Yard Work & BiPap

 I’m taking a break from mowing the lawn because it has really wiped me out. I have a slight sweat going and I feel a little wobbly. I want to keep mowing my own lawn. It’s the least thing I can do around here. Even if I take my time to do it, I want to be the guy that gets it done.

While I’m waiting to return to the yard, I would like to take a moment to express my extreme dislike for my BiPap machine. I accept it as a necessary evil but make no mistake, evil it is.

I cannot seem to regulate the thing between turning my mouth into an arid wasteland or a slimy swamp. I need to wear it at least four hours a night. Generally, once I hit four hours, the mask comes off but I have lots of nights where it’s on for se7en hours.

There is an app on my iPad that rates my nightly sleep based on how long I wear it, how tight the seal is, and how many events I have per hour. I have a goal of getting a perfect score (100) on it but it seems fleeting. The best I’ve done is a 97.

Okay, enough of this. Time to get back to yard care.  

Summer is Coming?

 I am writing this post now so I have something to refer back to when it happens, but I don't think we are going to have a warm day ever again. Here we are well into June and have had only a couple of days where the thermometer got to 70°...and not much more. 

It rained ALL DAY yesterday and I have over one and a quarter inches in my rain gauge to prove it.

It's a little nicer today and I'm just about to head out on my morning walk, which I have let slide for too long now.

Later: Okay, my walk is complete and I am pleased with myself for getting it done. I overcame my nature to make the walk short. I had many reasons to make the walk short. It was cold, it was a little bit rainy, my glutes hurt. But I soldiered through and did the mile and a half in about 35 minutes.

It's been a couple weeks since I took a walk and a lot has changed along my route. Kabots Kitchen looks like they are out of business. They have a sign on the door that says, "Closed for Vacation". But there are signs missing from the windows. 

There is a house on Euclid that is have solar panels installed on their roof. The old cannibalized Ford pickup sitting in a driveway near the end of my walk is suddenly missing the cab. All that remains is a rusty frame. I wonder how long it will sit there now.

Still Alive

I guess I should have posted before now to announce that I survived the Heart Cath, which I did. However, we did not get very good results. My heart is pumping much less blood than Dr. Mooney had hoped for. So much less that she is starting to talk about my becoming a candidate for a heart transplant. That was kind of shocking to hear but we are over the shock and looking forward to seeing what’s next.

I had a stress test yesterday that involved breathing tests and a stint on the exercise bike to see where I am.

We meet with Dr. Mooney on Monday to talk about the results.

I got out and walked my mile this morning despite the pouring rain. Then I enjoyed a sit in the hot tub, in the rain, which is no big deal. I mean, are you afraid of getting wet?!

I did something I haven’t done in a while. I jumped in a old shower. It’s alway s quite invigorating but I had a second motive. I wanted to stop sweating from being in the hot tub. Didn’t work! Still sweating.

May BP

 

Final Post - Again

This could be another one of my final posts. I'm leaving shortly to have a heart procedure. They are doing a Heart Cath but it's not the big, more invasive one they did on me last July. I should be in and out.

But just in case, I thought I had better be sure to say good bye.

My new doctor, Dr. Mooney wants to get a better assessments of what's going on with me. They shoot in the dye and find all the areas of closing arteries.

Before I go, I have to take Susan's car to the body shop to get some damage repaired when she backed into my truck last February. It's not major damage but she wants her car pristine, and I can't blame her.

So I'm meeting Robba at the body shop, dropping off the car and then he is taking me to the medical facility where the poop will occur.

Good bye!

2:27PM: I survived although the news is not great. It does indeed appear that my heart is getting weaker. I have a stress test scheduled for early next month. I have to get on a stationary bicycle and pedal for 6 minutes. Good luck to me on that.   

Punkin Progress

Here is a brief update on my pumpkin projects. Yes, that is plural...proJECTS!

I wasn't thrilled with the first one I started so I began a second.

The first one has turned into a Devil Punkin.

I will be ready to paint it soon...hopefully tomorrow.

The other punkin is just about finished but I have a couple of areas to reinforce and a leaf to add to the stem.   

Stuff To Do Today

 I have three items on my agenda today with a fourth if I can fit it in.

I am going to begin the creation and/or construction of a pumpkin for our Halloween display. It involves the messy task of Paper Mache. At least, it seems messy when I do it.

I have tied string around it to create the puffy segmented  look of a pumpkin. Next step is to get messy. 

I was recently given a Trager Barbecue/Smoker and I want to figure it out. I'm going to cook myself a nice steak for lunch.

Today is the Annual Marge Arndt Pool Plunge, celebrate on this day every year to commemorate the birthday of Tammy's Mom. It serves as the official opening of Tammy and Lou's pool. It looks like it is going to be brisk.

If I have the time, I need to run down to the Apple store and figure out what's going on with my Apple Pencil.

But first, I must walk.