Why not - another foot of snow on the way!

The snow has started falling tonight, with about a foot predicted. With any kind of luck, this storm will be like the last one - the Big Dud Storm Neptune, at least in our area.

In Westbrook, we got 2 and a third inches, after forecasts of well over a foot. But in York Beach, 40 miles to the south, a total of over 2 feet fell! And Saco, 15 miles down the coast, over a foot fell. The photo above shows the extent of the storm in our town.

And Freeport, home of L. L. Bean, just 20 miles up the coast, received only an inch and a half.

 

 

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More Snow

Until near the end of January, we had used our snowblower just once since the beginning of winter. But with four major storms in three weeks, we have burned up three tanks of gas in the trusty old machine.

And in about six hours, big storm Neptune is going to hit us. Where shall we put the snow?

This photo was taken in the office of one of my doctors - nice view of Munjoy Hill.

A closer look reveals one of Portland's major problems - monstrous piles of snow!

Notice the size of the mounds of white stuff compared to the cars in the parking lot

And look at the bush on the far right of the photo near the fence

The bush is covered with snow

This is the snow that concerns me - it's as deep on the roof as on the ground

Well, at least Spring is coming. Mike and I will get the scooters out and ride. The snow will melt one day, and we'll forget this that denied us a White Christmas but made up for it with a very White Valentine' Day

 

 

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35 Years of Sobriety

On January 21, we celebrated a most vital anniversary together. I have been sober for 35 years! Briefly, Kathy was forced by my drinking to enroll me in a 90-day rehabilitation center in New Jersey; I had just been fired from my job, our car had been repossessed, and we had been evicted from the home we were renting.

We had Danny, our three-year-old, and Kathy was pregnant with Andrew. Her doctor was alarmed by her condition - she wasn't eating well, because our money went to my booze, not so much to food.

So, Kathy made all the arrangements, gathered family to help her move back to Vermont to her parent's home, although they were vacationing in Mexico.

And I went to the Keswick Colony of Mercy in NJ for 90 days. We reunited and celebrated 40 years of marriage. So, it just goes to show - love indeed does work wonders and miracles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dazed, baffled, but newly sober at the Colony

 

A typical activity - sitting by the fire drinking coffee. A LOT of coffee!

 

We also watched the swans chase ducks and geese

This is Peter "Pong," the best ping pong player in the Colony, until I beat him in a best of seven tournament. This remains to this day the only championship I have ever held

 

 

 

 

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A White-ish Christmas

Taken on Christmas Day at my home, this is the only snow around - but it is snow, so we had a white-ish Christmas!

Kathy gave me a pillow with Babe's face

Neither Babe nor Willa seemed impressed, but I took the pillow to Maine Medical Center for my ten day stay, and it was a huge hit

Unable to carve the turkey myself, son Tim did the horrors - or honors

 

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HOME!

The photo is grainy, but today, I am grainy as well. But Kathy brought me home, and I am on the mend.

I will be having home care nursing helping me for 6 to 8 weeks with antibiotics and chest tube care.

But grainy or clear, home is where the cats and my sweetie are!

 

 

 

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This is what the doctor said

"Given your presentation at Critical Care in Respirtory Distress, and the history of your injury, I am not convinced that you would have survived another night at home."

There are five infectious disease doctors trying to figure this all out. I have two chest tubes and had surgery to clean out the whatever. I asked, is this life-threatening? Doctor said, "It was. I think we've got it."

 

Now I am looking out my window at this Italian Gothic building, the only piece of the original 1874 Maine General Hospital left standing.

 

I have so much to be thankful for.

 

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Perfect Happiness!

After more than two weeks of pain and worry, of a growing sense of doom, of anticipation of yet another problem, I was granted the most perfect happiness of my life this afternoon.

 

Following the removal of a foot-long tube in my chest, and after five days of sponge baths of little worth, I was told that I could take a shower.

And here I am - sopping wet, dripping all over the fine furniture and costly rugs of my room, and brought nearly to tears by joy!

 

I was turned loose in a giant shower room and told to "enjoy!" I did, for forty-five minutes, under powerful streams of hot water, mounds of soap, and under the influence of some rather hideous singing that no one bothered to stifle.

 

It's the little things - really and truly

 

 

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I was wrong!

Following my slip and slide with my Vespa, I joked that the main injury was to my pride. I was wrong. Although my condition didn't improve, it didn't get too bad - until late in the week. I began a few days of misery that landed me at the ED and straight to Maine Medical Center by ambulance.

 

The doctors called it Respirtory Distress. I called it "I'm too young to die!!

