijer’s to get some supplies for my Y locker. I finished the afternoon with a short nap. It is now 1743 and I am heading upstairs for a light dinner. I got my 30 in today did you?

Sunday December 6, 2015

Sunday morning and Nancy cannot swim for another two weeks and I am no longer a member of MVP. The pool at the new Y won’t be open for another month. I decide to take a walk. It was sunny but cool with temperature about 28. I walked 3.6 miles in one hour. After the walk we got in the Taurus and headed to Meijer’s. Gas prices remain low. Last week we put 200 miles on the Taurus and filled it up with premium for under $25. Nancy fixed her world famous scrambled eggs for breakfast. Watched some morning news shows and read the GRP. I took my mandatory Sunday nap. Ms P and I went on our daily walk. It was such a pleasant day that we doubled our normal walk distance. It was sunny with temperature in mid 40s. It is now 1608 and I am sitting in my office writing this blog. So many distractions this week that I just completed going through the accumulated mail. I forgot to mention in yesterday’s blog the encounter we had yesterday with three deer. Nancy and I were walking just about sunrise yesterday when three deer walked across the street just in front of us. They had emerged from behind a big office building. Yesterday evening about sunset the same three deer walked across the street in front of me. Wildlife in the suburbs! As soon as I finish this blog I will walk over to the mailbox on Tahoe. I am sending my IRA check to the credit union. Nancy is fixing salmon burgers for dinner tonight. We will watch 60 minutes and then some netflix before turning in. I think the President will talk at 2000. The days keep getting shorter. Today we will have 9h08’ of daylight. On the 21st it will be 9h, our shortest day. All the forecasters say we will have a mild winter. I hope so last winter was too cold.

Saturday December 5, 2015

Catch Up Saturday: Once again I am writing several day’s blog in one. It has been a very busy week for Bob and Nancy. Thursday December 3, 2015: Today I head to the Y for this first time this week. I took the long bike ride to the Y. I timed my routine and found that I can complete my calisthenics in 21 minutes. After the Y I head to Panera for coffee and a chance to read the WSJ. I am still surprised at the popularity of Donald Trump. He is a bully, rude and not what I want in a leader. Didn’t Mr Trump ever go to Sunday school? The Middle East, terror attacks and whether Assad should stay still gets a lot of ink. Of course all the pols have easy answers. I say if you can’t tell the good guys from the bad stay out. I had a 1300 dentist appointment. The dentist was going to add a tooth to my bridge to eliminate the gap cause by my recent extraction. They wanted me to leave my bridge for several days while they added a tooth. That means I would have a big three tooth gap. I told them that next week was ok but for the next two days I do not want to look like a minor league hockey goon. She said ok so we rescheduled for next week. At home I spent some time in the office. Tonight Nancy and I are attending a Christmas Gala at Meijer’s Garden. I have to decide whether to wear my 58 year old tux or my 40 year old three button blue suit. Both are in good shape and fit well. I decided on the suit. We picked up Nancy’s friend Kathi at 1800 and drove to the Gardens. The place was packed. Nancy estimated 500 folks were in attendance. Free booze and food, what is not to like. It was a sit down dinner with an after dinner show. It was a great evening. Friday December 4, 2015: Today I biked to the Y. This is my last day at this Y because on Monday a new $30M Y will open 1.5 miles from our condo. I do the calisthenics and end up at Panera. I have a quick lunch and then get in the Taurus and head out. I stop at the Y to unload my locker and then head to my ENT doctor. The doctor checks my ears and nose and declares they are working fine. He did give me a prescription for some nose spray to stop my dripping nose. This evening Nancy and I head out at 1730 to Leo’s restaurant downtown. We are meeting the Horling’s for dinner. We had a great dinner and then walked over to DeVos Hall for a Holiday Concert. It was a great show. Nancy and I got home at 2200. Saturday December 5, 2015: This morning Nancy and I walked over to Panera for breakfast. Nancy had a toasted whole grain bagel and I had oatmeal with sourdough toast. Nancy really liked the toasted bagel. We walked home got in the Taurus and headed to the new Y. They had an open house for the new facility. It was like old home week. We met about 15 folks who were old members of the MAC. They all have joined the Y. I start using the Y on Monday. After the Y we dropped off some dishes at Kathi’s home. Our final stop was at Breton Village. Nancy bought several items at the Loft and I bought a barn coat at Orvis. At home I took Ms P on a long walk, two miles. I had lunch and then took a 3.5 mile walk. Nancy fixed soup and a fried egg sandwich for dinner. It is now 1954 and Nancy is talking to Debbie on netflix. We are waiting for the MSU/Iowa game to start. It has been a busy week. Nancy had a major procedure that was successful. She looks great and is on her way to a full recovery. Next week the dentist will make me a new partial. We are looking forward to our Christmas break in CA. I got my 30 in today did you?

Wednesday December 2, 2015

Catch Up Wednesday: It has been several days since I have written my blog. And a busy few days it has been. Monday November 30: Last day of November and I get up with the alarm at 0645. No Y today, I do the calisthenics and row 2K before breakfast. After breakfast we get in the Taurus and head to the West MI Heart Center. Nancy wore a monitor last week for 48 hours. We returned the monitor so they can read the results. I spend some time at Panera and then had an early lunch. I had a 1300 appointment with an oral surgeon. The surgeon pulled one of my front teeth that was decayed beyond saving. At home I took Ms P on her walk and then took a 3.5 mile walk. About 1600 Nancy gets a call from the Heart Center. They had read the monitor. The monitor showed that Nancy’s heart would stop periodically for about 5 seconds. This is not good so they had checked Nancy into Butterworth Hospital. She will have a pacemaker installed first thing Tuesday. By 1630 we had checked into the hospital. Nancy got her marching orders. Tests were taken and forms filled out. Once Nancy got settled I headed home. I contacted all the kids and told about their Mom’s pending operation. Tuesday December 1: I got to the hospital about 0800 and Nancy was being prepared. We were shown the pacemaker and told how it would be installed. About 1000 Nancy was taken to surgery. The actual operation takes less than an hour but a lot of time is spent setting up. At 1200 Nancy was wheeled into the recovery room and we were told everything went great. The pacemaker is set to keep Nancy’ resting heart rate at 60 bpm. Nancy’s heart rate before the PM would be as low as 40. I spent some of the afternoon telling the kids that everything went ok. Returned to the hospital about 1700 and Nancy was still tired from the operation. Nancy kicked me out at 1930. Wednesday December 2: We had arranged that Nancy would call me when she is to be released. I biked over to Panera had breakfast and read the WSJ. I called Nancy about 1000 and asked when she was going to be released. The Doc had not stopped by yet to sign the release papers. Nancy’s voice this morning was nice and strong. I finally got Nancy’s call and headed downtown. She was really glad to get out of the hospital and I shared this feeling. The Doc said for Nancy to take it easy today but tomorrow she can resume normal activities. I took a short bike ride before eating lunch. I took Ms P on her walk and then took a two mile walk. Nancy’s friend Kathi brought over some soup for dinner tonight. We will watch TV and netflix tonight before turning in.