tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87432308690692293032024-03-14T00:42:39.335-04:00Tales of a Human CannonballConnorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-74224754656818031602011-09-04T09:30:00.000-04:002011-09-04T09:30:07.838-04:00She's Bionic Pt4<div>
So I get home from HUP at about730 and decide to make some dinner. I had picked up a small steak for myself the following day and decide to grill it up. I find a rub Mags bought for me and I coat the steak lightly, because while it has a great flavor it is a bit on the spicy side. I then chop up some red potatoes and asparagus, mix them with some dried herbs and EVOO and stick them in the oven. I sear my steak on the stove for a few minutes before throwing it onto the grill. I put my iPod in the docking station and turn it on....a nice dinner, music and (try) to relax.</div>
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It works a little and after dinner I take CrazyDog in the yard for some catch and then when he has had enough I plop on the couch and watch a movie. I call the CICU at about 11 to check on Mags then go to bed. I was pretty tired and thankfully slept through the night.</div>
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It's Sunday morning so traffic is light when I go to HUP. I bring tea for me and a real coffee for Mags. We talk and enjoy our day together. Her nurse again is Alpha who is incredibly. He checks on Mags every hour or so and tells her she may be going up to a regular room tomorrow. This makes us happy. Dinner time rolls around and after dinner Mags starts to not feel so good. She starts to get anxious and is clearly not ready for me to go. I offer to spend the night with her. She calls her nurse in and asks if that would be okay. He smiles and says "of course it is okay. I will just let your nurse who comes on at 6 know." Mags breathes a sigh of relief and soon Alpha is wheeling a large brown recliner into the room. He positions it about three feet from Mag's bed, 'out of the way in case we need to get in here' he explains. That's fine with both of us. We watch tv and her overnight nurse Chris comes in. He's a very nice guy and asks me if I think I would like anything. I tell him two pillows and two blankets will do me good. He returns in about a minute and soon I'm hunkering down for the night.</div>
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And apparently I was very tired because during the night, Chris and another nurse were in the room trying to give my wife an IV and I never woke up. Never even stirred apparently. This was a source of great amusement to everyone present. When breakfast finally arrives I go to their Cafe (which is far better food-wise than the actual hospital food) and grab a small breakfast sandwich for me and some fresh fruit for Mags. Also, some real tea. Tazo, the stuff you pay 2.09 for at Starbucks? .99 cents. </div>
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So after breakfast we watch some tv and at this point Mags is feeling better. Physically and emotionally. She has seen a team of doctors who assure her she will not need a pacemaker as was once feared, and that she would indeed be getting out of CICU this day. </div>
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So a team of doctors is doing rounds and they come in. It's a mixed group. The lead doc is in his, I'm guessing 40's, the others vary in age from 30 to I think 14. seriously, who was that kid?? The lead guy is Polish or something and he has a slight accent. Nice guy, speaking to Mags about her situation and talking to her about her impending IV.</div>
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Let me break there. The staff has told her that she will need an additional IV before she <i>leaves</i> the CICU. Mags argument is why would she need two IV's to go to a <i>regular</i> floor and not need two in CICU? Valid right? They tell her in case something goes wrong with the original line on the floor then they have a backup. Mags argues for a long time because for all of my wife's wonderful qualities, she has crappy veins. And whenever someone tries to give her an IV, the blow a vein. Even the 'experts' have trouble getting them. Seriously, when someone comes in and says "I'm the best at this", my lips curl at the corners into a faint smile because I know whats coming. The best even have trouble getting a line in her.</div>
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So back to the Polish doctor. He tells her she needs the IV, yadda yadda...and then he says they could put it into her neck. He looks at her neck and says even those are hard to find. He then looks at me and in the weirdest moment I've had in this hospital he says "now your husband, that's a great vein. I can see it from here." I was sitting on the windowsill 5 feet away. I smile politely and Mags shoots back, "Good. Stick it in his neck." Everyone laughs and the doctor tells Mags she looks great and she will be moved upstairs today and that he would send 'the expert' in to do the IV. Mags and I share a look and nod. I wait another couple of hours for either the 'expert' to show up or for her to be wheeled upstairs. Neither has happened by 11 and we then wonder what we'll be charged for being in the garage overnight. </div>
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We decide I should go so I give her a kiss and say a prayer for her and hit the road.</div>
Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-32628916990485781652011-08-28T12:50:00.002-04:002011-08-28T13:23:36.367-04:00She's Bionic Pt. 3When the phone rings before 6 am, it's always bad news. Right? Nobody calls you at 6 am to tell you they've won the lottery. No, they call you sometime late at night, 10 or 11 pm, and they are drunk somewhere...maybe even in the bar of a Caribbean island where they have decided to live the rest of their rich, happy lives. <div>when my youngest sister Jen died, we got the call from the hospital at 5 am and if I recall, my father-in-law passed away before 6am. So when the phone rang at 53o I have to admit, I was nervous. I answered the phone and it was Mags. She was relatively calm and the she started the conversation normally, "were you asleep?"</div><div>"Yes, kinda...it's 530. What's wrong?"</div><div>She responded with the following. "Everything is okay but there's something I have to tell you. Now remember, everything is ok."</div><div>By this point I know that things are not, in fact, ok. Now my heart is racing. </div><div>"What is wrong?"</div><div>"My heart stopped last night?"</div><div>Me mumbling incoherently. "Whaaaaaaat?"</div><div>"I'm fine. They are actually saying my heart only paused."</div><div>Me still trying to clear the cobwebs and digest this nugget of information. I tell her I will be right there. She says to take my time that she's ok. </div><div>I feed the boys and let them out into the yard for a few minutes before hitting the road to Philly.</div><div>The ride is ok because of the early hour and I get there in about an hour. I make it to the ICU and find my wife sitting up in bed struggling with the awful hospital food. In all honesty the staff at HUP is fantastic. Freakin' awesome. Everyone who works there from the Docs and nurses to the food service folks to security...everyone. The food however, falls into the other end of the spectrum God-awful is what I'd call it. I at one point said to Mags "It cannot be that bad." She gave me a look and pointed at her French Toast. "Try it." So I did. I mean, how can you make bad French Toast? The kitchen at this hospital can. I can only say it tasted like foam peanuts covered in sugar-free syrup. Horrible.</div><div>So, back to Mags. She was sitting up in bed looking totally wiped out. She relayed the previous nights event to me best she could. Apparently at some point she felt like she was going to pass out, then she felt it was something more and began to moan as she lost consciousness. Her bitch roommate was yelling at her because she was trying to sleep and yelled over and over at Mags "What's wrong with you? Just call the nurse!" Her heart having stopped, she could not. Thankfully the nurses did come into the room and notice that Mags heart had stopped. They had put special pads on her chest and were getting ready to zap her when Mags came to. They were all talking to her, asking her questions, and really trying to get a feel for what exactly had happened. </div><div>At this point they decided to get her back to CICU pronto. So, as Mags tells it, there is a group of 5 nurses, doctors and interns, all rushing her in her bed down the halls and into the elevators to get her to CICU. Once in CICU they set her up in a new room and she is told she will be kept there for a day or two for observation. </div><div>Her nurse for that weekend (during the days) was a young African dude named Alpha. I honestly can't tell you how great this guy is. Seriously, top-notch. Great guy. Great nurse. </div><div>So I spend the day with Mags at HUP. I run across the street to a little sandwich shop called Potbelly Sandwich works (Freakin' awesome subs. If you can find one check 'em out.) for some lunch. And later to McDonalds for dinner. </div><div>6pm rolls around and I tell Mags I should head home for the boys but that I will be back tomorrow. When I leave she is in better spirits and seems to be doing better physically. I tell her I'll see her tomorrow and head for home.</div><div>
<br /></div>Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-84773767789651799222011-08-14T15:20:00.004-04:002011-08-23T20:03:58.049-04:00She's Bionic Pt. 2<div>When I finally settled down and got myself somewhat calm, I called the hospital. Mags was still doing good and they had actually gotten her into a chair. she was in bed for days after her first open-heart surgery, so the fact that she is sitting up a mere 36 hours after her second open-heart and a surgery that was much worse than the first was happy news.<div>Two days later she was in a 'step-down' unit. The 10th floor which was for heart-surgery patients. I called her and she seemed to be in pain and was less than happy with the food. </div><div>So we talked briefly and I let her go because she was so sleepy. </div><div>Going to work was hard. Trying to concentrate on my duties was difficult knowing Mags was in the hospital so far away. I went up on that Saturday and let me tell ya', for someone who was practically cut in half and had her heart worked on she looked really good. The nurse came in and actually got her up to walk a bit. I was happy to spend the day with her. She slept most of the time but that was okay. After dinner I drove home and did some relaxing. </div><div>During the week, Mags was moved out of the step-down floor to a regular ol' room. Meaning she was a step closer to coming home. I was so happy because she was doing so much better with this valve-replacement than the last one. She was doing sooooo good.</div><div>This made all of us who care about her very happy. Progress was being made, the strides she made were tremendous...until the following Saturday morning, when, at two am, her heart stopped.