 

Four days later, I am the hight of fashion taking a breathing treatment. I had nearly two gallons of fluid removed from one lung, which collapsed. I am waiting for a CT scan to determine whether or not surgery is needed.

 

 

New Years Resolution: I will never play flippant until I get the whole story.

 

 

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Only a bit of pride was hurt...

As I journey through the aging process, my concern about being dizzy at times has grown, and a large fear was realized this week as I lost control of my Vespa. Fortunately I was still in my driveway, but I leaned left and toppled over, with the scooter pinning me to the ground.

Only a large scrape on the Vespa, and bruises to most of my left side resulted. The good news is that I am fat! With that condition comes something I like to call a 'protective shield of blubber.'

While I fell quiet hard - with enough force to snap my glasses, even though helmeted - my plunge was broken by this fortunate layer of flab.

And to think, I was planning to lose weight! Well, if I want to 'ride safe,' as our Maine motorcycle plates admonish, I can't see throwing away such a beneficial protective device.

 
Not too badly scarred. I won't post the photos of my personal scars. You're welcome

It was so warm...

The last time I posted here, Maine was experiencing a major cold spell. Today, on the first day of the last month of 2014, we have set a record for the warmest December first since thermometers were used to measure something other than the internal temperature of turkeys.

It reached 60 degrees this afternoon in Portland; the average for the date is 42. And I went for a ride, with the understanding that it was likely to be the final one without my Antarctic gear.

Indeed, at 11 pm, it's 37 degrees, with a low of 22 predicted. Snow tomorrow night. Well, it was bound to happen - this is another Maine winter after all

My last ride was just before Halloween, and Mike and I admired this artsy little display in a neighboring town boasting refined residents. In my town, we wait for the kids to snatch pumpkins from gardens, and smash them in the roads. Then we gather the exposed seeds to provide our little vandals with a fresh crop of gourds for the next autumn.

Mike blocks my way to the sandy beach, knowing my proclivity for stupid scooter stunts

It was so cold...

No "cold" jokes here, just a few photos

Want to sit by the sea? On this day of sub-zero temperatures, these charming little seats were empty

But a certain cabin fever-plagued scooter rider just had to get out for the first time in the new year

And at Higgin's Beach, a solitary surfer had a whole lot of the Atlantic Ocean all to himself

Finally, a choice must be made. One kid accepts the reality that not even Maine's famous Bean Boots will keep feet from freezing, while the other two seem ready to challenge Nature.

One pair of feet will be dry, two pairs will experience what we call "wicked cold wah-ta"

 

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Waiting for Ice and Santa

Feverishly drooling with anticipation, local weather prognosticators have been warning us up here in Southern Maine that citizens must stock up with everything needed for a long, long wait for the power to be restored after the "Ice Event of the Year," a storm so horrible that it could "rival the Great Ice Storm of '98!"

I guess they have promote fear to get ratings, but really - up here, natives don't listen to such crap. And by the way, just when they predicted that the storm would be "winding down," nothing has been wound up yet.

This is the view from our front window, Babe stares at nothing happening as Kathy browses the Internet, since we still have power.

 

I tried to ride yesterday, but the temperature was right at freezing, and the roads were a bit slick. But Christmas Day is supposed to be merry and bright - and cold. I'll try to ride then.

 

I don't know where this is, but I certainly agree with the tree seller's sign. I still say "Merry Christmas," and some people return the greeting, others reply, "Happy Holiday's," and a few say nothing at all.

Do the politically fearfully exchange "holiday presents," feast on a "holiday ham or turkey," and wait until July to take down their "holiday lights?"

 

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Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was small, with three attendees, but filling, with an 18 pound bird. Tim and Meredith were in Paris

Mere loved the diamond staircase at Szwarofski's

Tim was goofily thrilled to see the Mona Lisa

Dan had to cook at Ruby Tuesday

And we made Andy work for his dinner

 

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Cold enough to freeze...

...the fingers off a fat old scooter rider! But this winter, I found a solution at a bicycle shop. They're called Bar Mitts, and are made from the same material as scuba diving wet suits. At 50 bucks, they are a bit steep, but I gave them to me as an early Christmas present. Aren't I a swell fellow?

Now, for the really cool stuff: My son Tim, a bank VP who travels for his bank, traded in his many frequent flyer miles for a trip to Paris with his wife Meredith. The hotel is costing them $33 for 10 days, and he saved a bundle on everything!

Mere at some big thing - note the wedding photography going on behind the pole on the right!

A selfie at a cell tower in Paris. We are very proud of Tim's ability to save on things, and on Meredith's ability to get things done.
And of course, Mere did Tim's makeup for Halloween

Yes, we are so proud of our youngest son, and are thrilled that he moved out of our house before he started wearing dresses.

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