Whats Brewing

I came up with a little animation of Rick moving the tassel on his mortar board.  I had to wait for Rick to complete the animation.  I finally got today.  This is cute.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KXt5WDz0j0&feature=channel&list=UL

Last night, Rick graduated from high school.  There were times when we wondered if this day would come.  But for all the struggles with homework, Rick has been a fair student.  He loves to go to school, so getting him up and out of the house was no problem. Just doing the homework was quite the struggle. 

Gotta say, the kid is smart enough.  He can pass a test and pull out the grade.  Just seems easier to do all the work and make sure you have an A or B.  Not that he worried much about it.  Now a big sigh.  We are done with that part.

Rick has decided to go on to college.  But do you really get a choice these days?  Everyone wants the piece of paper.  He really wants to do Graphic Design and that is where his talents lie.  His plan is to get a minor in Computer Science and put the programming with the design.  I hope that makes him marketable in the real world of jobs.  Either way, he needs to go out and do what makes him happy.  After all, it’s not really about the money if you don’t like what you are doing. 

So the first two years, he will go to McHenry Community College.  That’s the local college here.  I figure the first two years I can pay for here.  Then he plans to transfer to Northen Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.  This is about an hour from our house.  We visited there last October and he really liked the campus. 

From there, I hope he finds something he likes to do and can take it on like he means it.  Not all jobs are great when you start out and you have to take things just to figure out what you want to do.  If it includes some creative and artistic, I think he’ll do just fine.

Since we had a couple of extra tickets, Barb and her daughter, Gracie, came out to watch Rick graduate.  Barb, Rich, and I all worked together in the early 90s and we’ve stayed friends.  Our kids have grown up together.  Gracie graduates in 2 years.  Thanks for joining us, Barb and Gracie.

So pictures from last night.  We sat at the top of the bleachers just so we could see.  The camera allowed me to get some fairly good photos and then I photochopped them. 

Mr. Being Cool in the parking lot.Hanging out at school one last time

Rick and his 8 bit tieLast for the last time in this class.

Topher leading the color guard.Getting his diploma from the superintendent.

Rounding the crowd to head back to his chair.

I was so proud of Sascha today.  Pete, the roof guy, stopped by for his check today.  Sascha didn’t jump up on him at all.  That’s a first for her.  Then she sat patiently at Rich’s feet while they were transacting business.  She was calm, cool, and collected.  Way to go, Sascha.  There is hope for a well behaved dog in the future.

Rick had a piece of art work in the student art exhibit at the local library.  The art teachers picked out some of students’ better works for this show.  Ms. Drufke said she had to snag this one from Rick.  Got to admit, it was a little different.  This was one of those assignments that he hurriedly did to meet the deadline.  They had to present their idea and then spend their time in class working on it. 

It’s called Flamingo Man.  I believe it was all inspired around the airman’s jacket worn by Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood.  I think he got the coat down pat.   Rick wants that coat really badly, but not enough to spend his money to pay for it. 

The nice part, Rick got 10 extra points for just showing up at the exhibit and another 10 for filling out a form on one piece of work in the exhibit.  Points he could really use. 

We got back home from the exhibit and pulled into the garage as bad weather was kind of descending on the area.  The clouds look pretty dark and menacing.  We stood talking in the kitchen for a bit as Sascha was dancing around for attention.  Rich made a strange face and said, “What the heck was that?” 

I turned around, but only caught a glimpse of someone small running across the backyard.  Rich went to our bedroom window to see what was going on.  Turns out two of the young boys in the neighborhood were paying a visit to the concrete mermaid in my garden.  They were busy running their hands over her chest and didn’t see Rich in the window.

Smiling really big, Rich gently tapped on the window.  Those two shot up in the air so fast.  They circled around behind the fence and made it out to the backyard of the house behind us and sped along the back fence of the next house.  They were quick.  I tried to yell out the window that it was okay.  I don’t think they could hear for the wind rushing past their ears.

