They told us to be expecting some weather. They even mentioned that it would be wet, loud, windy, and even dangerous.
They were right
Seems like I"ve been wearing glasses all my life. But I wasn't, at least for a period when I didn't need them. Even so, it was a trying time because I lost vision in my right eye due to an infection resulting from cataract surgery. No legal action was taken, although I wish I had, life went on with me having one good eye that was functioning well due to Lasic surgery.
Then one thing after another resulted in me slowly losing my vision in my only good eye. Eventually, I was told that I would have to wear corrective lenses (glasses) for the rest of my life. A small price to pay to be able to carry on with my life.
But for various reasons, mainly glaucoma-related, I haven't been able to wear glasses because the pressure in my eyeball was high and too high for any surgeries or special treatments. And it was unstable, making fitting glasses virtually impossible for me to see clearly, consistently. So I gave up driving almost two years ago.
Thanks to a specialist in glaucoma, my pressure now appears to be stable and I was fitted with glasses. They didn't work well, so I continued my half-blind life.
About a month ago we tried again, and things looked promising . So we went to a $69 optometry store to buy some cheap ones to try. They helped but not enough to drive or read a book.
We sent to another optometry store where I could get an exam and two pairs of glasses for $69. It took some extra effort on their part, but it appears that I may soon be able to drive. My vision is still blurry, but with the use of lubricating eye drops, along with the glaucoma eye drops, I was able to read a sign and a page out of a book today.
I'm not ready to drive, but I'm hyped up for it when the time comes. I've got people to see.
You can now put "Excited" out beside my name.
A high school friend asked if I would write a few stories about my early days in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana; We both grew up there. He said he has been writing his own version of what he could remember, but he needs to attend to some medical issues and he doesn't want to leave the newspaper without stories.
After I gave it some thought, I said okay and he asked me to contact his daughter who is the Editor of the Catahoula News Booster, a weekly newspaper with roots dating back to 1853.
I know the paper well. My maternal grandfather was the owner and publisher of the newspaper back in the 1920s until he died suddenly in 1931. I never met him, of course, but I have a feeling I would have liked him.
The Editor was excited that I agreed to write some stories and looked forward to publishing them. She didn't mention any limits or subject matter but I told her that when it comes to writing anything, my motto has always been "Why use ten words when a thousand will do." She just laughed ...
So I got to work and within a few days, I presented her with 11 stories that she began publishing the following week.
I'm still at it but my ongoing glaucoma problem is causing some problems and I advised her that I would probably have to give up writing for a bit. But she's still got a number of unpublished stories left from the second and third batch I sent her.
Friends and family members tell me they love the stories, and the editor also said she is getting good feedback on them.
All of the stories that were published so far are listed to the right of the Blog's home page. Just click on the link for each story you want to read.
I certainly enjoyed writing them and sincerely hope you enjoy reading them. Leroy
An interesting thing happened sometime during the past few decades - I grew older.
No, not like in calendar years older, but in "body years" older. They call it "Biological Years." Or, Epigenetics - The difference between Chronological and biological age.
And now that I'm approaching 81 years old, I find myself wondering "What Happened!!!" Followed closely by cursing the shape I let myself get into.
Not only am I fat (down to 288 pounds from 300 pounds at Christmas due to my attempt at the Keto diet) but I'm not healthy. I'll keep working on it because I know the diet works. What's Not working is me...
Yes, I've literally lost the ability to 'work' - to do physical work that requires some effort and sweat and increased pulse rate for my recently repaired heart surgery.
But my muscles have become flab and don't always do what I want them to do. Not only that, but they complain about the least amount of effort as if I'm killing my muscles by even trying to use them.
I hate it! And I decided to do something about it.
The first thing was to lose some weight, and I'm working on it. I The 12 pounds I've already lost made a huge difference in how I feel both physically and mentally. I opted for the Keto diet in order to eat better and to lose weight. That's a good start. But I also needed to exercise. So I brought my Total Gym down from the attic and cleaned the years of dust off and oiled the wheels and pullies, and set it up in the garage so it will be a visual reminder that I need to use it.
Each time I used the Total Gym, I added just a few more repetitions to my workout. The workout itself was just some leg-pushes up an incline, assisted by my pulling my weight up at the same time. That gave my legs and arms and shoulders just enough to do that I started feeling 'the burn' everyone talks about when exercising. That told me I was already starting to grow younger in body age, no matter that the calendar kept ticking. I even started feeling younger, and I had more energy, and I felt good.
