The Nativity Fast - Preparation for Christ's Incarnation

we Orthodox Christians prepare for each major event in the Church year in fasting and repentance. Fasting must be understood as abstention. We strictly abstain from all animal products (including dairy), wine and oil. However, the Nativity Fast is one of the least restrictive. There are many Wine and Oil days (WO), and many Fish, Wine and Oil (FWO) days.

The music of our Fasts frequently is both beautiful and somewhat mournful. Here is some of the Music of Nativity from the Russian Orthodox Church.



Enjoy!

Did You Know I Love Cats? and Kittens??

Can't resist! YouTube has some wonderful kitten videos! Turn on your sound and be prepared to laugh - a lot!!

This is true food aggression!



Then there's this one:



This kitten is soooooo sleepy...



Hungry motherless kitten being bottle fed - I've done this sooooooo many times! And it's a joy each time I can save a kitten and grow it up to the point of being adopted!



Even German kittens are pretty food aggressive!



Hungry kittens are convinced there will be no more food - ever - and they HAVE to have food NOW!!



Finally, not to overdo the cute kittens for one day, there is this happy, playful kitten crabwalking all over the place!

Magnus - the Democrat!?!

O.M.G. !! The Ol' Curmudgeon has hit the nail on the head! Our beloved cat, Magnus, is a Democrat!!

"He is all mouth and emotion and demonstrates no intellect. He is totally non-productive yet thinks the Powers That Be should take care of his every need. He neither pays attention to nor shuts up for anyone else's opinion. He is only interested in running his own mouth. He expects the Powers that Be not only to feed him but to clean up all his messes. And everything - EVERYTHING - is someone else's fault and/or responsibility!!"

ROTFLOL!! I love it when he starts "ranting" about stuff!!

Will post a pic of Magnus the Magnifi-cat in a few days.

Of Neighborhoods and Homeowners Associations

I'm going to imitate the Ol' Curmudgeon - HARUMPH!!

We live in an older neighborhood. With the national trend in decreasing mortgage values, some of the residents recently decided we needed a Homeowners Association. We went to one meeting - assured ourselves that we weren't dealing with a "Covenant Community" situation (yuck). At the meeting, the Powers That Be told us that a Homeowners Association would decrease crime, increase property values and just be a Good Thing.

Two connected streets are involved here. Let's call them Rockytop and Aspen. The PTB, of course, live on Rockytop, and think that the people on Aspen (where we live) are lower class, or at least less classy than they think they are. So, all the children who live on Aspen are considered to be delinquents by the people on Rockytop. One of the Rockytop women said she had to keep chasing "those Aspen kids" out of her yard before he did something criminal.

Not only do we live on Aspen, 3 of our grandchildren live on Aspen - next door to us! Kids play in yards - not only their own yard, but the yards of everyone in the neighborhood. That's the way we played when I was a kid, and it warms my heart to see the kids in our part of The Neighborhood playing in the same way. They have a "secret clubhouse" under the huge bush in a yard several houses away. I remember having one of those - 5 houses up the street in the yard of a widow-woman who had no children.

Thankfully, she thought it was "cute," and didn't call the cops. The woman on Rockytop was ready to call the police because a kid was in her yard! Please note, she lives on the "outside" corner of The Neighborhood - right across the street from The High School - and the kid was in her yard right after school let out. Who didn't cross yards when walking home from school??? She's worried about her property values because a kid walked across her yard?

Speaking of property values, how does belonging to a Homeowners Association either increase or prevent decrease of property values - when the rest of the country is experiencing a general decline in mortgage lending?? Put signs up saying "Our houses cost more because we are holding the line on mortgage costs?" No, we will "keep up" our houses and yards better because we belong to this Association - because other neighbors will "tattle" on us if we don't. All the City Property Maintenance regulations will be Enforced!! So what now? Someone will sneak into our yard at night and measure the length of the non-existent grass? Count the number of leaves on our driveway? Count the number of patches of peeling paint on our abode?