Trouble was, they left their bikes in our yard.  They had to come back around the block to get them.  We waited for a bit, but they never came by.  Rich and I took about 5 minutes getting ready to take Sascha for a walk.  When we went out the back door, the bikes were gone.  They probably just waited long enough for their hearts to stop racing before they came back.

So prom is on Friday.  Rick has his outfit.  Jordan got a dress to match my Campbell clan sash.  They are going to look so cute together.  I’m going on Friday afternoon to pick up the corsage and boutonniere that I ordered.  We plan to take plenty of pictures.  The promenade should be fun.  I’m wondering how many people will be surprised at the Scottish theme. 

Yes, Bel, Rick is wearing a skirt to his senior prom!

Rick with Flamingo Man

Rich was giving me a hard time about not taking Sascha out scootering today.  It was a nice cool day with low humidity.  Perfect scooter weather.  Sascha’s been going a little stir crazy since Rich had his cortisone shot.  I didn’t feel up to walking her.  So I felt guilty and took her for a spin around the neighborhood.

Sorry there’s no video today.  All you would get is me bobbing my head and screaming, “Easy” and “On By!”  Sascha is very fast and I find it a little scary to feel like I have so little control.  I bet she is going faster than posted speed limit in the neighborhood, which is 20.  The easy command tells her to slow down and not pull so hard.  I don’t think it worked though.  She was pulling me at flat out top speed.  My weight and the weight of the scooter aren’t enough to slow her down!

I started off on flat ground so it wasn’t as scary a takeoff as last time coming down the slope of the driveway in front of the garage.  But it doesn’t take her long to get up to speed either.  I tried to slow her down for the cross streets so I could check traffic.  She doesn’t like that much.

I took her down Hickory Street to the lake and then down Lakeview, which has a slight rise on it.  She hits the top of the hill at a good speed and then I start whizzing by her on the scooter.  You can almost hear her laughing about it!  She thinks it’s fun.  At least she didn’t pull a Grinch and jump on the scooter like Max on the sled.  That might have freaked me out. 

It’s been a while since she’s been scootering because the weather and humidity have been too warm for it.  Remember the temp and humidity can’t be a combined total of 120.  We’ve just had such a warm spring so far.  Sascha was having trouble listening for directions.  She got confused on whether to go straight or to turn.  In her world, the lead dog makes most of the decisions and the rider just makes corrections.  I wanted to call the shots and that creates some confusion. 

Oh well, we survived.  Sascha got to take a run.  I got some more practice on the scooter.  And Rich fixed the handbrake, which needed adjustment after I was cranking on it so hard to keep Sascha for exceeding the speed limit by more than 5 MPH!  Maybe over the next few days, we’ll try again.

Saturday was a horrible allergy day for me.  My eyes felt swollen and I can’t keep them open!  I’m got absolutely no sympathy from anyone around here.  Rich is nursing his arm.  Rick was waiting to join his friends for a birthday celebration.  Sascha just wants to be petted!  Come on, someone says, “Sorry you feel so bad.”

Sascha might not be helping my allergies either.  Apparently, other husky owners are reporting an early blow out for their huskies.  A blow out is when the dog starts shedding its thick winter undercoat.  One person described it as snow furries.  I noticed that Sascha was dropping a lot more hair every where she went.  I started noticing dog hair bunnies chasing me down the hallway.  Happy blow out to all the huskies!

 As the day went on, I could at least keep my head up and my eyes open.  I even ventured out to the grocery store.  It was a decent day, so I bought Rich a steak for dinner.  Grilled steak is always tops on his list.  Coming home, I got worried that he wouldn’t be able to cut the thing by himself!  I shouldn’t have worried though.  He would manage to cut the steak no matter how much his arm hurt. 