While I was at it, I also got out the 5-pound and 10-pound dumbells.
But I was still struggling with two issues: my glaucoma was so bad at times that all I wanted to do was sleep to numb the pain and worry that I was losing my sight. I haven't felt comfortable driving in well over a year so we stayed just home. So I had no excuse for not keeping at it.
I'm now happy to report that I've tripled my workout efforts on the Total Gym, and due to a stroke of luck, my Sweetie found a Free NordicTrack treadmill just a couple of miles from our house. In less than an hour, I had it in our garage cleaning it up from what appeared to be garage dust from obvious lack of use. The guy said it worked but I didn't want to turn it on until I checked out the drive belt and walking belt, nuts and bolts, and give it a thorough cleaning.
I also went online and read the User Manual to make sure I knew how to operate it. And sure enough, there was a 'caution' message to "Not start it up in a very cold area" and to "make sure the incline was in the flat position after prolonged storage." So I waited until the next day. And sure enough, everything worked, but there was some slack in the walking belt which I quickly took care of. I'm waiting on a bottle of treadmill walking belt lubricant to arrive from Amazon before I start walking on it.
I can't wait to get started on the treadmill.
So now that I know how to eat properly, and I'm set up with two important exercise devices, and I'm feeling pretty good, I think I'm ready to start growing younger.
What a joy it is to live in a small community where we can enjoy lunch in a nice restaurant with our neighbors and have a really great time, Except for the COVID interruption, this tradition of luncheons every three months has greatly added to the joy of living here. while allowing us to meet new residents and say goodbye to those who are moving on.
And once again, Keith Young's Steakhouse was our choice for our Christmas Luncheon. Their food and service is always fantastic. But the really nice thing is the fun and good cheer as we visit with our friends and neighbors, always followed by a visit from Santa, wonderful gifts, and warm wishes for a happy holiday season.
As usual, I took some photos to share with those who could not attend. Here's the link to the YouTube video I made. Please feel free to share it with your friends and family.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
First of all, I don't care for the 'New Normal' brought about by COVID-19. And I'm pretty sure we will never get back to the 'Old Normal.'
I suppose few people do like it, but it is what it is, and until this pandemic is over we're stuck with it.
Meanwhile, some people are much better off than others. And a whole bunch of people are unnecessarily dead because they refused to get vaccinated for COVID and its many variants. Sadly, let's not forget that a few who got the recommended vaccinations but they still died. My guess is that some of those may have felt the vaccinations made them immune, or at least better protected by having the shots, so they didn't apply all the other suggested precautions.
Judy and I followed the science and got all of the recommended shots as soon as were could. But we also avoided crowded places as best we could, wore our masks when we thought we should, washed our hands as often as we could, and we are alive and well. I'm sure some of those who died would have made wiser choices if they could do it again.
Secondly, my two-year glaucoma problem is finally getting noticeably better each day. But I now need glasses to do some things, and I still can't see well enough to feel comfortable driving. Judy has taken over that role and I'm appreciative for her doing it. I've even gotten to where I don't cringe nearly as much as I did at first.
Because I'm reluctant to do much woodworking due to the danger of power tools, I've spent most of my time writing stories for my old hometown newspaper, the Catahoula News - Booster, based in Catahoula Parish Louisiana.
Most of the stories are based upon what I remember from during WWII until I was a curious fifteen-year-old. For some reason, that period in my life is easy to recall. I don't get paid for the stories but I do enjoy writing and sharing them. You can read them by clicking on the links to the right.
Finally, my weight was getting a little out of control so I (we) went on a diet on January first, 2022. I've since lost twelve pounds and feel better for it. But I also got my Total Gym and dumbbell weights down from the attic and started using it every day it's warm enough in the garage to work out. I actually feel good doing the exercises.
With just over three months before I turn 81, I think I'm doing quite well considering all that is going on that I can't do anything about.
That's good enough for this life.
Today, February 11, 2021, marks the 11th day after our second COVID-19 shots. If what they say is true, our vaccinations are now protecting us at an almost 100% effective rate. That makes us a lot more comfortable.
But we will still take the recommended precautions regarding masks, hand-washing, crowd-avoidance, etc. There's no use pushing our good luck.
It's going on three years since our attic freight elevator/lift was installed in our garage by Nephew David and Brother-in-Law Allen. All I did was design it and arrange for the parts.
It has not only served us well, but it has also inspired many others to include an elevator in their home or shop.