BAH!! And again I say, BAH! At the first meeting, we asked what we were supposed to do - I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and 2 degenerated disks in my low back. The Ol' Curmudgeon has 6 bad disks in his back and has had 2 heart attacks. We can't get out there and do major yard maintenance. The son next door had several episodes of heat prostration while in the military, and is very sensitive to heat - can't "do yard" in the summer. We finally found some kids up the street who are greedy capitalists (I love teenagers who are greedy capitalists!) and will mow our yard, front and back, for less than $100. So at least the mowing is taken care of. We'll teach them how to blow off leaves and stuff them into bags so the pick-up service will take them.

We were sent a message from The Homeowners Association that the police would be driving The Neighborhood and noting any deviations from the Property Maintenance Regulations.

OK - so now the police will take their valuable time inspecting the length of our grass and the number of leaves on the driveway? Great use of resources!!

The people on Rockytop say they are experiencing a small crime wave of break-ins. Especially on empty houses that are for sale. In addition, someone's garage was raided and several yard-maintenance tools (of the electronic and motorized variety) were stolen. OK. Rockytop is having a "crime wave" and the kids on Aspen who cross yards after school are part of this crime wave? How will our Neighborhood Association help with this crime wave? Well, the police will respond more quickly if we are United and have an Association!

HUH? How does that work? How about the people who live in Slum Row neighborhood? What if the residents there get together and create a Homeowners Association? Will the police respond more rapidly than they do now if they form the Slum Row Homeowners Association? The mind boggles!

Not only that, but to be a member of the Rockytop Homeowners Association (why isn't it the Aspen Homeowners Association?) we will be required to pay a membership fee! Currently it isn't much - only $35 a year. Remember that when I post the yearly fee every year from now on. Wanna make any bets as to whether it stays nominal or goes up?

Those of us on the "back end" of Aspen are considering having a block party and forming our OWN "Back of Aspen Homeowners Association." We'll help each other out with yard work, have block parties, and play loud music - so we can drive the residents of the Back of Rockytop crazy. Oh yeah - and we'll report suspicious kids setting up secret clubs in the bushes or cutting across yards to get home from school to the police.

Where's that CD of the Carmina Burana I got last year??

A Service Dog - For Me?

Well, Saturday was THE day. The woman from the dog organization came to do an in-home interview to see if I "fit" their profile of people to get one of their dogs. I've done all I can to make the house acceptable, but the master bath and my office are still in a mess, and there is a corner of the Ol' Curmudgeon's office dedicated to my clutter-stuff. I need to toss out 3/4 of it all and find "places" for the rest "to live."

She was very nice. So was her husband who came along also. The Ol' Curmudgeon waxed eloquent as only he can, and I spoke to my perception of my needs. She had me demonstrate grip strength, gently squeezed my hands to elicit pain level, and watched me walk and function at a couple of tasks. She looked at the (currently leaf covered) back yard approvingly.

So, now my "case" will be presented to their Board tomorrow (Tuesday). If approved, it will not mean a service dog tomorrow. First, we will have to raise funds. Not necessarily directly "pay" for the dog (to the tune of $7000), but literally fund-raise - find new donors to help support the service dog organization - a non-profit, 501c organization. The Ol' Curmudgeon is going to submit their corporate package to his place of business, and I'm going to submit it to several of the larger law firms I work with.

After doing the fund raising, or while that is going on, there will be a waiting period for me of between 1 and 5 years while they find a "match" for me. The dog has to meet my needs and be compatible with both me and the Ol' Curmudgeon. Then, when a likely dog has been found, it will have to be trained to the particular tasks I need done. All that takes time. Not to mention, there probably are people of higher priority ahead of me.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

Drought in GA

Georgia is experiencing the worst drought in decades.

Governor Purdue has asked all the Churches in the state to pray for rain. Following is a Prayer in Time of Drought from and Orthodox Patriarch (Patriarch Callistus, d. 1363).