Going to the grocery store is always an adventure for me.  I’m a people watcher and you see the most amazing things there.  It likes the rules of civilization are suspended while you are in there.  People block aisles, run over each other, make rude comments, and just in general revert to an animal nature.  Must be why I dread going so much.  I’d go in the middle of the night, if I could.  Deserted stores are so nice.

Rich was taking a nap when I got back from my adventure to the store.  Hopefully, this meant he wouldn’t be crabby.  I understand the pain and how much it effects you.  Since Rich is normally quite healthy, I think it’s a little harder for him to take.  Morphine wasn’t on the list of things the doctor was willing to do for his tendonitis.  After the nap, he said he felt a difference, but he wasn’t out back pitching baseballs either.

Rick got home from his trip out to Dave and Buster’s with his friends.  He had an arm load of toys that he had won.  Will any of them go to Jordan to say I missed you?  He might not be that grown up yet.  That’s okay, the lawn tractor was waiting for him.  He mowed the front and side yards before the cold drove him inside.  Today, he will finish the back.

Yesterday was Thunder over Louisville, which marks the beginning of the Derby season at home.  I started seeing pictures that people were posting.  I love the fireworks that spill all over the river, but I can live without the air show sounds that run all day.  Thanks to my friends at home for posting.  Looked like another stellar year for the fireworks.  I’m sure I’ll get all the details from my sister today.

Derby has come.  No Derby party this year because of the pig roast at the end of June.  I’d love to go down for Derby, but Rick has his prom the day before.  Kind of hard to be in two places at once.  One year I’ll make it down for the festivities. 

It used to be a great time to live in downtown Louisville.  Go to the boat races, watch the Run for the Rose down Fourth Street mall, go eat at the chuckwagons.  Of course, we went out to our favorite bar for the all night pre-Derby party.  The bar closed at 6:00 AM just when the gates at the Downs were opening.  We’d go home, grab chairs, and wave to everyone going down Fourth Street to the races.  A simpler time.  So much for memories.

Today should be quiet.  I plan to clean out the refrigerator and chase snow furries down the hallways.  Then maybe I can relax with a book or find a good movie on TV.  All just so I can go back to work tomorrow.  Oh well.  As Diane K. says, “I love my job.”  But I really do love my job.

Happy Derby 2012, y’all!

Thunder over Louisville

For the  last month or so, Rich has been having pain in his right elbow.  Not sure when it started exactly, but he assumed he hurt it bowling one night.  That is his bowling arm.  The pain has been pretty constant and not really letting up too much.  I finally decided it was time to see the doctor.

I called and made an appointment for today.  We rode in together so I was able to go in and listen to what the doctor said.  Two pair of ears are always better than one when it comes to doctors.  Luckily, we’ve had to use these guys before, so I was pretty confident in their ability to figure this out.

Rich had to fill out papers since this was his first time there.  Then they took x-rays to check and make sure there was nothing else going on in there.  We went to the exam room to wait for the doctor, who arrived very promptly after the nurse left.  Dr. Seeds looked at the chief complaint and then asked the chief complainer a couple of questions.  Yep, it was tennis elbow.  That’s because they didn’t call it bowling elbow first.

So in easy terms, the tendon that stretches from the top of the large bone down through to the hand was irritated at the connection on top of that bone.  This is the pain that Rich has in the elbow.  The other pains are the pressure that the too tight tendon is placing on the muscles.  These muscles are trying to complain too much.

Dr. Seeds went through the list of things that he could do for this condition.  First  on the list is rest.  Need to give the tendon time to heal.  Rich would get a band to wear around his elbow to apply pressure to the tendon.  Next, the doctor could shot the elbow up with cortizone to help with the healing process.  After that, the doctor recommended physical therapy, but only as a last resort. 

Rich opted to have the shot to the elbow as well as the band. There was also some ointment for pain relief rather than eating Ibuprofen all the time.  Dr. Seeds marked an x on the elbow and the nurse prepared for surgery.  The shot went in okay, but the pain got worse over the day.  Now Rich wishes he hadn’t gotten the shot!