<br /></div><div></div></div>Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-41826401130749963182011-08-10T12:51:00.009-04:002011-08-10T13:40:40.413-04:00She's Bionic Part 1Yes I speak of Mags. I should have posted earlier but things have been kinda crazy here. I'll start on the 27<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>, the day of her surgery. We spoke briefly by phone the night before and I told her I would be there when her surgery was done, figuring I wouldn't be able to see her before the surgery since it was scheduled for early morning. So on my way up the Turnpike her son calls me to tell me the surgery has been postponed until 1pm. so this is good for me because I get to see her before she goes in, bad for her because it's just dragging it out. So I got to see her before she went in, her mom and her mom's Pastor were there too and they waited with me the entire time.
<br />Time has never moved so slowly, let me tell you. The surgery was supposed to last 3-4 hours. Well it lasted almost 7 1/2. I paced a rut in the hallways at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">HUP</span>. (Wait, they won't charge me for that, will they?) Finally at 9:15pm the surgeon came out and said things were done and he was happy with the way everything went. He also said that because of the damage to Mags' heart it was one of the toughest surgeries he's ever done. He said the valve was so calcified it was like cutting through bone. So he patiently answered our questions and explained what he did and we all thanked him several times. He is a really nice guy. Very humble, down to earth. So once we knew Mags was done, her mom and her pastor decided to hit the road. It is about an hour plus ride so I said goodbye to them and told them I wanted to wait and see Mags to make sure everything was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span> before I left. So the nurse in the family waiting area (we were the last ones of the day waiting) directed me to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">CICU</span>. I found it and told the nurse at the desk who I was here to see. She kindly explained to me it would be another hour plus until she is in the room and set up and directed me to a family waiting area. She also showed me some vending machines and I asked her "which one has the beer?" she laughed and said " tell me about it." So I watched something on TV and chatted with a woman and her son whose father/husband had just had surgery. They were nice, and nervous and we talked for about half an hour before they could see their patient. We wished each other luck and I sat, alone, for yet another eternity. My second eternity in one day! Am I good or what??
<br />Soon Jackie, the nurse who would be watching Mags came to get me. Let me tell you something, even thought you <em>know </em>what to expect, it is still a bit scary when you see someone who has just had open-heart surgery. There are tubes and wires running from your loved one and several monitors and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">IV's</span> and this and that and noises and it is a little hard to take in.
<br />I asked a few questions and quietly told Mags "You made it!" Jackie looked at me and said "I don't mean to blow my own horn but I've been doing this for 25 years. Your wife is in very good hands."
<br />She then looked me over and using all her experience and knowledge that can only be gathered from years of medical experience decided I looked like shit and was completed fried. She said "Long day huh? Have you been here all day?" I explained that I arrived at 9am and the surgery was pushed back, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">yadda</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">yadda</span>..." She spoke kindly and said "You've had along day too <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">sweety</span> go home and get some rest. You can call the desk any time, day or night to check on her. But you need some rest too." I always appreciate the kindness of nurses. So I took her advice told Mags I loved her and would see her soon and dragged my tired self out to to the parking deck.
<br />I don't mind driving long distances. I don't. What I mind is traffic. If you're on a road trip and you're going to be stuck in a traffic jam, I probably not the guy you <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">wnat</span> in the car with you. Well, wait a minute, I guess if I'm not driving...no...I hate sitting in traffic. You don't want me with you in a car that is just sitting in traffic.
<br />So when I left <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">HUP</span> it was after midnight. I don't mind driving late at night either. The hospital is right off RT76. So I jump on the highway, follow my trusty <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">GoogleMaps</span> directions and head for home. Thankfully I have my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">iPod</span> plugged in and it's cranking. The variety of radio stations in that area, if you are 'old' like me and prefer classic rock to hip-hop or rap sucks. Honestly, aside from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">WXPN</span> the music scene in this area sucks.
<br />So I do the whole rt76 to rt676, the Betsy Ross Bridge to rt73...everything going smoothly....then the New Jersey Turnpike...
<br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ughhhh</span> where to start? There is always always always traffic on the Turnpike. It is 1230am people!..so I hit a slow down around exit 6 and unfortunately I am going to exit 8...thankfully, again, I have my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">iPod</span>. B.B. King comes on and starts on and starts <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">singin</span>' bout Lucille and I stare at the parade of brake lights in front of me.
<br />Traffic opens up about a mile later and I gaze over at the south bound side..stopped. Parking.Lot. So I am soon thankful I'm not heading south.
<br />Soon the traffic clears and I'm flying towards home. The music has helped me greatly. I find music very therapeutic and tonight the good music does me a world of good. I pull up to my home at a little after one. My mother in law made me promise her I would call when I get home. I hate calling her at this hour but I figure she may still be up. I call and she answers on the first ring. I tell her I'm home safe and I'm going to bed. work tomorrow and all. She tells me goodnight and I sit on the couch and give the dog and cat some attention, they've been home alone all day. After some ear scratching and some treats I head to bed. Completely exhausted I feel Ill be to sleep in no time...wrong I lay in bed and stare at the ceiling til almost 3....