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A Prayer in Time of Drought
by Patriarch Callistus of Constantinople

O Master, Lord our God, who heard Elijah the Tishbite in his zeal for Thee and commanded the rain to hold itself back when it was about to be sent to the earth, and then later granted it fruit-bearing rain by his prayer! We beg Thee, O Master of all: from the depths of Thy own goodness, liberally give rain to Thy inheritance. Overlooking our sins, send down Thy rain upon thirsty places in need. Gladden the face of the earth for the sake of Thy poverty-stricken people, children, livestock and all others looking for Thee to give them food in good time -- for Thou art our God, the God whose nature it is to have mercy and to save, and we send up glory to Thee, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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We here in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are suffering from a lack of rain. Without a large influx of rain between now and then, sometime in January Atlanta will be OUT of water! We in that area already are having to forego watering lawns (not a problem for us - we hate grass anyway) and washing cars (except at approved carwashes that recycle water). We are asked to conserve by not flushing the toilets as much, not showering or bathing as frequently, not washing clothes unless we have a full washer's worth. But soon even this won't be enough.

Many businesses have had to shut down, with resultant hiatus in employment and paychecks for those working for those companies. Many people are drinking bottled water, but this will soon be too expensive to buy.

The water-based recreation industries (fishing, boating, swimming) are taking a big hit - especially around the lakes. Other tourism and recreation areas (Lake Lanier, Lake Alatoona, Callaway Gardens, Chattahoochee National Forest, Okeefenokee State Park, etc) are also down, leading to marked decrease in income for the entire state. All the ancillary industries - fast foods, bait shops, sports equipment stores, motels, etc - also take hits.

This all adds up to PEOPLE losing jobs, losing incomes, losing their homes, families breaking up etc.

Please keep us in your prayers!

Role Models

Someone asked who my role model was. But I have not one but thousands of role models - the saints who have gone before us and who pray for us.

One of these, and the chiefest among them, is the Theotokos (the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary). She was a human being in every sense of the word - yet she CHOSE to live according to what God wanted her to live. She CHOSE to be without sin. God blessed her and chose her to bear His Son for the salvation of the world. In bearing Christ, God, she became in effect the mother of us all. So I turn to her first and foremost to be my role model - to help me see that willingly fulfilling God's Will, I am "doing the right thing." When in trouble most of us turn in thought or in reality to our mothers. When in trouble my thoughts turn to my mother (Memory Eternal!), who died at a young age from the same disease I have. And at the same time, I turn to the Theotokos. Her prayers are powerful, and I petition her to pray for my troubles. Daily, I praise the Theotokos for her sacrifices that had brought us our salvation - Christ our Lord and Saviour, the very Son of God.

Some of the others I consider to be role models, are:

St. Xenia of St. Petersburg - a "fool for Christ" who lived in the early 19th century. When her husband died, she was so concerned about the salvation of his soul that she took to wearing his clothes, took his name, "Andrew," and gave away all her possessions. She voluntarily lived on the streets of St. Petersburg. Her life is inspirational.

St. Elizabeth, Mother of the Forerunner and Baptist, John - This is my Patron (or Matron) saint. She was righteous in the sight of God and of men. She was married, she loved her husband and desired his child. After many years of childlessness, this was granted to her. The Church, which glorifies virgins, glorifies her for her marriage and for her childbearing. This is a good model for those of us who are married.

St. Macrina the Elder - This is a wonderful saint who has remained in obscurity entirely too long! It is rather incredible to contemplate the life of a woman who was the wife of a saint (St. Basil), the mother of a saint (St. Basil the elder), the mother-in-law of a saint (St. Emilia, wife of St. Basil the Elder) and the grandmother of 4 saints (St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Macrina the Younger, and St. Peter of Sebaste)! Saints ran in this family, due mostly to the strong influence of the women, particularly that of St. Macrina the Elder. She is considered to be the Matron saint for grandparents. She underwent persecution for her faith, and, with her husband and child, lived in the wilderness for over 7 years during the last and worse persecution of Christians under Diocletian. Contemplating what is known of her life helps me to be patient and to be the best guide I can for my own 11 grandchildren. She also gives me strength to bear up under the subtle but real persecution Christians undergo in this country as it wends it's way toward atheism and suppression of Christianity.