One thing is certain: elevator parts wear out. And the most important part, the hoist motor, has needed replacing four times as of today. No, it was not a safety issue as much as it was a real annoyance issue. The hoist cable has no guide to keep it rolled onto the spool in an orderly manner. And the cable eventually gets compressed into itself, causing a gentile bump at first that eventually turns into a sort of snap. If not fixed then it puts a serious jerk in the line that could break the cable.
It's not fixable because the hoist is not designed to accommodate a replacement cable. The only choice is to take it back for a replacement under the terms of the extended warranty at Harbor Freight. And they are very good about swapping it out. Apparently, it's a common problem among those who use the hoist motor for freight elevators and lifts.
Of course, I have to remove the heavy hoist motor from the steel beam, then hand-carry it down the dangerous pull-down attic ladder, and take it to Harbor Freight. Then retrace my steps to install the new one. With the previous practice I've had, it only took a little over half an hour to reinstall it. It works perfectly and the only thing left to do is rig the block to change it to a looped cable. That not only slows the speed of the elevator but also doubles the payload capacity. (1,300 lbs) I also have to splice in the extension electrical cable for the hand-held controller. (the one that comes on the hoist is only 5' long). Then we are good for at least another year: hopefully longer.
Even with the hoist cable issue, it's still one of the best things we did here at La Maison del Poulets.
Getting vaccinated against the deadly COVID virus seems to be the most popular game in town now. You really have to keep up with it in order to get an appointment to get the first of two shots.
My Sweetie kept up with it and was able to get an appointment because she happened to be a 'patient' at one time of the medical facility authorized to start administering vaccinations. And she was in the 'over 75' group that they were scheduling first. I was not a patient of the medical facility so it took more effort to register before they could schedule me, which I did online saving a great deal of time at the facility.
But once we actually had an appointment, we felt a lot better.
I went with Judy to Ochsner Health Center in Covington and was surprised at how well organized they were. It was quite an accomplishment considering the number of people arriving to get their shots.
Plus, everyone, staff, and patients alike had to understand what to do. The staff greatly simplified the process and we thank them for that.
One of the staff asked me if I was there for the shot. I told her I was with my wife and that my appointment wasn't for two more days. She said, "Come on" and quickly escorted me to the appointment desk where my appointment was changed, and I was suddenly being moved along to one of many nurses administering the shots. Within minutes we were both waiting the suggested 15 minutes before leaving.
And just like that we were done and were automatically scheduled for the second shot on January 31st.
I love it when a crisis is handled right. At least it was at our facility. I understand that others around the world are not so fortunate as us.
We also appreciate the people who make it work in spite of their own exposure to an out-of-control pandemic.
Meanwhile, we will continue to keep wearing our masks, avoiding crowds, and keeping our distance until told otherwise.
We're slowly accepting the fact that "Normal" is no longer what it used to be.
Tomorrow will be a week since our Capitol was attacked, desecrated, sacked, damaged, and forever tarnished by the deliberate acts of treasonous people acting at the direction and encouragement of our president.
Five people lost their lives, leaving the stain of blood on the floor and tears in the good hearts of citizens around the world who believed in our democracy.
By now, we all know who is responsible and that our sacred Constitution provides a remedy for the president's removal from office and those who aided and abetted his attempted coup d’état to be held accountable.
The steps of removing him from office are already underway.
But as this threat to our democracy continues to be a growing challenge, I find myself struggling with the thought that what I grew up believing in, swearing an oath to honor, protect, and defend as a Boy Scout, as a Soldier, and as a Sailor is being attacked by its own people. I'm almost 80 but I will still fight for it to the death. And so will others. I know America will survive. It has to.
Although it brings heartache and tears to many, it also serves to remind us all that America’s beautiful dream is as fragile as the sands of time, making it an easy target for those who would take it away. We simply cannot allow that to happen.
Only a week ago we were waiting for Santa and a few toys, and now we wait for a whole new year. A new year without all the heartache, hate, upheaval, and even an election result that won't go away.
But come tomorrow morning, we have a new year to decorate with all the things that make living in America special. All we have to do is apply them.
But first, we have to overcome a virus threat like none other. And we can't defeat it without everyone's cooperation.
By now we've all lost someone we at least know by name, and some we know in person and some who are family. Those are the people who probably encountered someone who transmitted the virus because they were not wearing a mask. And it grows from there.
So with the help of approved vaccines and the cooperation of all of us, we may be able to stim the tide of death that threatens us all.
Meanwhile, we can look forward to a new President and Vice President who will be taking over at the most challenging time in American history since the Civil War.