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<br />Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-75497793497021869952011-07-17T08:39:00.006-04:002011-07-17T12:25:52.518-04:00Long Time No SeeYes I am still amongst the living. Blogging has just not seemed important lately. I haven't had motivation to write even though plenty has been going on. So where to begin? At the beginning I suppose. Since I've written last, Mags has been hospitalized 3 times. Twice at RWJ and once in UPenn. There has been something very bad going on with Mags as those of you who read my blog/Facebook know. It has been an issue of pneumonia/water retention/ lung things...etc. It has also been something of a dilemma because her (former) cardiologist has sworn it was her lungs. Her Pulmunologist, the lovely and talented Dr. Trisha Gilbert has said "no, it's your heart." So back and forth we go. Mags asked her cardiologist if perhaps it was time to replace her other valve, since we know it is leaking 'slightly'. He cardiologist said "You won't need that valve replaced for 37 years," with a wave of his hand. Now being he is head of cardiology at the local hospital, we kinda went with that. During her last stay at RWJ, she found she needed a certain procedure they at RWJU hospital could not do. (Weird right?) Dr Gilbert recommended a doctor at UPenn for the procedure Mags needed done. Actually the doc who did it is one of the few in the country who would do this certain procedure.<br />Long story short, her Mitral valve needs to be replaced. ASAP. The doctors at Upenn wanted to actually keep her and do it immediately, but Mags said no, she wanted to come home and let it sink in that she would be enduring this again, just 7 years after her first open-heart surgery.<br />I have to admit, when Mags called me that night from her hospital room in UPenn and told me I kinda broke down. Okay, I cried like a little girl whose Barbie was just run over by a freight train and then raccoons carried away the pieces before I could glue them back together. I mean seriously? How much more can the woman take? She's so tough I'm considering nicknaming her 'Nails'.<br />So on July 27th Mags will be getting herself a new Mitral valve. It will be performed at UPenn hospital which seems like a very good hospital. I was only there once but all the staff I had contact with were really nice, even the food service kids.<br />So back to her former cardiologist, he was stunned, to say the least, when Mags called him and told him. I am thankful that Dr. Gilbert stayed on the case. She really busted her butt and went above and beyond to help Mags. So thank you Dr. Gilbert and also to her associates whom she consulted on numerous occasions.<br /><br />Work has been busy. We lost our department lead. I can't go into it here but I'll say we miss the guy. He was a nice guy, hard worker and nobody knows the job like he did. Man I hate politics.<br /><br />For Easter Mags bought me the book "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Excellent excellent excellent! Go buy it and read it. Right now....<br /><br />Yesterday we went and treated ourselves to a new recliner and box spring and mattress. The sounds you hear is our backs rejoicing. Can't wait to get them. Then we had a killer lunch at Longhorn. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm steeeaaaaakkkkk.<br /><br />So that's it. Nothing too exciting right?Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-48368470968221223972010-12-23T22:24:00.003-05:002010-12-23T22:40:51.704-05:00My Kingdom for an Electric BlanketSo Old Man winter has finally started showing his mean <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">ol</span>' face here in central <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Joisey</span>. The weather has been brutal to say the least. I think today it might have been about 32. Now factor in the 'wind-chill' factor and you're looking at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">temps</span> around the 20 degree mark. I don't know how windy it was, but the wind moving between my and my neighbors house sounded like a jumbo jet passing through. I was wondering if Sully was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">puttin</span>' er down on my street and coming in for tea. The sound was pretty loud and our faithful dog more than once raised his head from his nap to go room to room to make sure all was in order. The cat was of course, unfazed by all the sound and snoozed contently on the couch.<br /><br />I had another round of PT tonight. This time with a different therapist. A young dude who introduced two ways to create pain. It is getting easier but tonight I do have some pain. Not aches, pain. I'm not getting too upset because I have been doing good as far as pain goes. Hopefully tonight we will both get a good night sleep and wake feeling better.<br /><br />Mags has been under the weather lately. She is off from work until Monday. Hopefully that helps her. Her job is way too stressful and add to that the stress of the Christmas season and you have an unhappy <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Leprechauness</span>.<br /><br />I am done shopping and before I go any further BIG thanks to the dolts at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kohls</span>.com. I ordered Mags something she has wanted for a couple years. Worked a bunch of overtime to ensure we had the money for it and ordered it online. They told me it would be delivered between the 9<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Th</span> and 12<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Th</span> of December. On December 8<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Th</span>, the UPS truck pulls up to our house and the driver rings the bell. Mags, who is sitting by the door, opens it. I run in and try to intercept her but too late. Why too late you might say? Wasn't said gift in a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">separate</span> box or even a shipping 'bag'? No the brain-trust in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kohls</span> warehouse didn't feel the need to wrap or box this gift. They simply slapped a shipping label on the box and sent it on it's way. Are ya' F*%$@ kidding me? So surprise ruined. I wrote a letter asking if anyone may have thought this would be a Christmas gift and if it was indeed their policy to ruin Christmas surprises around the country. I got a return letter apologizing for this act of idiocy and they would be happy to, as a show of just how sorry they are, refund my shipping. Yeah. I responded by asking them if they could instead erase my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">wife's</span> memory of that day so she can be surprised on Christmas morning. I've yet to hear back.<br /><br />Well, time to head up to bed I think. Stay warmConnorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-14003830232193614942010-12-04T13:59:00.004-05:002010-12-23T22:23:25.944-05:00Yes I'm Still Amongst the LivingYes, I know, long time no post. Working hard, here and at work, you know the routine. Work has been busy the last few weeks and next week we will be having our Winter warehouse sale. So I'll be getting some much needed overtime. It's easy really, unless I get stuck out in the parking lot directing traffic. I volunteered to do that during the spring and summer sales. Standing outside making overtime?? Hell yes I'll do it. The winter sale however, not so eager.<br /><br />I finally broke down and went to a doc about my constant low-back pain and after examining me deduced that all the muscles in my lower back are 'spasmed' and I would benefit from physical therapy. So I signed up and have had 4 sessions already. It is mostly stretching and 'strengthening my core'. Which translated to lay mans terms really means, 'bending you like a little pretzel until all your good remaining muscles burn like they are ready to leap through your skin, kick you in the face and run out the door into the night'.<br />I'm no sissy by any means but this is sometimes a challenge. I was told by my therapist that because of my condition, one side of my back has been compensating for the other side for the last 30 or so years and now it is catching up to me. So that's where I'm at.<br /><br />I have almost all my shopping done. Just a few little things left to get for Mags and something for Tom. I think today the tree is going up. This involves a trip to the attic and passing things down to my lovely assistant then bringing everything down to the living room and setting up.<br /><br />It is cold today and feels like it may snow. My back is really achy but that comes with the weather I 'spose.<br /><br />The Devils are playing some pretty crappy hockey lately and that vexes me. They have a great roster but can't seem to get on track. They are playing today and I forgot so I wont see the game. I haven't caught one game yet this year, of course I'm not really missing much.<br /><br />That's all. Stay warmConnorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-32401149411879219492010-09-11T11:27:00.005-04:002010-09-11T15:20:43.123-04:00The Smallest E.R. 'Room' in the UniverseSo on Thursday I get a text at work. Mags saying, "Hey.... feel like I've just been hit by a jumbo-jet while parasailing and fell 350 feet into a pit of hungry porcupines....Going home early." Well, she didnt say that <em>exactly</em>, (I took liberties with that part) but she was sick. So I come home to find my lovely wife in the Chair, semi-conscious. She looked like she was battling something and I felt just a bit worried. I made some chicken noodle soup and she ate just about half a bowl. Not a good sign. So we chatted for a bit before she retired to the bedroom. Once comfortable in her floral nightshirt she got cozy on the bed and flipped the tube on. Her mom called and said that Tom had been there earlier and brought her a salad from one of her favorite restaurants and would I mind going to get it? Of course not. So I drive the mile to Bubs' house and pick up said salad.