All in all, Rich will be fine.  In a couple of days, he should be back to his current normal.  With rest and wearing the band, things should start to improve.  No more bowling for a while though.  The season only had 3 more weeks.  We’ll see how he is in the fall. 

He’s been reviewing websites for information.  Looks like he needs to rest the arm and then work his way back slowly to bowl.  Just sometimes you get older and things don’t work as well.

Sascha had a tough day today.  It started out this morning when I put her out for the usual patrol around the yard.  Sometime after going out, a storm passed by close enough for her to hear thunder.  I heard her run being pulled and checked out the back door.  She was pulling the lead trying to get the collar over her head so she could get to the back door on the deck. 

Poor thing.  She had scattered the plastic chairs, her water bucket, and the stools from the wooden patio set all over the place.  I stepped out of the door and grabbed her collar.  She was so happy to see me.  I lead her to the garage door where she normally comes in.  About that time, thunder rumbled again and she tried to dash to the back door in the little garage.  I got her unhooked and secured before opening the door and she promptly dashed in.

Sascha’s normal place to hide is under Rich’s desk.  She made a beeline for that location and got as far as possible under the desk.  The entire time, she is panting up a storm.  I almost thought she was rabid because  she was foaming so much.  She would then take turns coming over to me for pets and slipping back into her hidey hole.  The storm passed and Sascha fell asleep.

This happened a couple of more times.  She refused to stay out in the yard by herself.  She would dash out to do her business and dash right back in the house.  I felt kind of sorry for her, except I was kind of busy with work.  She was hugging very close to me at times.

Later this afternoon, I had an appointment at the vet with Sascha.  The kennel was wanting an updated bordetella shot before we board her in May for vacation.  Since I was there, I got the rest of her shots.  She is all up to date again.  The vet gave her a good physical and proclaimed her healthy.  Sascha weighed in at 54 lbs. this time.  It’s all that good eating to keep fattened up for scootering.  I’m thinking we should probably cut back a bit to keep her from going up in weight.  She’s not fat by any means.

While we were at the vet, Sascha was behaving and sitting quietly.  Someone brought in a Siamese cat in a crate that was crying a lot.  Sascha’s ears went up and she zeroed in on that crate.  Then the barking began.  OK, so she can identify a cat very quickly.  I knew she liked small furry things, but now I know that cats are probably on the endangered species list with her.  Panther, the neighbor’s cat, avoids her at all cost.  Seeing a pattern here.

After getting 3 shots at the vet, Sascha settled into the ride back home.  She’s not too bad in the truck. She puts her butt up again me and leans back so she can lay her head on the back of the seat.  This allows her to look out the back window.  She’s not too crazy about seeing things coming at her, but watching going by and after her is okay.  I think she might get a little bit car sick. 

So I dashed into the house with Sascha so that Rick could feed her dinner.  I then dashed back out to the dry cleaners before they close.  I had to pick up Rick’s Prince Charles jacket and vest.  I had them nicely pressed for prom. 

In case you haven’t heard, Rick is wearing his kilt with his new Prince Charles jacket.  He has a tie and flares to match the kilt along with his knee socks.  All Campbell colors, they are.  He makes quite the dashing figure.  His girlfriend, Jordan, borrowed by sash and Scottish thistle pin to wear with her dress for prom so that they will match.  They will make a striking couple when they walk down the promenade for prom.   The promenade is the walk that the kids make from the school gym to the buses that take them to the prom.  They aren’t allowed to drive there.  Pictures will follow on that day (May 4).

So back on April 10, Rich took Sascha to Moraine State Park for a run with the scooter.  They had a good time, even if it was a little warm and way too windy.  The wind was actually pushing against them on the run.  I posted video from their little adventure on YouTube at:

http://youtu.be/8F193Uwenk0