Harry Therapy

During Mom's visit this weekend we were trying to think of things we could do.

  

We asked Mom what kinds of things she liked to do now, instead of drawing (since she doesn't like the way she draws now).  She came up with a few ideas, one of them being reading.  Interesting... since she didn't like to read much before.  So we tried it!

David went to get a Harry Potter book and Mom started reading!

  

She needed a little help ever now and then with pronouncing words like "Dursley" and "Privet" but she did pretty well.  After reading the first page we stopped her and asked her some questions to see if she was remembering what she read.  I think reading will be a good thing for us to do, although Harry Potter might be too long of a story for her.  We need a good book of short stories, for adults.

I was also thinking of something like a needlepoint project...but it would have to be one with large holes and a big dull needle.  Anybody know about anything about something like that?

Allergies this year.

Every year I end up writing about allergies and how awful spring is for me because of pollen.  This year I decided to spare you my usual rant.  Instead I'll tell you what I'm FINALLY doing about this lovely time of year.

Allergy shots.  Immunotherapy.  I've gone to an allergist, been scratch tested, and learned what all my allergies are!

(This is the grid they drew on my back and then all the red spots are where they poked me with allergens and I reacted...not much white space!)

I'm allergic to cats, dogs, mold, weed pollen, grass pollen, and tree pollen (basically all pollen).  It seems like my tree pollen allergies are the worst because trees pollinate in the spring.  Grass is a summer pollen, and weeds are a fall pollen, but I don't usually have allergic reactions those times of year.  I guess it just doesn't compare to the spring.  I have noticed a reaction to cats too, but it still isn't as bad as trees.

So far, I go to the allergist two times each week, and the give me one shot in each arm (cats, dogs, and mold allergens in one, and all outdoor allergens in the other).  The arm that gets the outdoor allergens has reacted more than the other arm.  It looks and feels like I got bit by a mosquito, and sometimes I get a headache.  This will continue for a few months with occasional increases in the strength/purity of the allergen used.  Then I'll go once a week, then once ever other week, etc.  The goal is to make myself immune to all these things I'm allergic to.  Let's hope it works!

At An Angle

This past Sunday we went to visit Mom  at Restore.  We sat on the front porch for a while because the weather was beautiful.  I pulled out my camera and handed it to Mom just to see if she would want to use it.  She was excited to take pictures of David in his orange shirt.  But, she didn't make much of an effort to keep the camera straight.  Instead, almost every picture was at an angle.  At least she got all of him within the frame.

  

We'll have to work on photography when she comes home. Until then, we'll just have pictures at an angle.

Double Bypass

This past Wednesday our family went to a Dave Bromberg Concert.  But, before the show, we went to eat at the Vortex.  Known for their award winning burgers, David just could not decide which one he wanted.  So he told the waiter he wanted his recommendation.  The waiter asked him some general questions about his likes and dislikes and then asked him how he would want his burger cooked.  Without telling David what he would be eating, the waiter went away and turned in our order.

Before long our food arrived and David finally got to see what he ordered.

This, ladies and gentlemen is the Double Bypass Burger, and hopefully the only double bypass David will ever have (and now I'm not referring to burgers).  Here is the description of what he ate, directly from the menu:

DOUBLE BYPASS BURGER

Twice as big as the Coronary Bypass! Topped with

two fried eggs, six slices of American cheese, and

eight slices of bacon, all served between the two

grilled cheese sandwiches that we use in place of

the regular hamburger buns.

Yes, he did eat the whole thing, and no, there was no free t-shirt.  He also made a decent attempt at the tater tots that were his side item.

Congratulations David...let's not do that again.

Drunk? ...or texting?

Yesterday, on our way to visit my Mom at Restore, David and I had a very interesting experience.  

We were driving down Highway 212 behind a car that was barely going the speed limit.  After a short while of following them I noticed that they were driving back and forth within the lane a lot more than usual.  I called David's attention to it and then the swerving got worse. The driver was crossing the lines and once came very close to running off the right side of the road.  They would quickly re-correct and straighten-out but it didn't last long!  While increasing our distance we tried to figure out what the deal was.  The conclusion we came to, other than the fact it was around 11am on a Sunday morning, was that this had to be a drunk driver.  I've never seen a drunk driver before, but I've also never seen anyone driving this poorly before so it had to be a drunk driver!

We got to a point where the driver was going to make a right turn and we'd be able to pass them.  As we passed we looked into their window.  We saw a young girl holding a cell phone, texting. 

I was amazed.  I don't text often in general, but after saying to myself multiple times while following her "They're going to kill themselves" I know that I never will text and drive.  Take some time a search the internet for "texting while driving" and see the images you come up with.   

Unfortunately I know all too well some of the consequences of getting into a car accident.  Although my Mom wasn't texting I guarantee that you don't want to end up dealing with all she's going through because of a car accident.  I can also guarantee that you don't want to have to take care of anyone else you know that has done that to themselves, so share with your friends about how stupid the idea of texting while driving is!

It may have made a funny comic, but it's really not funny.