<br />After salad Mags feels a bit better having eaten and is soon asleep.<br /><br />When 5:30am rolled around I crawled out of bed to get ready for work. I peek over at my wife who now looks like she is much sicker. And she was. She could barely walk under her own power and felt she may need a trip to the ER. I went downstairs and called out of work and made tea. Once some tea got into me I felt a little more awake, as for Mags, not so much and at 930 or so she decided a trip to the ER is what she needed. So we drive to Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick and she is taken in right away. Once they see she has an artificial heart valve, she is usually taken ahead of the rest.<br /><br />Before I go any further I want to say this. This hospital and all who are employed there are just awesome. Seriously. I think the head of RWJ goes to other hospitals in a trench coat, follows all their best employees into a dark alley and says "psssst...hey buddy.." He then offers them a job at his hospital and there you have it. Seriously if the guy who did all the hiring here was a scout for a baseball team they'd win the World Series every freakin' year. Everyone who works there is top-notch. So when I tell you about the 'room' Mags was in, it is no slight to this place at all.<br /><br />So Mags is taken to a 'room' is another part of the ER. She is, like I said getting preferential treatment because of her history. Her bed is wheeled to a nook, that's all can call it. It's really not even a room. It's a bed with a curtain around it. Honestly, there are broom closets in Russian Gulags that are bigger. It was made comically worse when our neighbors daughters tried to move alongside their mothers bed because, how do I say this nicely??? Hmm...they both had exceptioanlly large arses. No, they weren't asses, they were shelves. And when they moved along their mothers beds, their booties stuck into our 'room' so much, they were practially on Mags' bed.<br />There is a shelf behind her filled with bandages and stuff that nobody could get to unless they actually <em>climbed on Mags' bed</em> and the curtain that seperated us from poor Mrs. McCutcheon in the bed next to us was almost right against Mags' bed. Not to mention there was no chair.<br />Mags had the usual battery of tests. Bloodwork, EKG, yadda-yadda. Long story short, her electrolytes were out of kilter and after some IV fluids and a tunsfish sandwich, served up by her nurse Jim Christie, she was feeling better. It was about 5 hours but we knew we were going to get quality care.<br />Now to our neighbor, the poor woman. She was an elderly black woman who was in because she actually needed blood. I don't know how she made out but she was a freakin' trooper. Let me tell you. She had to be in her late 70's and she was really feeling like crap. One of the bad things about not being in a "room" is that you hear everything that is being said or done to your neighbor. At one point, her doc told her he needed to do a rectal exam. She was unhappy, as I'm sure I would be. I however would be able to leap over the doc and sprint away. Jerome Bettis couldn't have stopped me from escaping. She, being about 30 years my senior could not. Sadly, we heard everything. We felt awful about his. She seemed like a sweet old lady. She recovered from that and only about 45 minutes later did the staff come back for blood. Sadly the woman had no workable veins and they needed to go into her neck. Yes. Her neck. She protested quietly. Her daughters protested louder and told her mother "Nuh-uh! You don't have to have that done."<br />Look. I know it's your mom and you care about her but when a doctor tells you 'need' something, especially in an emergency situation, it's almost always wise to let them do it. The mother relented and they gave her a little something for pain but the poor woman was really hurting, and we heard it all. I felt awful as did Mags. I think the woman cried a bit. Heartbreaking.... for the next four minutes, then; whatever they gave the woman for pain, kicked in. Strong. She was happier than a pig at a Rabbis convention and told every male employee that came to help her how handsome they were. I'm glad her drugs kicked in. I just wish they gave it to her five minutes before they stared poking her carotid artery with a needle.<br /><br />So we're home and hopefully this will a relaxing weekend. Hopefully.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-60043714554788747602010-08-21T16:10:00.006-04:002010-08-22T18:45:37.808-04:00You Just Can't Make This Stuff UpI speak of the nitwit that goes by the name of Justine Winter. She is the selfish bitch (there are better words but this is a family blog) that decided to kill herself once her boyfriend cut the crazy ho loose.<br />In text messages to him she basically said well...Im going to kill myself. She attempted to end her life by driving at 85mph down a long stretch of road and then, instead of lining up a tree to eat, she crossed the highway and slammed into a car carrying a woman and her 13 year old son. Worse still, the woman was 4 months pregnant. The accident killed all of them.<br /><br />Does the story end there, with a harsh jail sentence? No of course not. This is Amercia after all, the land of the unexpected, the tried and true and of course, the frivolous lawsuit.<br /><br />Yes lawsuit. This little ahem, person, is <a href="http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/08/justine_winter_moron_of_the_da.php">suing the estate of the woman</a> she killed claiming (good Lord I cannot believe the court didn't thump the attorney who filed this on the head with a dump truck full of walrus crap) claiming the woman she killed Erin Thompson, was operating her vehicle in a negligent manner. Yes the woman driving her young boy home from a school event, driving along at 30 mph, in her own lane, on he side of the highway, obeying traffic laws and such...it was her fault. Not the person who crossed into oncoming traffic at 85 mph. Seriously. Did this really happen? Are you guys messing with me? No. It happened. Her and her Dad Randy Winter, also filed suit against three separate companies that are supposed to maintain the particular stretch of road the attempted suicide took place on.<br /><br />The suit was filed in the court by Justine's lawyer Dooshy MacBaggums, and apparently the court felt that this big steaming pile of crap had some merit to it. Really? Are you guys in Montana that bored? Are you just following the trend of screwing the victim? This poor guy lost his wife, child and unborn child in an act of recklessness, a deliberate intent to hurt and you've allowed a suit to be filed against him??? Wha????<br /><br />In a perfect world the judge would have read proposed lawsuit, chuckled heartily, then grabbed the lawyer by the lapels and thrown him out the nearest window. But alas, we do not live in a perfect world. We live in America. While I love my country, people take this whole "it's my right" shit waaaayyy too far and until someone in the courts system grows a pair and puts an end to this nonsense, it will continue to happen.<br /><br />As far as I know, nothing new has developed in the case of the killings of these poor people. The little snot could get up to 200 years in prison without chance for parole, and she is going to be tried as an adult....but we'll see.<br />Lets hope justice prevails in this one and the Thompson family is spared a long trial and of course, having to deal with that moronic lawsuit.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-55124639541047425722010-08-15T15:36:00.003-04:002010-08-15T15:49:52.270-04:00SundayWell, here it is Sunday afternoon. The weekend is wrapping up. The weather here lately has been no less than miserable. Temps have been in the 90's for the last month and we have had and I shit you not, less than an inch of rain in that time. Everything is dead. The grass is pretty much burned. It would be none existent if I had not violated the townships 'watering ban'. The section behind my fence, the one that is free of dog urine, looks okay. Our plants are suffering. It hasn't been good.<br />Yesterday I took advantage of the cooler temps (only around 83) and went down to the <a href="http://www.englishtownauction.com/">Englishtown Auction</a>. It is a massive outdoor flea market. You never know what you'll find there. Everything from coins, baseball cards, replica sports jerseys to fresh veggies and fruit brought in that morning form local farms. Not to mention the people. Lordy talk about people watching. If this is something you enjoy, the market is for you. People in all sizes colors and states of dress. It makes for an interesting walk. <br /><br />I try to go a few times a year. I usually don't buy anything but you never know what you'll see. I did get some nice tomatoes and some peaches for Mags. <br />Mags was down and out yesterday so she didn't venture out. Today she got up early and made some raspberry muffins and brownies and she felt good enough for a trip to our local Wal-Mart. We may be buying me a laptop soon as my trusty Dell is sadly on it's last leg. This has been such a good computer but I have had it almost 7 years and never had a problem with it. I'll keep it because there is still a lot of stuff on it we will use and the new computers all have Windows7 and the programs I have won't work on Windows7. So we browsed at Wal-Mart and nothing really thrilled me. <br />CrazyDog got grrrroomed yesterday. Thank you Jaime for making the dog look less like a lunatic who just spent three years in the jungle living off berries and squirrels and more like the little heart-breaker he really is. I'm telling you, wherever I go with this dog he gets all kinds of compliments. Two words. Chick.Magnet. Woof.<br /><br />Tonight I'll be making a chicken marsala dish. Mags has already whipped up a salad and if I were a betting man, I'd say she was having a catnap in the chair downstairs. Me, I'm just sitting writing this listening to some tunes on my computer.