JOURNAL OF TININTHEWIND

Oh, The Drama

2010-03-04T21:59:31Z

Kathleen here,

With the Acadamy Awards coming up on Sunday, I thought I would publish the following story that I wrote a few weeks ago. The assignment for the writing class was to follow a character around for a while and write about that person. I chose the following. I had seen the move many many years ago and wrote what I remembered. She was the best.

Oh, The Drama

A Short story reflecting the film “All About Eve”

She paused, knowing that all eyes were on her. Wisps of smoke escaped her crimson lips, and she turned. The polished banister gleamed as her delicate hand reached to steady herself. She wore a satin gown, the color of Ireland. Soft folds of the shimmering fabric fell away revealing ivory shoulders. A bouquet of diamonds accented her bodice. Her slender neck tensed as she tossed her chestnut hair away from her eyes. Those eyes. Piercing, judging, teasing. She ever so slightly dipped her chin as she scanned the crowded room. Sure that her beating heart could be heard, she ascended a step and then another. Trembling lips parted, she again turned to face her audience. A brilliant smile revealed perfect teeth as she recognized loyal fans.

Across the room, a girl stood. Young, innocent, beautiful. Margo knew her. Green eyes met blue. The smile became a faint scowl. The girl, ignoring the gesture, bowed lightly. Between exquisitely groomed fingers, Margo raised her smoldering cigarette to her lips and with a long lingering drag, her body relaxed. Her eyes continued to focus on the girl.

This beauty, queen of drama, was a star. Loved by millions. The thrill of opening night was near. Her beloved Bill watched her. He adored this woman, always in awe at her theatrics, on stage and off.

Bill knew the girl. He knew her as a scared young starlet. He was ignorant to the evil plans she had laid. Margo, loved by millions; envied by one. The emerald gown rustled, as the leading lady of broad way gathered her skirts. As she tipped her head to sip her martini, her lashes flashed open, revealing deep luminous eyes. She gave Bill a long loving look, raised her head high and announced, “Fasten your seat belts, its going to be a bumpy night.” Up the stairs, Margo continued, pushing the cigarette into a potted plant on the way. By the last step, the martini glass was empty. She eyed the crowd, scowling as the “girl” breezed to Bill’s side. Innocently Bill offered a drink. Tears in her eyes, Margo retreated to her room. Her housekeeper, Birdie, was at her side. “Margo honey, let me fluff your hair. Your guests are waiting.”

“Birdie, no. Please leave. I will not take their stares and whispers any longer. I am going to bed.”

“Margo? Margo darling.” Bill pushed the door open and strolled in. Not a hair on his head or a thread of his tailored suit was out of place. His dark eyes asking, “What is wrong?” he was instantly at her side.

Margo rose. Eyes flashing, she turned, a hairbrush in her hand. “If you think that I will smile and exchange pleasant lies with all of those phony friends of mine, you are terribly wrong Mr. Crane.” She spun around, sat back down and began vigorously brushing her thick waves of hair. “You, of all people, fussing over that child. She could be your daughter.” You of all people. Is she outside my door? Will she have free access to my bed room? Do you have free access to hers?” Birdie quietly disappeared with a tray of empty glasses.

In one step, Bill caught Margo and pulled her to him. She couldn’t resist his strength. She struggled to be free, Bill held on until she was in his arms. “Darling. My Darling Margo. My beautiful star of all broad way. How can you doubt my love for you? Don’t you know that that girl means nothing to me? I love you. Do you hear me, my pet? I love only you.”

Margo softened. She turned her face up to look into his eyes. She blinked her lashes, a fleeting look, questioning. Her lips pouted then turned into a teasing smile. She slid her arms around his strong shoulders. Bill’s embrace reassured her of his love. “The girl will lose,” Margo thought. “She will not have my fans. She will not have my Bill.”

Copyright-Kathleen M. Brosius - January 27, 2010

Games People Play

2010-02-17T01:30:03Z

Kathleen Here

The Games People Play

I am an observer more than a participant in sports. Oh I have down hill skied, and ice skated. I can swim a little, and as a child, I won a relay race a couple of times. I can even lift weights if they aren’t very heavy. So I am not surprised that I become excited when the Olympic Games come to town. I was aware of those super star athletes as far back as 1952. The town of Helsinki, Finland was where Floyd Patterson won a gold medal in boxing. My dad talked about it for weeks.

