Newspapers

While reading my siblings blogs the past few days, I suddenly realized that part of the world still reads newspapers. When we lived in Southern California we subscribed to the LA Times and I ritually read it every morning while drinking my coffee. Then we moved to New Mexico and we subscribed while we lived in town for the first six months, but when we moved to the East Mountains we dropped it. It was available for delivery, but we just didn't subscribe for some reason.

So for at least 20 years now we have not had regular newspaper delivery. Every once in a while we buy one if we are looking for something in the classified section, but otherwise we get all our news from the internet, radio and TV. When travelling I often get a copy of USA Today shoved under my hotel door and I look through it while trying to down that horrible coffee they put in most hotel rooms, but I find that the news is several hours old and I can find out what is really going on by checking several of the news websites or turning on the TV. I will often visit various newspaper websites as well, including the LA Times. When some story strikes a chord, I have a great research tool alread at my fingertips. (Just be sure to have your popup blocker turned on when visiting newspaper sites!)

I did a little research and learned that newspaper readership is definitely declining. I wonder how much longer the paper version will be with us?

Update

Richard saw the doctor yesterday. He wants to do a disk-o-gram next. It involves shooting dye into three disks to determine if the pain is truly from that one disk. He then goes immediately for a CT scan to determine the full extent of the injury. The results of these two procedures will determine where he goes from there. He won't do this until after the first of the year.

A possible next step would be to place a wire within the disk to cause it to create scar tissue around it which would fuse it. If this doesn't work then surgery would be the final option. He isn't opposed to surgery if it will fix and not mask his problem. We both have a lot of confidence in Dr. Powell and feel the surgeon he would recommend would be the right one. Of course, we'll investigate everything thoroughly before making any final decision.

New Arrival

We are the proud parents of a brand new, baby, Whirlpool, front-loading washing machine. I went to use our old one yesterday and found that in seven days it had died. Richard checked it out and determined it to be headed for the dumpster. We had been looking at and talking about the new front-loaders. You can get a lot more in them, they use a lot less water, soap & electricity and this one has 11 cycles where my old one only had four. Dayna & Chris got one several months ago and they love it. I'm having to learn how to do laundry all over as this one doesn't even want you to use bleach! So far, I'm lovin' it.

This 'n' That

Richard just got back from another week in Rochester, MN. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and was above 10º most of the time. He had purchased pants and a face mask that snowmobilers use last week, it was so cold. Hopefully he'll not have to wear them again! The water in our house froze the other week he was in MN as we had comparable weather here. I'm so glad it's not that cold all the time. I never expected the Dallas area to be cold in the winter.

I have been trying to embroider some shirts for Mom L. My machine is giving me fits so I am going to take it into the store I purchased it from next week to see if they can help figure out what's wrong. It's about 40 miles from here so I don't like going there. I had planned on doing many shirts for Christmas, even purchased them, but it's not going to happen. Very frustrating.

Richard had another LESI a week ago Friday. It hasn't helped and he's in pain all the time. He goes to the doctor again on Monday so I'm sure the discussion will be about surgery. The doctor did say there was one other procedure he could try before the surgery so we'll see.

Dayna was in GA & AL this week so Darin and Diane drove down to see her one evening. R & I will be going to TN with Deidra & Dom the week after Christmas. Dom wants to be home for his birthday so we'll be home on the 31st. He's never had a birthday party with friends so he's really excited about having one.

I found a gingerbread nativity set and will be making that with Dee & Dom this week. Dom said he doesn't want to eat baby Jesus. Guess he'll let someone else have that piece. They really enjoyed the one we did last year - traditional house - so we're looking forward to putting this one together.

DAR

I know this will bore most of you, but it's a major accomplishment for me as it's taken me the better part of three years to get there. I just received word that I have been accepted into DAR. I sent my application in to headquarters a few months ago. It takes them quite awhile to go through your documents to ascertain their veracity and then the membership committee doesn't meet but once a quarter.

I've discovered in getting acquainted with the ladies in my chapter that most of them are history buffs or teachers. They really love that aspect of it. They know many of the authors of the proofs I sent in and can tell you where to look for that one illusive piece of information you're trying to find.

And they don't stop at being a member of just one organization. I had no idea how many there are. Here, in Texas, we have the Daughters of the Texas Republic for those who had ancestors here before a certain date, of course, the Mayflower Society, the Jamestowne Society (which I just found by someone reading my website - thank you, Daryl! - I could become a member of), and many others.

Who's bright idea was this???!!!

Just a quick update. I arrived in Rochester, MN at 8:30 this evening. It is 2 below zero and the wind is about 12 mph. The wind chill is -19. What am I doing here?????????

December Update

I know its been along time since we updated this, but I can't seem to get Dianna interested in keeping this up to date. She seems to think we need to have exciting things to talk about before we post. Well, there is nothing real exciting going on, but I am going to bring you all up to date anyway.

I had the ESI and had hopes it would help. Unfortunately, it did not seem to help at all. I have slowly improved just as I usually do after these major episodes. My back still hurts considerably and I get major stabs of pain if I move wrong or try to lift anything heavy. I went in again today for my second ESI and it is way to early to tell if this one does any more than the last.

Both injections were done under general anesthesia. I had not been "under" since oral surgery over 30 years ago. Sure is a nice way to go. The drugs they used were very mild but still very effective. I went to sleep quickly and woke up quickly with almost no after effects.

We had Thanskgiving with the Jennings. Turkey and all the trimmings.

I leave this Sunday night for Rochester, MN for two weeks. I return next Friday afternoon but go back again next Sunday. I know, I know -- this is the wrong time to go to MN. The highest temperature predicted during the new two weeks is 30 with the average closer to 18. The lows are single digits. I am going to the IBM Benchmark Center to do some work for CVS, one of Perot Systems customers and the company I spend most of my time supporting.

Speaking of Perot, there were three of my team standing at the new aquarium at the exit to the company cafeteria yesterday. We were admiring the fish and some of the strange critters in the tank when Mr. Perot (the elder) walked up behind us and began explaining what everything was and his plans for new specimens. Our campus is full of his memoribilla. It feels more like a museum than an office. If I had $2.4 billion (with a B) I don't think I would be spending much time in any office. But to each his own.