<br />And, are you ready? It is raining. Yes. Just a sprinkle but I'm hoping the skies open and it pours. The temps have actually dropped and it could almost be a fall day.<br /><br />So that's it. Exciting right?Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-22090692969558948362010-07-28T21:46:00.009-04:002010-08-12T18:08:36.218-04:00Maybe BP is the Root of All EvilWell things are rolling along at a placid pace here in my little slice of the scorched Atlantic corridor. We just watched the end of the PBS special regarding Sir Paul and his appearance at the White House. This guy still puts on a great show. We missed the first hour whilst catching up on "Rescue Me" but thankfully we are in a certain area of the country where we have three different PBS feeds and it will be repeated at 10 so I set up the DVR. God I love that DVR machine thingy. Technology...<br /><br />Speaking of technology. I was sitting with some of my coworkers before clocking in and we were discussing the BP fiasco. I said "it is amazing that we have the technology to build a spacecraft, send that spacecraft on a five-year journey to Mars, the machine will rove the terrain of this far-away planet and even collect and analyze soil samples for goodness sakes! Why can't we fix a f**king hole in the ground??"<br />My coworker Tom, an older gentleman who is very cool and very wise looked at me and simply said "that's because BP didn't design the Mars Rover." So true Tom. So true.<br />Can you imagine if BP did design the Mars Rover? It would be gone for <font style="font-style: italic;">ten</font> years and when it finally touched down it would be in a sand trap on a golf course in Tempe and when the soil samples came back, the folks at "BP Mission Control" would be pissing themselves with excitement because "the terrain on Mars is just like the terrain in Arizona!!" Meanwhile poor ol' retiree Albert is trying to pry the rover off his golf ball which laded in the trap ten seconds ahead of the misguided MarsCraft.<br />Suddenly though, as Albert is just about to wedge his new Titleist free from the foot of the Mars Rover, it would spring a leak and spray Albert with a mixture of oil and "hi-test" rocket fuel. Killing him instantly and destroying every blade of grass and living creature in the confines of the "Happy Hills Retirement Community". It would then rise up powered by the remaining fuel, spiral out of control and crash into the densest, driest parcel of forest and start a forest fire that will for all intensive purposes, destroy the entire west coast, burning it to a crisp.<br />Then, under intense scrutiny from everyone from the concerned citizens that are left alive, the EPA, President Obama and those yeast-infected wingnuts on 'the View', the latest in what will be a long string of successors to the BP throne will up-sticks and quit, all the while whining about how he "just wants his life back."<br />(As I am sure the people who died in the oil-rig explosion do.)<br /><br />On top of all this, rumor has it BP was pivotal in the release of mass murderer Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, on a 'compassion' pass or something because the cock-bag supposedly had three months to live, due to prostate cancer. You'll be consumed with joy to know that a doctor has since checked Killer-Abdel out and he seems to be okay, may even live another ten years. Awesome. Just think how many more planes you can blow out of the sky in ten years. But hey, BP can drill for oil in Libya now. High-fives all around. I don't know all the details but here is an interesting <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/07/20/97847/did-bp-get-lockerbie-terrorist.html">article</a><br />Uggh maybe Im just angry at the crazy crap going on around with these dipshits...Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-62629240083438800422010-07-11T11:30:00.003-04:002010-07-11T11:41:43.523-04:00This and ThatFirstly, Happy Birthday to Mags. Thursday was her B-day and as you know Ive been lazy about posting. So Happy birthday QT.<br /><br />Lots going on here. Lots of stressful events which, for our privacy (and what remains of our sanity) I won't get into. <br /><br />So King James is going to Miami. Do any of us give a rats ass? No. Only the people in Miami. Weird that people in Cleveland were burning LeBrons jerseys in the street. I'm like "Dude. You probably paid a hundred bucks for that Jersey!" I guess since the economy is so good people can afford to just throw money away. And If anyone feels that way, Ill send you my address and we will put it to good use. We'll probably just do something silly with it. Pay a bill, get prescription medicines, you know....we're kooky like that.<br /><br />It finally rained yesterday. Granted it was only for an hour or so but the Earth here in Jersey is literally scorched. We have a water basin next to my place of employment that is usually a couple of feet deep, complete with Canadian Geese, little swallows flitting down to snipe water-bugs and of course, hundreds of the tiniest frogs I've ever seen. By Friday it was nothing but a dried layer of pond scum sitting on the ground. There is a 'water restriction' in our town, so watering can only be done by hand-held hose or watering can. I'm sneaky and put the sprinkler out back, but only for ten minutes or so. Just to keep the grass from combusting. <br /><br />Work has been a little crazy. For one thing there is no A/C. And by ten am it is about 90 degrees inside. Don't even ask what it's like by 130 or 2. I'm usually soaked with sweat(Sexy right?), stumbling around and mumbling incoherently about the singing penguins and the juggling mice. (Hey it's my heat-induced hallucination). Thankfully they've been giving us an extra break around one and some days they buy cases of Gatorade for us. So that is nice. Someone last week also snuck into the break room and lowered the thermostat 5 degrees. But I don't know who that was.<br /><br />Hopefully today will be a day of relaxation. We need it.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-15644352304971188382010-07-03T10:45:00.002-04:002010-07-03T10:56:06.127-04:00Take My Face Off the Milk Carton.So i havent blogged in forever. lots going on. Mags was again hospitalized and this time it was pretty bad. She spent a week in Intensive Care. She is now back to work and feeling better. Finally. She has been sick so very long and now, hopefully, she's back on track. It's hard to see someone you care about go through this. Harder still is when people ask you how she is and then say "she's <span style="font-style:italic;">still</span> sick?? How can that be?" They just don't understand. <br /><br />So work is busy, lots going on. We had yesterday off and the company had an "Employee Appreciation Day" at the local park. lots of food and an intense game of WiffleBall. lots of fun. Plus we got paid for the day. What could be better than that.<br /><br />B.P. is continuing to destroy the planet, thanks for that guys. May the maggots of twenty dead manatees infest your underwear drawer.<br /><br />Ive already watered my poor lawn. We are in kind of a drought situation here in Jersey. Scorching heat for two weeks and no rain in sight until next week. The forecast has several times promised rain but the rain just passes us by. Gonna be in the 90's from Sunday until Wednesday, when it may rain. Maybe.<br /><br />So the boys from America are out of the World Cup. Thanks in no small part to the shitty officiating. Bad calls and non-calls sunk us again. And to the referees, see above regarding the whole underwear drawer thing.<br />Don't know whats going on this weekend. Might go to the shore tonight to walk the boardwalk. Playing it by ear. <br /><br />So thats it. Hopefully I can get motivated to write more often. The news is full of crazy crap so we'll see.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-62547214751875634632010-03-31T20:23:00.002-04:002010-03-31T20:38:49.641-04:00Forgive me Father it Has Been Three Weeks Since My Last PostSo aside from laziness, the only excuse I can offer is that there is really not alot going on. <br /><br />~We have been getting a ton of rain. As we do every year at this time here in New Jersey. When people ask me about the weather in New Jersey I say "Yes I love the three seasons of New Jersey." Yes three. We have<em> Summer</em> which lasts until about October 27, when it will be 85 degrees and Winter starts the very next day and the temps will be no higher than 40. Seriously. The leaves all turn color and fall off the trees that very day. So, we do have <em>Fall</em>, but it only lasts twenty seven minutes. If you're indoors you will miss it. Too bad for you, try next year. <br />Then on the twelfth of February, the third New Jersey season, <em>Rain</em>,starts. Rain is the period form February twelfth until about May 11th, when all we get is, well, rain. We've had about 9 inches of rain in the last two weeks. Seriously. Theres flooding, power outages, trees down..pandemonium. Soggy, damp, wet, miserable pandemonium. But on the 11th of May, the skies will clear and the temperatures will rocket into the 80's and we will start a sweltering summer. Yay.<br /><br />~ The last rain storm was so bad, our power was out for 24 hours, and the hurricane force winds actually blew rain through the flashing on the side of our house and across the sub floor of our 2nd floor guest-room. I can't tell you how much fun Mags and Meself had fixing that. boy hardy!<br /><br />~Mags has a dose of bronchitis and is currently an unhappy camper. Seriously can't the woman get a break?<br /><br />~ I woke up under the weather yesterday and felt like not going to work. Couple that with the fact that it had been raining since Sunday and yesterday was the worse of all three days, torrential rain gale 30 mph wind gusts...the decision to stay home was easy. Of course crazy dog wanted to be out in the horrible weather all day. It was tough keeping him in the house.