As long as I can remember I have enjoyed watching the big games from our living room, every four years. When television became the focal point in our home, we would watch the athletes work the hardest that they have ever worked, hoping, praying, that they would be awarded a Gold Medal.

I remember the thrill I felt when Peggy Fleming won Gold in the Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France in 1968. I cried when Palestinian terrorists killed eleven Israeli athletes in Munich, in 1972. Although these Games suffered horror and heartbreak, names such as Olga Korbut and Mark Spitz are remembered for their Gold. The haunting melody of Nadia’s Theme brings the vision of a 14 year old girl from Romania who scored a perfect 10 in the 1976 Games. The score board had to be adjusted because until then the number 10 was not on it.

I can still see a broken hearted Dorothy Hamill skating off the ice, thinking that she was being booed by the crowd, when, in fact, they were screaming with delight at her perfect score. Remember the young men who were the Miracle on Ice? The US Hockey Team beat the Soviets who owned the rinks by winning four consecutive Winter Games. And who can forget, in 1984, the beautiful love story performed by Torvill and Dean who took us on a journey of intense love and suffering in their Ice Dancing interpretation of Bolero.They won Gold for the United Kingdom. That same year, Scott Hamilton, wowed the world with his expert figure skating. Another Gold.

Gymnastics brought us Mary Lou Retton. Jamaica introduced the world to the Jamaican Bobsled Team. Eddie the Eagle jumped high and strong and we cheered. Michael Phelps awed the judges with his powerful swimming in 2008, and broke the record, winning eight Gold Medals.

One cannot mention all of the wonderful, inspiring young athletes who have given their all at the Olympic Games through the years. This has been a list of just a few whom I remember and admire.

With pride and determination, representatives from around the world, march together at the opening ceremonies. So proud they are and those of us who watch feel love and compassion. So happy they are. So free, their hearts full of anticipation.

The Opening Ceremonies of all the Games have been spectacular. The Torch has traveled from Olympia, Greece across the world to where it would finally light the giant Cauldron and announce the beginning of the Games. We were touched to see Muhammad Ali light the Torch at Atlanta. We felt compassion and pride for Paralympic Archer Antonio Rebollo when he shot a flaming arrow into the Cauldron at Barcelona. In 2004, the Torch traveled from it’s birthplace around the world, stopping at every city that has hosted the Games, then returning to Athens, Greece before opening the Summer Games. Determined mountaineers, for the Bejing Games, climbed to the top of the world and placed a flame at the summit of Mount Everest. The flame bearers cried “One world, one dream,” their Olympic Motto. A special road was built to the Everest Base Camp which then opened the way for the torch bearer’s journey to the top.

This year, in Vancouver, after traveling through the most northern provinces, the Torch bearers relayed the flame into the streets of Canada’s most beautiful city and on into BC Place, where the towering icicles carried the flame to the waiting Cauldron.

All of Canada, along with the world, cheered as Alexandre Bilodeau of Montreal, in Down Hill Mogul skiing, won the first Gold Medal for Canada.There are 10 days ahead with more of my favorite games. I will partake in most of them: watching, enjoying, feeling, with them, the Thrill of victory, the agony of defeat.

Karaoke Krazy

2010-02-09T21:44:09Z

After receiving a comment from at least one of my grandchildren it was enough to encourage me to add a couple more "story songs" to my attempts at internet Karaoke. I may be running out of steam and material but at least I have had fun with this new hobbie. Click on the link below if you are able to stand finger nails scraping on the blackboard----just kidding----enjoy!

Click Here

Grandpa Misses His Grand kids and Gets Creative

2010-02-06T04:36:10Z

Is The Weather Getting To Grandpa? Does Grandpa Have To Much Time On His Hands? Aw Shucks!

I suppose I should 'Splane' myself. As I said in the title I miss my grand kids a lot. Yes the weather has kept me indoors a little more than I would like and I could never have to much time on my hands. Most of you who follow our blog know I like to mess with the computer and I am constantly awed by what one can do with it.

When I find a program that I might like to play with or experiment with I am likely to give it a try as long as it is free. I like free.

The other day while 'surfing the net' I found an Internet Karaoke program that looked interesting. I have always wanted to try my hand at Karaoke but have shy ed away from it because it tends to lend itself mostly to a tavern atmosphere and I'm not much for the bar stool scene. As 'Jerry' says, "Not that there's any thing wrong with that".

The first thing I chose for my first jump off the cliff into the world of song is available to you through the link below. I have always liked this 'story song' as it takes me back to my trucking days which were very memorable to me and it affords me the chance to link to my grand kids through its story.

