I think that spring is really here!

18.VI.07 - MoM

I can see how the "Getting Shorter" heading would be confusing. I add the title as I post after doing it in word first instead of when I start to write. So, that applied to the length of the blog.

My chicken pot pie is almost ready to come out of the oven but I will start this. Today, I kept track of everything I have eaten for sodium and calories. I am shocked! It is a good thing I am only eating ½ of a chicken pie as the whole one has 1000 sodium count. The can of V8 is 690! I haven't had a single "salt bomb" yet today. I am going to try to eat only 14. I know they are very bad because the Ranch Dressing has a lot of sodium. Also, I have had no "added" salt for quite a while. The sodium for today has been 2,235 and the calories a reasonable 1,500. I weighed this morning and I was surprised to be up to 142, the most I have weighed in a while. Of course, I only weigh once in a while. Guess I should go back to doing it more often. My ankles are swollen again tonight. I was on my feet a lot today. (Later after sitting with my legs up the swelling is down.)

On the Cities NBC channel they did a spot tonight from River Falls! Wonder how they chose us instead of Hudson? They showed a short interview with Lyn Johnson, the owner of Emma's Bar, and with a couple of unidentified women here. A new brewery in Wisconsin wants to make it legal to give away free samples in stores to people of legal age.

Today the University of Minnesota shut down their campus till 10:00 p.m. There was a bomb threat and they were taking no chances.

The FL bedroom cleaning was put on hold today. I decided to make an effort to get the food out for the orioles for their current approximate due date for our area. The weather has been delightful for several days so it could happen anytime. I decided while I was cleaning up their feeder, I might as well do the two hummingbird feeders. Once I got into it there was no good stopping place. Perhaps I will try next fall to clean them when I take them down. While doing the cleaning, I remembered a tiny brush that I had used last year that I bought at the bird store especially for it. (I never did find it.) That lead to taking everything off the shelf near the sink that has dish & dishwasher soaps, old sponges, scrubbers, and 3 cans of cooking sprays (one that went back to 1989.) Purging and cleaning off that shelf then putting down some shelf paper, sidetracked me for a while. I also did a small drawer on the other side of the sink with signs of mice. Well worth the time it took. Another little problem -- I had tossed the little bit of grape jelly for the oriole dish from the fridge early this year. Until I get out to get some more, I am making do with the only thing I could come up with to substitute -- a couple of spoonfuls (my computer speller says it isn't spoonsful) from a jar of orange marmalade. Since they are attracted to the color orange, I stirred in a little red color to make it a good bright orange. The birds are making some use of the ball of nesting stuff I bought last year.

At last, overnight the Forsythia that Ted planted last year has burst into bloom. I love where he planted it -- just outside the window above the TV set and in direct line of sight from my recliner. (That window is at ground level as the north side of the living room and garage are built into the hill. On the inside it is level with a sort of mantel with bookshelves below that are full mostly with cookbooks.

I slept pretty well last night with just a little leg problem. Still bothers me some during the day, too, but used the walker and walked some without -- about half and half.

Just heard a noise (sort of thud) outside the living room that I hope was only a deer or some such. I still have my timid moments. It is the only negative to living in a glass house.

I still say you don't read books, Suzy, you inhale or devour them!

I am going to try to get back to that bedroom closet tomorrow. I am determined to get that area under control again.

* * * * *
And, now a letter from Chris dated 11/14/85

Dear Mom and DOD

Thanks for the breakdown of damages and the plans for the house. The trailer still is here and it may not be possible to move it, but I'm hoping. Talked to Suzy last week and she was still very up from being home again, but also really enjoying the trip in retrospect, as do I. As she says, it really spices up your conversation.

To make the vocabulary program print, one must insert a command PR#1 within the program. Then every PRINT command will direct output to the printer instead of the screen. To restore the screen output you need a PR#O command. Just type them in at the position you want output shunted to the printer. To make the program be listed on the printer, then a direct command (no line number) PR#1 will direct all subsequent output (until a PR#0å is encountered) to the printer. So a LIST or a list line LIST line #1-line #2 will list the program or desired portion to the printer. I've enquired about IIC manuale withour much success. I suggest writing the main headquarters of Apple in Cupertino. Wish I could do more to help out.

Thanks again for the great guide service in Europe and I really am looking forward to doing it again.

Love, Chris