<br /><br />~Work will be picking up soon. We will be taking on a lot more work. By 'we' I mean my coworkers Sean and Mark and Meself. I can't describe exactly what we do without going into a lot of detail but all I can say is we have no room now. They will be doubling our workload. Meaning we will need twice the space that we have now. We, as a company, have already outgrown the building we just moved into last year. I'm wondering how the heck we will do it.<br /><br />~Very excited for the openening of the baseball season. All eyes will be focused on Fenway Park Sunday night for the season/home opener against the much hated Yankees of New York. I hope we take all three. I work with alot of Yankee fans and sometimes they are hard to take.<br /><br />~Okay thats about it. Thats what Ive been up to....Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-78625756730884893752010-03-07T13:22:00.003-05:002010-03-15T18:25:05.373-04:00Your Car is Now Safe to DriveSo I got up early thismorn and followed our neighbor Keith to his place of employment where he is the head guy in the repair department. We got there early, 815 a.m., early for a Sunday anyways.<br />The weather here is great today, really. No clouds, a nice deep blue sky and the temp is a balmy 53 degrees.<br />The ride was about 30 minutes and traffic was light. I was first in line at 8:15 and when the doors opened at 9, I rolled right in. The waiting area here is really nice. Several chairs and roundtop tables (which I made us of) and two large flat screens tuned to HGtv. There was also one of those fancy coffee/tea machines, which I also made use of.<br /> I had a book with me so I made tea and settled in. I was distracted by the tv, however and got very little reading done. Hey, when you go into a house and rip it apart, then rebuild it...what do you expect. Guys like that stuff.<br />Long story short, two hours later Mags' Camry was now refitted with a new computer and safer gas pedal. And they washed the car for me.<br />Thanks to Keith and the staff at Brunswick Toyota.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-651994454161516512010-02-28T11:27:00.002-05:002010-02-28T11:36:30.885-05:00Happy Birthday to Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DimG7bQrhmw/S4qZarzORpI/AAAAAAAAAkI/gkoURcfK84s/s1600-h/1Newgrill.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DimG7bQrhmw/S4qZarzORpI/AAAAAAAAAkI/gkoURcfK84s/s320/1Newgrill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443331783343883922" /></a><br />Seen here is Myself with my birthday present from Mags. A brand new grill. This is a new kind of grill. It cooks by convection? Instead of the flames directly hitting the meat, there are hoods over the flames and the grill sits on top of stainless steel plates that have hundreds of little holes in them. Im not too sure how it works, but it does. <br />My sister in law Steph went with me last weekend to pick it up but we were told we couldn't take the floor models so I had to have one assembled. It would be ready Monday Im told. So I call Lowes at noon and the grill assembly guy wont be in until later. So it will be ready by 7pm. I call Steph and tell her not to worry about it and could she do it tomorrow? She says her and Dave could and will do it tomorrow.<br />So tomorrow rolls around and I get a call from Steph. She is at the store to pick up my grill and there is a problem. (this is about 3 hours before my car crapped out on me by the way) Whoever assembled it put a massive dent in the front of the stainless steel panel. Dave tells them there is on way he is taking the grill like that.<br />So he gets the manager and the manager agrees to let him take a floor model after all. I tell Steph they can use their discretion about picking one out because they like the good stuff and won't take anything unless it is perfect. So they picked out the best of the bunch (which looks great as you can see) and drove it to my house.<br />They also gave me a card and in said card was a $15 dollar gift card for Wegmans, with a note saying "get yourself a couple of steaks or some burgers. Enjoy your new grill!" Nice huh? <br />So yesterday between Mags and Meself we got the grill from the garage, through the house and onto the patio. I then grilled some doggies and some burgers and later that night a London Broil. I think I'm going to really like this new grill, so thank you sweety! And thanks to Dave and Steph for picking it up for me.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-75506695380386246912010-02-24T08:37:00.002-05:002010-02-24T09:10:00.587-05:00When it Rains it Pours. Literally and Figuratively.It all started almost two weeks ago when the thermal fuse on our dryer blew. It has been a steady downhill slide since.<br />The people we called to repair it came out almost immediately and diagnosed our problem. Sadly the repairman did not carry the part we needed. Since it was such a small part Mags assumed he would have it. His reply, was, "If I had to carry every part I could possibly need, I would be driving a tractor trailer." A simple "don't have it handy ma'am" would have sufficed. He could get the part but it would take 5 days. Okay. One more week. <br />Yesterday the rains came and rain it did. Torrential, driving rains. A dirty 'oul day to be sure. So I'm driving home and suddenly my temperature gauge shoots all the way up to hot. Hot hot hot. I, vexed, call my brother in law Dave who is a mechanic and knows plenty about cars. He advises me to pull over immediately and call AAA. I pull into a small plaza and run into a pizza parlour and ask the man behind the counter for the street name I'm on. I know it's route 33 but street name is helpful. He tells me Rte 33 so I thank him and leave. I run into the next business, a printshop and approach the man in said store. He immediately screams at me to get "behind the front desk". He then takes a phone call and when he is done he storms over and asks me if he can help me. I calmly tell him I only need to know the street address. My car has died and I need to give AAA an address. He bellows "Well I'm not Triple A!" Really? Oh it was the printing presses that through me. Thanks for your time cock-bag.<br />I run back through the lashing rain and call AAA and wait. It could take up to an hour. Super. Luckily the flatbed pulls up in only 5 minutes. However, the driver backs up to the wrong car. I got out of my car because, I thought, silly me; he was here for me. When I called Triple A I told them I drive a 1999 Camry, four-door, silver, so it baffles me when the driver backs up to a 2005 gold, 2door Chevy something or other. I walk over, in the still torrential rain and ask him if AAA sent him. He says yes and I tell him he is about to hook up to the pizza delivery guys car. He looks baffled and says "they told me it was gold". I did not want to get into the whole different color, two less doors, completely different model thing..<br />So I'm towed to Daves and he says he will get right on it. <br />Mags gets home and I relay the news. She takes the news well. I guess. As well as you could take that kind of news. She saw my car wasn't home and was worried I may have been in an accident. Luckily no.<br />So back to our dryer. The company called and Mags returns said call and is told our repair man, while he has said part, it may be several days before he can come back and install it. This is not satisfactory to Mags and she makes it know. So we are up in the air as to when our repair will be made. We are waiting for a call from them telling us that maybe Friday it can be done. <br />Dave then calls and tell us that on top of the water-pump, the timing belt is shot and needs to be replaced.<br />So if anyone at all could send us some good vibes, Mojo, Juju whatever, we'll gladly take it.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-87915997291312682862010-02-20T08:54:00.004-05:002010-02-20T09:23:31.692-05:00The Death of an AthleteToday in a small town, somewhere in Russia, friends and family will gather to say goodbye to the young Georgian Luger, Nodar Kumaritashivili. <br />Nodar as you know was killed in a practice run on the luge track in Whistler, BC. He had even called his Dad earlier and said the track scared him. This is remarkable because Nodar was trained to ride his luge down an icy slope and expected to reach incredible speeds. He knew he'd be cookin', but this track was<em> too </em> fast.He was scared. When someone who knowingly hurls himself down an icy slope while riding a small fiberglass sled, <em>knowing</em> he will reach speeds of 85 mph on a regular basis tells you he is scared there is something wrong. <br />Nodar died doing something he loved. He died preparing himself for an Olympic event. He was representing his country and had hoped to medal.<br />This is sad on so many levels. His family, his friends, his teammates, his countrymen, anyone who knew the young guy. His age, too. Only 21. Too young to die at all. Sadder still, was the networks decision to keep showing the crash. And it wasn't just him flying off the course, out of sight. No, you saw him fly off the course and strike an unpadded cement column at 88 mph. <br /><br />From a very young age, little boys (okay and some little girls) dream of becoming athletes. We want to play a sport for a living. We admire our sports heroes. We see them on tv, we read about them in the papers. They become a part of our everyday lives. We hang on their every word, every action, every success and every failure. When we grow up, we want to be them. To replace them. We want to excel and we want to be the best. We want the money, the adoration of fans, to make our parents proud, <br />to be the best in our field. Some people would prefer to be on the pitch at Old Trafford, the frozen tundra of Lambeau field, maybe hitting the ice at the Boston Garden, while some of us (including the author) would prefer to stand at short-stop in the idyllic baseball shrine that is Fenway Park. <br />Once we get a little older and we realise we will never reach that dream, we revert to our hero worship. We watch these talented men and women and we live vicariously through them. We enjoy the talent and the speed and the skill....the things that make them great athletes. All the things we could never quite do.