When you click on the link, have some patience as it may take a second to load. If it stops on you as it is playing, try setting the slide to the left. I'm sure with a little trial you will get it to play.

Don't be too critical of me now as I really did this for my four grand kids and I trust they will not be to critical of Grandpa for trying!

click here

Scent of Magic

2010-02-04T03:50:41Z

Kathleen here

Here is a little sample of what I wrote at a "Writers' Group" here at Fun n Sun.

Flickers of Light

The familiar sound of an owl, shadows flickering on the wall, the touch of the soft feather mattress that we lie on: these are a few of the senses experienced during a night spent in an old shanty that rested on the banks of the Minnesota Sough. There was no running water and no electricity. In a tiny kitchen, our mother used a two-burner propane stove to prepare supper. She stored milk and butter in an old ice box on the porch.

We had several kerosene lamps in those days. The smell of the golden fluid that brought life to that humble cottage gave me much comfort during my young life. I loved the lamp that sat on a small table beside the bed, best of all. A round glass bowl, that held the kerosene, perched on a tall pedestal. A cotton wick was fed down though the burner until it dipped into the amber fuel below. The saturated wick would be ignited and the glow of the flame illuminated the room and strew mysterious shadows about. A sparkling glass chimney protected the flame, as it flickered and danced inside its crystal prison.

Our mother took my brothers and me on adventures around the world as she read stories from ancient books. I recall: The Bobbsey Twins, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Yellow Eyes, and of course Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Today, we have all the luxuries of modern life, it seems, no matter where we go. But there is one thing that I truly miss, that old kerosene lamp. Whenever I smell kerosene, I travel back to a world where fairies danced on walls, where a mighty owl ruled the woods at night. My mother was close and my father near-by. So grateful am I for the gift of memory. A flame that flickers deep in my soul comes to life at just the smell of yellow liquid gold.

Giant Hamburger of the Rio Grand Valley

2010-01-24T18:04:42Z

Located way off in a residential neighborhood in Donna, Texas is an unmarked restaurants of sorts. I put it that way because there are no visible signs that the building is a restaurant, no sign, no anything, except long lines of customers leading in to the building and lots of cars parked on the street.

If you do a little research on what to do and see in the Rio Grand Valley for us winter Texans you will for sure locate a visit to the Gonzalez's Burgers as being one of the highlights.

The story goes, that the Gonzalez family owns a large ranch just outside the valley. They butcher their own beef, bring it to this out of the way place, grind the meat as it is needed, prepare it and serve it throughout the day.

It is a fact that they try to accommodate everyone in line but if they run out of meat they simply turn the sign to closed and those still in line will have to come back another day. The menu is burgers of the usual style, such as cheese burger, bacon burger, etc. It is the size and price that apparently is the draw. I had a plain burger with, onion, pickle, mustard, catchup and the price was $3.70. Our neighbor Carole had a Bacon Burger which included 7 slices of bacon on top of the patty you see in the above picture. Add a family size serving of Fry's and onion rings to split between and you won't eat for the rest of the day.

Seating is at long tables which makes for a great way to meet people and carry on a conversation while waiting for your order.

Pictured below are our neighbors Jean-Louis and Carole Gobeil who are also full-time motor-homers but have their roots in Montreal, Canada, and also a look at the line waiting to order.

For lack of a better word, the restaurant, is talked about constantly through the forums on the computer and the business just keeps coming six days a week, usually closing about 2:00 when they run out of meat for the day.

Nostalgia Sets In

2010-01-14T22:10:09Z

I have not experienced as much Nostalgic Thoughts in the past as I have this winter and I suppose it is because the weather has been so questionable here in Texas. It could just be because of advancing age but I don't want to admit to that, at least not yet.

In a recent post on this blog I included a visit to the past and I got more comment about that posting than I have received in a long time so along with my having time to reflect I thought I would share with you. Fortunately, years ago while preparing for this new life of ours, full-timing in the 'tininthewind' I started a web-site: www.tininthewind.com and because of the many entries there it is easy for me not only to privately revisit the past but to also share again through this blog, by linking you to where my thoughts are at the moment. Click the following link to join me on a trip down memory lane. Have your sound turned on. When you reach the pictures you can click on them to enlarge.