Since we are all in this 'America Thing' together, we should help the new President's Administration fix everything that needs fixing, including our belief and support of our democratic ideals. To do less is to contribute to the problems we must overcome before we become great again..
Right now, the best we can hope for is that 2021 will be a good year for each of us and for America. Let's do our part to make it so.
Happy New Year.
WOW! Christmas already!!!
After a horrendous year, even a muted Christmas will be a blessing.
Although the holiday is not a cure for the world's problems, most of which revolve around something we can't even see - the COVID-19 Virus, it gives us a moment to pause and try to make it a happy day the best way we can.
Even so, we can't hide from the effects resulting from the pandemic. Each of which affects all our lives in so many ways whether we contracted the virus or not, Death and suffering, closed businesses, an unstable economy, monumental failure of government intervention, and most of all, the loss of loved ones we could not even say goodbye to.
And it is far from over.
But today Judy and I will join her sister and husband for a very suppressed lunch, gift exchange, and brief time together. Then we will return home. It's definitely not what we have done in years past. And this could be the 'new normal.'
Yes, and I will be wearing my funny Christmas Hat. Some things never change.
Merry Christmas to all.
Judy and Leroy
Like everyone else in the world, we're ready for our Anti-COVID vaccinations. And since we're in the high-risk (old age) group, we hope to be in the first wave of those receiving word to 'come get it.'
Meanwhile, Sweetie and I have been trying hard to stay away from crowds (larger than 1 or 2 people), wearing our masks when away from our house, washing our hands frequently, and just being mindful of our surroundings no matter where we are. It has worked so far but LOTS of people are dying every day, some of whom were doing the same thing as us before they contracted COVID.
Scary....
Even so, there was one large-gathering event that we just didn't want to miss - the annual Terra Mariae Christmas Luncheon at Keith Young's Steak House.
A lot of thought went into planning it and, so far, that planning seems to have paid off. We had a good crowd, yet small enough that we could have some extra breathing room if we felt the least bit uncomfortable.
The result was a delightful gathering and delicious meal with our neighbors and friends, something we all needed.
I made a video if you would like to see what I'm talking about.
Then we all returned to our routines of self-preservation, mostly through isolation, caution, and bewilderment that we wait patiently for it to end.
So far, so good.
Just when things were calming down, Tropical Storm Zeta appeared out of nowhere and was determined to visit Covington, Louisiana, passing through New Orleans on the way. It is projected to reach minimum hurricane status for a while but will make landfall as a tropical storm dumping lots of water. And, of course, wind.
The last three also had us in their sights but two went west and one went east. Zeta appears to be more determined to visit us.
So we went into hurricane mode and put away everything outside that could fly, fall, tumble, roll, get too wet, bend, break, explode. It didn't take long. We had three practice sessions already this season.
Tomorrow should be an exciting day.
Once again the early forecasts said Hurricane Delta was headed straight to the New Orleans area. And could possibly grow to a Category 5. So once again, the New Orleans area started preparing for another disaster, possibly as bad as Hurricane Katrina.
But once again (for the third time this season) the projected path changed. This time moving more toward the Southwest Louisiana coast. Yes, the same area that was hit by Hurricane Laura six weeks ago.
We consider ourselves fortunate, of course, but our joy is stained with tears for those who will suffer again.
Even so, we're expecting lots of rain and some pretty strong wind gusts. We'll know more tomorrow just how much, if any, damage there is. I'm sure it will be minor compared to thousands of others in Delta's path.
On February 26, 2018, I ordered a Popcorn Machine for the Coop, which wasn’t even built yet. I
thought, rightfully so, that it would help introduce us to the new community we
were now a part of. It helped and now we have multiple neighbors claiming
that we make the best popcorn anywhere, although some said they can’t have the salt, and
some said they have to suck the kernels instead of chewing them. Old people will
find a way if they want popcorn LOL…
We kept the machine in the garage for a while as we grew accustomed to making popcorn for ourselves and neighbors who happened by. This is the one we chose, mostly because it would fit into the Coop Cabinet I had planned to store it in.
We use it frequently, always making a full batch of popcorn. We often bag the leftovers (usually a gallon bag full) to put in the mailbox for the mailman. He loves it.
As you can imagine, it was
getting to the point of annoying the hell out of me. I figured the
warranty had long run out. So I went on the manufacturer’s website to see
if they had any idea on how to remedy the rust problem. They wrote back
asking for photos of the rust, the model #, a copy of the receipt, etc.