<br /><br />So when something tragic happens, all of us that love sports, that admire athletes, it affects us. It saddens us as we think about how this person died doing something they love and how they may never acheive the goals they set for themselves or how they may never accomplish more than they have. <br /><br />The Olympics will carry on, the best athletes in the world will continue to vie for a spot on the platform and we will watch. Memorials have sprung up around Olympic village for Nodar, I'm sure he will always be remembered. But I'm hoping he is remembered for being a fine young athlete who died doing something he loved, and not just 'the guy who died luging at the Olympics'.<br /><br />To Nodars family, I offer my condolences. I wish you peace and comfort in your time of mourning.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-83161413828504904572010-02-11T16:17:00.003-05:002010-02-11T16:39:55.701-05:00Snow Way I'm Going to Work TodaySo we have survived the Blizzard of 2010. Snowmageddon, whatever. My place of employment closed yesterday and today. And rightly so, the storm has dumped over 18 inches of the white stuff on us and clean-up will take months. Okay maybe not months but a long time.<br />On Tuesday night the snow started falling. Softly and beautifully. And when we awoke Wednesday, it fell 'til about 1030 then stopped. I wondered out loud if that was it. Had Mother Nature steered the storm off to the sea? Sparing us any more aggravation and back-breaking cleanup? no. The bitch did not. At around 130 the snow started again, and this time it was not softly and beautifully. It was mean and freakin' nasty and it snowed well into the night. When we awoke we were literally buried. Im talking 16 inches on top of the 19 that fell only on Friday. I do have to say, from my seat at the kitchen table, it was amazing and beautiful. My back yard abuts a wetlands so there are no houses behind me. Just acres and acres of trees. The snow covered all the trees and weighed down their branches. The sky was an amazing deep blue against the snowy Earth. Very serene. Until, of course I had to go clear away snow.<br />So I went out early to clean off the cars and unbury them in our snow-locked driveway because Mags place of business decided that their employees were expendable and opened for business. I suggested she use a day to stay home where it was safe and warm and not, well...work. She agreed and called out.<br />I had to use my shovel this morning because I was getting her car ready to go at around 630 (before I knew she would not be going in).<br />Long story short, I finally finished the task at around 1030 and when I went into the house Mags mentioned that pizza might be a good idea for lunch. Who am I to say no to pizza? So we called Luigis and ordered up a pie and I made the three mile trip to get it. The trip took twice as long as it should have because the roads were not completely cleared. But that was okay because, well....pizza.<br />After a nice lunch I went out and dug out our mailboxes. Fun.<br />Then we ventured over to Bubs' place and once there, I resumed my shoveling duties.<br />Mags dad has had many strokes and is bed-ridden. They had a cement ramp poured up from the driveway to the back deck. I shoveled the ramp out and then the decks. Bubs insisted I didnt have to do it all, just a spot on the deck for her Boston, Lucy. I insisted because if, God-forbid they need to get JW out of the house, it has to be via the ramp. I'm not sure how long it took but it went pretty smoothly. Of course shoveling uphill is a bit more challenging and if you saw me shoveling the ramp from the deck to the house you'd have a good laugh. Because I kept sliding backwards on the wooden ramp while trying to shovel 'uphill'.<br />I did have a brief break for tea and then I went out to finish up. Lucy, was looking curiously out the door and seemed a bit put-off by the shovel. But she's happy now that she can go down the deck into the yard where I shoveled out a small spot for her to...well you know.<br />Bubs was very appreciative and thanked me several times. I don't mind at all. They are both very nice and have been very good to me in my years with Mags. It was my pleasure. My back may disagree later but hey, we're family.<br /><br />Now we're home resting up. I'm sure we'll both be going to work tomorrow. <br />If I weren't feeling so tired, I'd have taken pictures but you can watch the news and get the idea. Stay warm.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-57025688263859616512010-02-06T19:52:00.001-05:002010-02-06T20:14:05.685-05:00Now That Was EasySo last night New Jersey got some snow. I guess we got about 17 inches or so. Gusty winds and really, really low temperatures. Lots of drifting too. A good day to stay indoors, right? Well...someone has to clear the snow. Which leads me to my entry title. Since I've met Mags, her son Tom, has been very good to me. He's a great guy and we get along really well and he will do anything to help us out. He has done much for me also. He knows of my ailing back and one day during the summer came to the house with a self-propelled' lawn mower for me. He bought it second-hand and using his mechaincal know-how, refurbished it and gave it to me, telling his mother "Connor should have one of these. He shouldn't be pushing a regular mower." Nice right? Well, last year he found a used snow blower and same deal, reworked it, tuned it up good and brought it to me. However, last year I just couldn't get it started. I have problems with those 'pull start' devices. Same thing this year. Last night, however, he came by again and primed it up for me. <br />I was hesitant because I had so much trouble in the past. Well this morning I tried again and no luck. Frustrated I came into the house and told Mags, "no deal" <br />She suggested taking a break and trying again. Which I did. Well, this time the puppy fired up right away.<br />The difference between shoveling and and using one of these cannot be described. It was soooo much easier. The hardest part was the crap at the end of the driveway deposited by the snow plows. <br />So easy in fact, I did our neighbor Shirley's driveway. Her husband is having back woes and she is a good neighbor so I dug her out. They were pleased and I then stepped across to help another neighbor do the very end of her driveway.<br />Then it was across to Keith and Staceys to help them out. <br />It was almost fun. Okay. It was fun. <br />All in all I got alot accomplished. It's a good feeling when you can help a neighbor out. <br /><br />~Good things are happening with the Devils. They picked up Ilya Kovulchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers. The big Russian comes in with 31 goals already and he has more moves than a street hustler. This guy can stick-handle in a phone booth. The Devs played an exciting game last night against the Maple Leafs, Scoring three goals late in the third; including two in the last minute of regulation for a huge win. <br />I watched the game in between shifts on the snow blower.<br /><br />~Got to visit with Keith and Stacey our groovy neighbors across the way and their 3 crazy pooches. After that came home for a beef stew I did in the slow-cooker. It was okay but could've been better. Live and learn. Mags made a good suggestion as to how to spice it up and next time I will follow her sage advice.<br /><br />Well, my body is achey and I think I may be turning in soon. Stay warm everyone.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-52729271353406173792010-01-31T17:03:00.001-05:002010-01-31T17:03:34.058-05:00The Best Two and a Half Minutes of Your Day<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/h7aPzZsuBjo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/h7aPzZsuBjo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-74208171220116350452010-01-30T10:37:00.002-05:002010-01-30T10:57:31.839-05:00Two Englishers in Amish CountrySo yesterday I decided to take the day off. I did it with the intention of hanging out with Mags and maybe doing something fun because on Monday she will be returning to work. I figured we could do something, anything, so she could go into the weekend on a relaxed note. <br />I suggested a trip to PA. Amish country. Intercourse to be exact and this seemed to suite Mags fine. We were misinformed about the business hours of the local merchants and seemed content to run an errand before we hit the road. Right before we left I Googled the store and found the hours were very different and opened at 9, rather than 12 as we were told. So after a stop at the hospital we hit the highway. <br />The drive was about two hours and it wasn't all that bad. Its simply down the PA Turnpike to 76 and then onto the smaller county roads. And it does get pretty scenic once you get onto 76 and get further into the state. Lots of rolling hills and farms. nice.<br />Our first stop was the Kitchen Kettle Village. An assortment of little shops and restaurants. We moved quickly from store to store because it was very cold yesterday. Only about 21 degrees. Still we had a good time. We then went to the building next door, the Old Candle Barn and browsed through their for a bit. Mags picked up some little things and then it was next door to another little shop that sold 'country' type stuff and of course, Amish goods. <br />From there it was down the road to an Amish furniture store. We browsed through their showroom and Mags may have found a desk she wants. Let me tell you, these Amish craftsmen are freakin' good. The quality of the work is superior to most of the stuff that's sold in retail stores.