These are only a very few of the many thousands of saints who have gone before us and provide role models for us. More information about various saints may be found HERE and HERE. I commend their lives to my readers.

Mr. Tambourine Man by the Byrds! They Rock!!

The Byrds Playing "Mr. Tambourine Man" with Bod Dylan. I used to adore the Byrds!







Hope you enjoy it as much as I used to - and still do!

Reposted from August 2004: Marbles in My Pocket

I posted this over 3 years ago. Andreas recently commented upon it, and I re-read it. It had been so long, it was almost like reading someone else's words, and I decided it wasn't too bad! I've cleaned up some typos, and I'm reposting it - because I want to! LOL!

5 / 18 August 2004
Marbles in My Pocket

I was asked by an acquaintance what Adult ADD was like. This was my response.

I've been ADD all my life. But I didn't "know" it until I was in my 50's! I thought it was some kind of character defect, and I struggled against it for decades.

But I'm now kind of resigned to it - or, more likely, accustomed to it. I admit I function best in a *slightly* cluttered environment. If something isn't "in my face" I forget it's around or needs to be done. That's why I have to keep a calendar on the computer and have it pop-up the minute I turn on my computer every morning. That way I know exactly what I need to do. If I put away my current projects, I may not get back to them until they are past due because I won't think of them. So my desk will always be messy. Problem is, the "slightly cluttered" environment "gets away from me" and the entire house quickly becomes a total wreck.

I'm the original "pack rat" - I see "something shiny" in the living room, pick it up and trek toward the kitchen to put it away. On the way, I notice "something shiny" in the dining area, put down the first object and pick up the second object and trek toward the bedroom to put it away. I stop by my office to check e-mail, and put the object down. After checking e-mail and playing a couple of computer games, I get up and go out to the kitchen to make lunch. There I see "something shiny," pick it up and take it with me toward the workshop. On the way, I walk through the family room, and notice one of the GKs left a game out. I put down the current object, start putting away the game, notice the rug needs to be vacuumed, get out the vacuum, notice the floor in the hall needs sweeping, put down the vacuum and go to get the broom. On the way to the broom I notice the game in the family room and get it picked up - but it doesn't fit on the shelf, so I "jam" it in one way or another, and head to the laundry room - I don't know why, I just go there. I turn around a few times wondering why I went there, and start back through the family room. Notice the vacuum is out, and hook it up, turn it on and start vacuuming. Notice that there are a few marbles and a chess piece on the floor, and turn off the vacuum to pick them up. Can't find the box and board for the chess set, so I drop the chess piece in "a" drawer (I'll probably never find it again when it's needed - only when I happen to open the drawer and notice it). Put the marbles in my pocket. It is now noon, we usually eat lunch at 11:15 or 11:30, and the poor Ol' Curmudgeon plaintively asks me about it. I fix lunch and we eat about 12:30 - not bad, only an hour late - and look around. The living room is not straightened, the family room is a mess, the kitchen is a mess, my office has something in it that belongs in the bedroom, and I've accomplished nada beyond vacuuming a 20 square inch area of the family room and preparing lunch. I have marbles in my pocket and I don't know why! This is my ADD. Someone else may have a different experience.

My dear Ol' Curmudgeon is very good about reminding me to do things. He long ago gave up ever expecting a "neat-nik" kind of house. The kids think I'm a "space biscuit" (light and flakey). Long ago they told me, "Mom, we'll never know if you develop Alzheimer's - you've been spacey all your life!" This is true! I have very little short-term memory and have *never,* not even as a child, been able to remember names (nouns) or descriptors (adjectives, adverbs). Found out, after several botched "memory courses" that this is probably genetic and has to do with wheter you have access to a particular area of your brain - apparently mine has been in hiding all my life!