Nostalgic Visit

Rambling Reminiscence

2010-01-07T21:09:44Z

In the picture above that is me with my youngest son, Bill. The setting for the picture taken in about 1980 is an old 'chicken coop' in our back yard that we had converted to 'the hanger'. My hobby was building Remote Control airplanes, flying them, crashing them, and most importantly, teaching the art of the hobby to my sons. Both Bill and Scott became quite talented in their own right and many of those talents learned back then they carry with them today.

Bill is pictured holding a near completed Corsair WWII fighter plane and I am displaying the kit of a P-38 fighter plane also of WWII vintage. Now for those of you who don't know, these kits for the most part contained a box of balsa wood and a set of plans. We built a lot of different models over the years and to see pictures of some of them you can go visit "my den" by clicking the link. Once there click on the door and then when inside click on 'RC Hobby'. If you are so inclined you can even click on the round silver bullet at the bottom of that page for a slide show of the many planes.

The P-38 held significance for me as it was the plane that my father was killed flying in WWII when I was but 3 months old. I worked on building that P-38 kit in to the 1990's but other interests (fishing), and the fact that my son's had graduated high school and left home, I put it aside as I didn't relish spending time in 'the hanger' alone.

Just before going full-time RV-ing I gave all of the remaining Remote Control equipment, parts, pieces, and planes to Bill as he now was the only one of us who had a house/garage big enough to accept it and was now back in to participating in the hobby. The P-38 was among the remnants of unfinished pieces and parts.

In September of 2008 Bill surprised me with a call to let me know that he had completed the P-38. Converting the power plants from gas to electric and was ready to fly it. He asked if I wanted to be present? We set the date and for sure, I was on hand for its "Maiden Flight". I wrote about it in the pages of this blog back then and with much pride I share it with you now.

Click on the following link to Reminisce with me!

"Maiden Flight"

As an added note: I commissioned an artist from Ohio to air brush for me the above painting. Painting for me two mirror images that I displayed on each side of the semi-trailer as I trucked across the USA during my last career before retiring. I received many calls on the 0l' CB as I rolled along and for sure many came to recognise me as we passed.

My message then------- is as it is now:

Please! Don't allow the squandering away of blood and treasure that it took to keep this beautiful country free! The sacrifices made from then to now have been huge. Don't allow them to have been in vain.

Palms Waving in the Breeze

2010-01-04T19:26:25Z

Another day without the sun here in the RGV but the slight breeze has the palms waving. This picture is from the front of our coach to our nearest neighbors to our North. There is about a block equivalent empty space between us. I am tempted to go out and fly a kite cause that is what Kathleen told me to do, but guess I would have to go buy one first.

The weather here continues to be quite cool and a lot of drizzle from time to time. Everyone says this is a very unusual weather even for this area so we continue to have patients. Patients is wearing thin though and the 'tininthewind' does have wheels.

Kathleen is off to participate in some ladies day activities and I think I will find the largest beach towel we have and head for the jacuzzi and pool.

Hope wherever you are, you are contending with the weather, and knowing what most of you are contending with cold, I promise to quit complaining.

Where has this year Gone

2009-12-31T22:45:38Z

First off: Happy New Year to all our friends and family.

We have had a busy couple of weeks over the holidays. I had ordered a 25" monitor for Kathleen's Desk Top Computer several months ago with plans to replace the CPU (computer itself) when a good deal came along. About a month ago just what we were looking for popped up on: Yugster.com .

The new CPU is a great addition to that huge monitor. It shipped with Microsoft Vista as the operating system but also included a free offer to ask for the Windows 7 upgrade disks. We sent for them and I spent a couple days this past week installing Windows 7. I am happy to report that it went fairly smooth and the system is fantastic.

Kathleen's passion and hobby has been, since going full time four years ago, to digitize all our family photo's and all the photo's she has collected over the years of her family and mine. She had been doing a great job and was enjoying her work but was running out of hard drive space on our older computer. This new one has a 'Terabyte' of hard drive so I don't think she will run out of room for even more pictures.

As if the above wasn't enough to do, we decided to upgrade our TV at the front of the 'tininthewind'. We replaced the 27" Sony with a 42" Philips. The new one fit like a glove where the old one resided. It took about two days to get it in place, mounted and anchored securely in place. I had to turn myself into a pretzel to get it accomplished and could only work a couple hours before having to give the 'ol body a rest. Its done and we love it.

We RV'ers being the spoiled retired lot that we are, also like to have a TV outside for watching Nascar on Sunday afternoons so I built a special shelf to store the 27" Sony in the basement and special hanging brackets for it when we desire to use it.