<br />Wrapping up the day we headed to a large buffet, oops sorry, smorgasbord, style restaurant called the 'Shady-Maple'. (On the way home I suggested to Mags that maybe we could open a strip club right next door and call it the 'Shapely Maple' but that was only met with a look over the top of her glasses and the sound of crickets chirping)<br />Her Mom raved about it and we figured we would try it out. It wasn't bad and there was a ton of food. All you can eat for 10 bucks. They had a massive gift shop downstairs so we perused through there before hitting the highway for our trip back home. <br />So overall, except for the temperature it was a good day. Maybe we'll get back in the summer and spend a little more time.<br />Later I'll post links to the sites we saw.<br />Thats it from Joisey. Stay warm.Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-29275807508480941682010-01-16T09:37:00.002-05:002010-01-16T09:52:27.866-05:00This and ThatWell it's been a while. Truth is nothing too exciting is going on here. Work is busy. Lots of receives to receive and then we 'split' the bulk shipments we get down into smaller shipments to be sent to other, smaller branches. Heavy work but the day goes by faster when you're busy.<div><br /></div><div>Mags desktop finally died and she replaced it with a laptop. She had always wanted one and the day after Christmas she finally got one. A week later she called me at work, very upset, she was having problems with the new 'puter. I had planned on leaving work early because I was feeling like crap so I told her when I get home I would have a quick cup of tea and then we could go back to Best Buy and return it. Which we did. With no hassle, and got an exact replacement. This one is working fine, thank goodness. </div><div><br /></div><div>Weather here has been freakin' cold. Only yesterday, and supposedly today, will the temps get above 30 degrees and hit almost 40! Heatwave!</div><div><br /></div><div>So I'm beginning to wonder if my new building is built on some ancient burial grounds or something. Since I've started there, several co-workers have lost family members. </div><div>In the past two weeks alone, my boss' Mom has died, two days later another supers' wife lost her Grandmother, a co-worker's father has died <i>and</i> his sister and mother are amongst the missing in Haiti. Seriously? Did we, as a group, piss someone off? Some spirits that inhabit our little plot of land in the new industrial park? Seriously, shouldn't the guys who bought and developed the land be getting all this? Or am I just reading too much into it? Could be....</div><div><br /></div><div>We had a kitchen mishap last night. Mags had put together a fantastic steak dinner (with caramelized onions of course) and a salad. Half-way through the cooking process our smoke detectors went off. All of them in the house, screaming all at once. We could not figure out what the heck was going on. No smoke, but an acrid stench filled the air. I thought it was smoke. So I hurry up the stairs to see what is burning. Nothing I can see. So we sit down to eat and then suddenly Mags jumps up "I know what it is!" At Christmas I bought Mags two new cookie sheets and she simply put them into the oven for storage. She did not, however, remove the paper tags that were<i> glued</i> onto the sheets. So after dinner I spent over an hour trying to remove all the paper and glue that was baked onto the new cookie sheets. I did get everything so now hopefully they are salvaged. If not, I'll just have to buy new ones.</div><div><br /></div><div>Weather should be nice today so I may wash my car and remove the inch of salt and road grime that is covering it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think that's all. Enjoy your weekend.</div>Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-20277581213506603622009-12-19T15:33:00.003-05:002009-12-19T15:54:05.459-05:00Snow Joke<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DimG7bQrhmw/Sy042RNCSKI/AAAAAAAAAj0/8LEHFrjJe8s/s1600-h/ruh-roh.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DimG7bQrhmw/Sy042RNCSKI/AAAAAAAAAj0/8LEHFrjJe8s/s320/ruh-roh.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417048431778744482" /></a><br />Well greetings form the snowy wasteland that is central New Jersey. We are in the midst of the biggest snowstorm ( well the only one actually. so far) of the year. It is being heralded by the Weather Channel as "Blizzard 2009!". It's going to dump over a foot of snow on us here in the great Garden State and is wreaking snowy havoc elsewhere along the Atlantic corridor.<div>The storm started early this morning. Before I was awake for work. Yes I was <i>going </i>to go to work today. Last night over dinner I said to Mags "I bet nobody will show up for our big sale. I can't believe they won't cancel" Rescheduling is out of the question. I can't fully explain the madness involved in setting this thing up or breaking it down, but I'm guessing they will not reschedule. But the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">events</span> of this cold early am leave my mind open to expect anything.</div><div>So after a horrible, restless night for both Mags and myself ( Mags did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">tranq</span> me at about 130) I crawl out of bed at 630 and go into the kitchen to make tea and feed the boys. I get up extra early because I feel that the roads will be slick as the crews probably haven't been out yet. I have a small breakfast and get my winter gear on. I head out and sure enough, the storm has started. The road crews here in my area are pretty good about keeping things relatively clear. But I was out early before them and the going was slippery at best. My 20 mile commute involves mostly two-lane country roads. Except for 15 minutes of 'county highway' rte. 130 (four-lane road). My job is south of me. So as I go further south, the storm gets heavier, visibility is near zero and the roads are absolute crap. It is slow going and the trip takes me almost 50 minutes as compared to the 35 it usually takes. Not awful but still...</div><div>So I get to within, I dunno, a fucking mile of my job, my cell rings. I look at the caller id and it is Mags. I assume she is calling to make sure I got to work o.k. (She's sweet like that) I pick up the phone and this is our conversation....</div><div>Me: Hey babe</div><div>Mags: Con? You aren't going to believe this. </div><div>Me: okay......</div><div>Mags: "Someone just called and asked for you. I told them you had left a long time ago and were headed to work..."</div><div>Me: "and?"</div><div>Mags: (slightly upset) "They said to turn around and come home. The sale has been cancelled."</div><div>Me: Are you fucking kidding me? I'm a<i> mile </i>from the place."</div><div>Mags: "Sorry. Why did they wait until ten minutes before your shift was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">going</span> to start??"</div><div>Me: "Got me."</div><div>Mags: "Well come on home and be careful."</div><div>I turn around in the parking lot of a small soccer complex and begin the treacherous drive home.</div><div>The roads are continuing to get worse and I crawl along the side streets to rte 130. One of the bad things about winter in New Jersey is all the big <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">SUV's</span> and the people that drive them. They feel like they are completely safe and snow won't affect them. Therefore they drive like ass-bags.</div><div>The roads are covered in snow, covered and I have these people riding up my butt then roaring past me. I hope they all got where they were going in one piece.</div><div>So I come home, make tea and Mags continues to try and figure out why the company would do something like that.<br />Well good news is, I made home in one piece and now we will sit and watch the storm from the warmth of our little home. </div><div>If the storms got hold of you, i recommend you do the same</div>Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8743230869069229303.post-20186285714470339872009-12-18T19:32:00.004-05:002009-12-18T19:41:49.103-05:00Not GoodSo I'ma at work today and I'm finishing loading a trailer. I put the dock plate down but the end of the plate, the part that extends from the plate to the truck won't fold down. <div>Let me paint a picture, if I can. The plate is flush in the floor. When you want to load/unload a truck you raise it. You do this by pulling a ring that is in a hole in the plate. The ring is connected to a chain that raises/lowers the plate. At the end of the plate is a piece of steel that flips out when you raise the plate (to connect dock to truck) and when you pull the chain again, the piece of steel <i>should</i> fold back down and then the plate falls back into the floor. Got it? Good.</div><div>Well the small piece of steel at the end of the plate won't fold down so I decide to do it manually. The only way to do this is to stand in the trailer and push down. So push and push I did. With no result. I took a deep breath and pushed again. This time success! However, my foot is <i>beneath</i> the small piece of steel and instead of that small piece just folding down, the entire plate comes crashing down. On the end of my foot. My foot is pinned between the dock plat and the edge of the trailer. Not good. The pain, at first was pretty bad. I was able to get most of my foot out of my shoe in time but my poor big toe and his neighbor suffered the most. I did not go the the e.r., doc whatever. Because it really only hurt for a hour or three. I have since then looked at my toe and it looks like something Prince would wear on Halloween. Not pretty.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was actually going to take a picture of my foot jammed in there but my brain was too busy processing the pain. Maybe I can recreate it tomorrow.</div><div><br /></div>Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18295610249897681952noreply@blogger.com2