I am an "organizational hobbiest." As my dear Ol' Curmudgeon will say, "It's another vain attempt at organization by the Space Biscuit!" The DKs just giggle and nod. They all know. And it *is* amusing. Thank goodness both the Ol' Curmudgeon, the DKs and the DGKs all have a sense of humor about it! They don't get mad (usually). Just a little exasperated and impatient from time to time, but they quickly get over it, and whatever set them off becomes the latest in a string of "my flake, the Mom" (or "my flake, the Wife") stories to use to regale friends and relatives.

So we ADD'rs have to make decisions and try to stick to them! We stumble and get side-tracked, but over time, we try to get to where we can handle things better and better. I don't ever expect to be perfect! It doesn't happen to anyone! But I can be a success at nearly anything I put my mind and determination to. I've managed to (in order):

get a BSN (nursing)
marry
have 2 kids
get a masters
have a third kid
move three times
go through a divorce
go through bankruptcy
marry again
*Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy* - best decision I **ever** made!
move several more times
teach in a university
marry off 2 kids
get a PhD
assistant direct choir
marry off the third kid
manage a complex computer-based Operating Room support system
start and run my own business
Enjoy the 10 grandchildren (now 11)
enjoy my husband

I still struggle, at well past 60, to deal with my ADD, but I can look back and see that I compensated for it, and I know I will be able to continue compensating for it. It will always be with me, like someone with diabetes will always have that with them, but just as diabetes can be managed, so ADD can be managed. I just have to work a little harder at it than some other people do. But I'm really blessed by God. I have a husband who adores me - and I adore him right back - I have 3 wonderful children and 11 marvelous grandkids (my reward for not strangling the 3 kids when they were teens!). I'm respected in my career.

Well, That's what Adult ADD is for me. I have marbles in my pocket and I don't know why!

PS - Andreas commented that the marbles were his (LOL) so I told him he needed to come get them! Of course, that assumes I can figure out where I might have put them then I took them out of my pocket . . .

My Mood Ring is Red Today! What Color is Yours?

Today my Mood Ring is Red!

Your Mood Ring is Red

Excited Energized Adventurous Ready to go

Mood Ring Generator

Snowball the Dancing Cockatoo!

Snowball is a Medium Sulphur Crested Eleanora Cockatoo that dances to the Back Street Boys. He came to the Bird Lovers Only Rescue in August 2007 and is a joy. Visit them at http://www.birdloversonly.org

Don't Know How Long This Will Last - Watch While It's Hot!

I was shocked - and I'm not easily shocked!!

Orthodox Blogs

I've linked to a few Orthodox Blogs over in the right hand column, but I want to "highlight" them here.

First, there is "Bigger than a Breadbox", which is Mimi's blog. She has managed to integrate her Orthodoxy into her life rather well. She tells what it is like to be a mother with young children and still follow the precepts of the Orthodox Church.

"Christ is in our Midst" is by HandmaidLeah. It is very reflective. She, like I, has rheumatoid arthritis. We have other things in common, also.

"Fr. John Whiteford" has a "news and comments" kind of blog, but frequently posts hymns of the Church.

In "Glory to God for All Things," Fr. Stephen Freeman, a former Anglican, as are we, posts about various aspects of the Church, us and culture. Very inspiring posts.

My friend Athanasia blogs "Lost in-Elegant Cogitations" which documents her journey to Orthodoxy and then deeper and deeper into it.

"Muttonings" is by my friend Meg. She blogs about nearly everything -

Then there is "My Mountain Home" which is Shelly's site out in Idaho. She's into crafting in a big way! She also has cats and dogs! Lovely!