So I went to work taking photos of the rusty area first. But this time I
forgot to remove the door before I flipped the machine. You guessed it –
millions of pieces of tempered glass all over the floor of the Coop. But,
undeterred, and determined to get the photos and model # information, I
continued with my picture taking.
Then I went looking for the receipt. I had all of the purchase information in a file folder along with the manual and even a $10 gift card. Imagine my surprise to find two receipts - one for the purchase price of the machine through Amazon.com and the other for a 4 year extended warranty policy for only $8. I had completely forgotten about the extended warranty policy.
So I eagerly read through it hoping for a miracle. But the more I read the more I was convinced that they would not honor a claim for normal cosmetic rust, and definitely not for clumsy fingers.’ Having no realistic claim I instead wrote my letter to the manufacturer and explained that I’m almost 80 years old, live in an over 55 community where friends and neighbors enjoy my popcorn. I was much too old to even attempt to disassemble the machine in order to replace the rusty panel. All I was seeking was advice as to what I could do about the rust. Surely someone else had experienced the same problem and there may be an easy solution.
I also added a PS to my email explaining that during my efforts to get a photo of the rust I dropped the glass door. And I would need a price for purchasing a new door.
Well, shortly after I sent the requested information, they wrote back saying a new machine was being shipped to me. Yes… I don’t even have to pay the shipping or return this one. In a few days, I will have two popcorn machines, albeit one is now without a door and leaks rust from the ceiling.
Judy suggested that if the replacement door is too expensive, I could just go to Home Depot and have them to cut a piece of acrylic to replace the broken glass. The glass never actually gets past ‘warm’ during the two or three minutes the popcorn is cooking, so acrylic will work just fine.
Now I’m trying to figure out what is causing just that particular metal to rust. I’ve come to the conclusion that the moisture is from condensation. If I can clean the metal down to bare metal again, it may be possible for me to paint it with a high-temperature paint or coating that would stop the rust. And if it worked on the old one, I could do the same on the new one before the rust even gets started. Pro-active popcorn rust preventive maintenance, if you will.
I’m just thrilled that they provide way more customer service than I expected. Once my new machine is in place and working, I will write a glowing comment on Amazon and on their own web site.
Before they told us we would be getting a new machine, we actually wrote on the Zip-Lok bag of popcorn we left in the mailbox for the mailman, “Last Bag of Popcorn – Machine broke.” He will be thrilled when he learns that we are back in business. So will we.
I just thought it was a really
great story that needed sharing.
The first time we heard about what would become Hurricane Sally, was early on when it was pretty much just a little rain that we should keep an eye on.
It wasn't long before it was growing and starting to create a path in our general direction. Then it had its cross-hairs directly on top of us. And it was still growing.
Like everyone else along the Louisiana coast, we started to worry. After all, just a few weeks before, Hurricane Laura was dead-set on hitting us, but took a westerly turn at the last minute and destroyed a large area of SW Louisiana. Now Sally was apparently going to take out Southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans.
Then while our preparations were still being made, Sally decided to turn east away from us. By the time she came ashore in Alabama, she was no longer a threat at all to us. But she damaged and destroyed a lot of communities along her new route.
On the map, she missed us only by an inch. And once again, we were spared by what can only be attributed to our good luck.
Talk about the luck of the Irish, once again we avoided being struck head-on by a powerful storm, Marco. It moved to the west of us before landfall.
And this morning it is becoming increasingly likely that Hurricane Laura will land well to the west of us.
I'm sure we will get some really wet rain for a day or two, but that's about it.
So what to do during a 'no-show-hurricane' after we took all the necessary 'securing and shoring-up' steps? Build something is one option. The other option is to pressure wash the driveway. Or just sit back and wait for the official 'all clear' signal. I'll need more rum for that.
Even though we lucked out on this scare, there's always another one trying to form up and deliver its message that we didn't do enough.
But for now, no more worrying about Marco and Laura (but keep a good eye on Laura).
The next time someone asks me when was the last time two hurricanes were in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time, I can tell them it was in August of 2020. And I was there.
Their names: Hurricane Laura and Hurricane Marco. Both are just tropical storms now but expected to become Category 1 Hurricanes before landfall.
The last time there were two at the same time was in the 1930's. Yes, it's a rare event.
Even as I write, both storms are headed toward the Louisiana coastline with the projected landfall somewhere between New Orleans and Morgan City starting tomorrow
We live just north of New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain and a few miles inland. We are on high ground and do not plan to evacuate. Even so, we'll be keeping an eye and an ear on the news.