With all of my projects done, at least for awhile, I think I will just kick back with a cold pop and enjoy the outside patio. The weather here in Texas is starting to improve. The 'snowbirds' who waited till after Christmas to leave family up North are arriving in droves. With the weather improving and everyone feeling a bit more like being outside we may yet get a chance to meet some of the 1500 who are in this Park.

Christmas Day 2009 San Benito, Texas

2009-12-26T00:17:56Z

We have been enjoying all the festivities here in the Fun N Sun RV Park in spite of some very windy cool weather. We are missing all our Family and Friends, especially on this day. We had an OK Christmas dinner with about 500 other gray haired folks but sure had memories of those fantastic Christmas Dinners past.

We have a little special message for you all:

Movie

Fun N Sun Resort

2009-12-10T02:12:36Z

In the picture above the 'tininthewind' is sitting pretty just after our arrival at the "Fun N Sun Resort". We were given the choice of six or seven sites and we chose R-169. Our street name is 'Restful'. Just behind us are several streets of permanent sites with different styles of park models and all attractively landscaped with fruit tree's heavily laden with ripening grapefruit and oranges, and of course many varieties of flowers or flowering bushes.

This park offers more activities than either of us care to get involved in but from time to time it will be fun to attend some of the entertainment venues and some of the pot luck gatherings but for the most part we prefer to just relax.

Several things do peak my interest and I plan to take advantage of them. The first is a beautiful pool/jacuzzi area that is open 24/7. The second is a huge exercise center that has the latest equipment and is also open 24/7. We have been here three days and I have used the pool and jacuzzi every day. I got acquainted with the exercise center this evening before going to the pool and I can't wait to get back there tomorrow.

There are wood working shops, carving gatherings, indoor shuffleboard, billiards, RC-electric care race tracks used for practice and competition. There are huge mowed fields near-by for kite flying and a measured driving range. There are other activities and dedicated buildings for those activities but I haven't had time to check them all out.

We have been out and about in the surrounding area and are learning our way around. There is anything and everything one could want within just a few miles of us.

A lady standing near her pick-up loaded with fresh fruit caught my eye this morning so I stopped. Apparently she comes to the Resort every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. She and her husband have their own orchards. I bought 1 bag of Texas Select Pink Grapefruit (picked this morning). There were 16 in the bag and I paid $3.00. I also bought a huge bag of fresh picked oranges for $3.00. There were other produce items but since I was out for a walk I figured one bag under each arm was enough to get us started.

Everywhere you go in the park people are friendly. If they don't verbally great you they at least wave in passing. I have met and had conversations with several people at the pool/jacuzzi area. My favorite question is: "Is this your first year to this park"? I have yet to find anyone who is a newcomer. All have been coming multiple years.

Kathleen and I are going to a "Welcome Newcomers" meeting tomorrow where we will be given a talk on the park and can get any questions we may have answered. There are 1500 "Winter Texan" sites here and it is virtually a city unto itself.

I think we are going to like it here!

Son Scott to Ethiopia

2009-12-04T17:00:15Z

Kathleen and I are fortunate to have two Sons (Scott and Bill) who have been a delight throughout their entire lives but more importantly matured to go on and have such a positive impact on all of society and also to all who know them. Enough standing on the soap box by me, already!

Scott recently was asked, by the Canadian company that builds the Q400 aircraft used by many airlines throughout the world including Horizon Air/Alaska Airlines for whom he teaches and flys, if he would be interested in introducing and teaching the plane to the pilots who will ultimately be flying the eight new ones ordered by Ethiopia Airlines.

Once Scott expressed an interest his current employer Horizon Air gave their blessing to his taking a leave of absence so he could fulfill this consulting roll for the Canadian company who builds the plane.

He is currently in Ethiopia now teaching and working with his students. We are proud of him to say the least. He is writing a blog about his experience and if you have an interest click on the link below to follow along on this adventure:

http://ghostsailors.com/blog-africa/

Scott and his family have lived in the Seattle area aboard "Ghost" their 52' sailboat since 1998. Angela, Scott's wife has maintained a beautiful web-site that tells of their life and its trials and tribulations of raising our two grandchildren on and in a unique setting. If you have an interest in checking out their web-site click on the link below:

www.ghostsailors.com/

Texans for Awhile

2009-11-28T18:32:56Z

We did manage to escape Wisconsin/Iowa and start heading South. Driving with a patch over one eye was a challenge at first but with my handy dandy back seat driver helping with looking to various directions we first made our way to a Casino in Southern Iowa near Osceola. Staying only one night we then headed for Branson, Missouri and stayed right in the heart of the city at one of our membership parks (Coast to Coast). We didn't attend any of the shows but rather chose to just relax and let my eye's rest. We stayed four days and when we left I was actually able to drive without the patch, now using both eye's (major improvement). We spent one night in a non member campground, paying the price, near Little Rock Arkansas before departing for "Secret Cove Resort" along the Cheney Creek Arm of Lake Fork.