The last two are my husband's (the Ol' Curmudgeon) and one of my other blogs that I post to more regularly than I do here. "Rumblings of an Ol' Curmudgeon" reflects his outlook on various things. He's been more than bemused that he can and does write "essays" that others are interested in. He's a very politically and socially conservative individual - and tends to rant about that a good bit. He's also into exploring cooking and bread baking. Posts a good bit on the philosophy of food, cooking and how to make some things. "Turtle Rock" is a bunch of different topics, but mostly with what I hope is an Orthodox view.

I hope you will put these in your "watch" lists!

Ethan Laughing

This website doesn't have an "embed" code, so you'll just have to "go there" to view it! If you like to watch and listen to a baby laughing, you'll love this video! This little guy is having such a good time tearing paper!!

GO HERE

Enjoy!

Incredible Beauty

Millions miss Pavarotti. The man was incredible - as this video demonstrates. Yes, he was arrogant, and proud of his voice, but he was also gracious and generous with other artists.

Would The Ol' Curmudgeon Bring Me Home to Mom??

RSB had this on her blog, so I "went there" and took the test.

I'm pretty much what I thought I was! Luckily it worked - actually, MIL and I were friends before Ol' Curmudgeon and I even met!

Your Guy Could Bring You Home

When it comes to meeting the parents, you're cool and calm. In fact, you're so self assured, you may forget to try to impress them. Work that famous charm a little more, and your boyfriend's family will be loving you.

Would He Bring You Home to Mom?

Try it!

Transfiguration Tuna Salad

Last Sunday was the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ. It falls in the midst of the Fast for the Dormition of the Theotokos, and is the ONLY day in the fast on which Fish is permitted!

We were blessed, on the Sunday of the Feast of the Transfiguration to have our priest and his Matushka come to our home. Father brought us Holy Communion (long story, short version: we are physically unable to attend Church), then he and Matushka stayed for a repast.

It was HOT - one of those over 100 degrees days. How to serve fish? Tuna salad, of course!

I drained 4 cans of tuna packed in olive oil (I wouldn't TOUCH that dried out stuff, or the tna packed in water - tasteless!) while I blanched and peeled tomatoes. Put the tomatoes back in to the refrigerator to chill down from the blanching.

Then I broke up the tuna until it was in very small pieces and placed it in a bowl. I added finely chopped celery and Vidalia onion (Father is allergic to onions, but can tolerate a small amount - I only used about 1/8th of a very small onion, whereas normally I would use 1/2 onion). I put the tuna into the refrigerator to chill.

When we were ready to eat, Matushka helped me "flower" the tomatoes, place them in individual beds of chopped Romaine, and heaped them with the tuna. I drizzled a small amount of olive oil over, and served with a choice of salad dressings. We had Southern sweeeeeeeet tea to drink. Next time, I'll serve fresh squeezed lemonade, as Father has problems with the oxalates in tea (as many people do).

Later he said it was the "perfect 100 degree day meal." I was so pleased.

Hot Weather -

It is so hot . . .

First son has a heat problem - he had heat prostration several times while in the Army, and now must be very careful to not get overheated. This makes yard care rather difficult in the summer (which, for him, lasts from April through November). So the Ol' Curmudgeon, with his bad ticker, is having to "do" our yard. He broke down and got an electric lawnmower (got a *deal* on Amazon). So it is now early (relatively) on a Sat AM, and he's out there working on the lawn - chopping it back to a reasonable height.

Why the concern about yard? Well, we have a brand new Neighborhood Council. Never had one before, but faced with some of the real estate problems of the current market, it was decided that we needed one. Thank goodness it's NOT a "covenant community" kind of organization, but they are still nosy and want all the yards pruned. Have to invest in some "better living through chemistry" products to get rid of all the poison ivy and poison oak. Need to chop the English Ivy and Virginia Creeper down, too. For the parts in the trees, we just cut the link to the ground, and it will "die up" the tree and eventually fall off.

I'd just as soon dig it all up and put in Astroturf.

Oldest Son will be over shortly to clean the gutters and sweep the roof clear of the accumulated pinestraw and leaves. Shoulda-coulda-woulda done it last winter, and it will have to be done again in December - once all the leaves have fallen.

I'd just as soon replace the entire roof with photovoltaics, but the Ol' Curmudgeon says it would cost more than it would save in the long run, given our ages. O well, my attempts at "greening" are rather desultory. Living "green" for the most part means doing more ourselves - planting, gardening, recycling, etc. We are just too exhausted too much of the time to do that. It also would end up costing us more - example: to heat our house with wood (or at least part of the house), we'd have to have the chimney removed and rebuilt. Don't have the $$$ for THAT little project! We heated our house in SC very efficiently with a stove insert in the chimney with tubes and a fan that circulated the air warmed by the fire. We would go through about 1 cord of wood a year - that little stove was REALLY efficient, and didn't use much wood. I even made "logs" out of old newspaper until DH pointed out it would make the chimney more likely to burn because of the residue, so I quit doing that.

As far as planting goes, I've **never** been a "green" thumb person. My XH used to forbid me going into his garden because all I had to do was touch a plant and it would die! No joke! the Ol' Curmudgeon hasn't been a gardener for the entire 30 years we've been married. He says, "I don't do 'yard.' " Well, now he's talking about putting in a "square-foot" garden, elevated so he can get to it without bending over. I've put in my bid for several tomato plants. There is NOTHING like a fresh tomato, just picked from the vine and warm from the sun. Take your salt shaker with you, go out to the garden, and graze! That's my idea of salad. We'll see if he actually does it.

As far as recycling goes, once again it requires too much of MY energy. And I'm really not convinced of the efficacy of it. Now if I could just find a use for used cat litter ...

Well, time for breakfast. It's the Dormition Fast, so no butter, eggs, meat, etc. Toast, fruit juice and coffee.

The Ol' Curmudgeon has been baking bread, recently, so we'll probably have toasted Pain de Mie for breakfast. He even got a Matfer Bread Pan with Cover 15.75x4">from Amazon so he could make "real" Pain de Mie.


He's turning into quite the baker! I may have to "show him up" when I next have a good day.

Well, we stay indoors and try to keep cool. Speaking of cool, it is getting warmer "out there" and I need to call the Ol' Curmudgeon in. He forgets the time, sometimes, when he's concentrating on getting a task done.

Sumpin' fer Nuttin'

Seems like more people are suing their docs and hospitals these days. I'm certainly getting plenty of work. But the stuff I'm seeing now differs from what I saw 10 years ago. Back then, most of the cases were pretty focused and even if not meritorious, at least I could see the connection between event and outcome and could understand a patient and his family thinking something went wrong.

Now, most of the cases I see not only are unfocused, but are totally unrelated to the events at hand. Many of the cases are nursing home cases that involve people in their 80's and 90's who have dementia of one sort or another, and finally die, frequently of simple old-age-related conditions. But because the person died, the family wants to be paid. Huh? "Aunt Hattie," whose closest relative is "great-nephew Barty" who lives 3 states over and never came to see her, finally dies and "Barty" thinks the nursing home "owes" him? For what?

Or the person who has chronic heart disease has a heart attack 3 days after having a perfectly normal stress test. Well, bad things happen to good people. Modern medicine isn't magic. It can't predict all conditions. And it isn't as if the person didn't know he had a bad ticker.

Some cases I do understand, and end up agreeing that there was a breach of the applicable standards of care. But all these cases I'm seeing these days are very frustrating to me. They are just giving me a bad taste in my mouth. Is this where the country is going? Everyone gets something for nothing?

GAAAAAAHHHHH!

My Mind is Blank . . .

I'm totally without anything to say! Believe it or not!

Here is a pic from the picnic:



Aren't they cute?!