"Secret Cove Resort" is just the kind of spot that Kathleen and I always look for if we are going to want to stay for an extended period of time. Remote, quiet, along water, full hook-ups, friendly owners, INTERNET for at least e-mail, good weather, and this little resort did not disappoint. After getting the 'tininthewind' set up I went right to work getting my boat ready. The owner Paul, came over and offered the use of an empty slip inside his private boat house right on the water. There I would have my boat sheltered from any weather and an electrical plug in to recharge my trolling motor. The lake as I had read, held large numbers of trophy bass, so I was feeling like I had found a real gem. I fished every day for a week, catching a few bass but not that big one that is known to be there. Near the end of the first week (we were planning to stay at least three), we experienced a refrigerator failure and had to quickly convert to living out of a couple of cheap coolers.

Calls were made, and we now have an appointment at a Newmar dealer just outside Houston, Texas for Tuesday December 1st to get it fixed or replaced. We are currently at a nice Thousand Trails park about 68 miles North of Houston and will head on in to the city area just before our appointment.

Thousand Trails had a special offer going through the web-site to experience some of the Encore Parks (top shelf) in the Rio Grand Valley (our ultimate destination) and so we have booked a two month stay at "Fun n Sun" RV Resort in San Benito Texas (suburb community of Brownsville) and following that, a one month stay at "Tropic Winds" RV Resort in Harlingen, Texas. From both resorts we will be no more than 40 miles from "South Padre Island". Friends, Bill and Margaret McNew are staying on Padre and we look forward to seeing them.

There is a lot to tell about the two Resorts we have chosen to spend the winter and it will keep me busy blogging about our experiences while there. Kathleen and I both look forward to setting up housekeeping in one spot for an extended period of time. The nic-nac's will come out and we can make things look like Christmas inside and out.

As a side note: my double vision problem continues to improve and I now have about a 90% return to normal. The 10% still affected is to my far left peripheral and that is where and how it all started. I am hoping that it too will clear in another month or so. I am "thankfull"!

Check back to the blog soon as I am going to do a piece about our oldest son, the pilot, Scott who left a few days ago for Ethiopia. He has been hired as a consultant to Ethiopia's National Airline to teach their pilots to fly 8 new Dash 8 400 aircraft, which is the air craft Scott teaches and flyes here in the states.

Fickle Fingers of Fate

2009-11-20T15:47:57Z

It has been some time since my last post to the Blog and we have been getting a lot of e-mail questioning our well-being such as the following from Sharon:

George & Kathleen,

How are you. We look forward to reading your blog each day. I sympathized with Kathleen in regard to her hip surgery before and after as I went through it about 4 yrs. ago. It's amazing how well it works after the recovery period and I certainly don't miss the pre-surgery pain.

My purpose for this memo is that we are concerned that something has happened with our favorite blogger two-some as there has not been a posting for some time now.

Best wishes and a Happy Thanksgiving to you both.

Sharon Keele

Sharon and Jerry,

How nice to hear from you. Kathleen is doing great with her new hip and also grateful to be rid of the pre surgery pain. It was a long summer sitting in La Crosse waiting to get the surgery done and then hanging around for the initial 6 wks after.

One day after her surgeon pronounced her fit to travel we were readying the ‘tininthewind’ for travel when I started seeing double just when I looked to the left. My eye’s were feeling heavy I remember and I told Kathleen it was her turn to go to the walk in clinic and sit and wait for me to get checked out. To preface a bit here-----I had become upset with the blood pressure medicine I had been taking because it made me feel like I was floating all the time so I had stopped taking it.

On arrival at the walking in clinic I was checked first by a nurse who long story short rushed me off to the emergency ward as my blood pressure was sky high. The ER folks were concerned about my seeing double and rushed me off to have a CT scan as they were concerned I might be having a stroke. CT was normal and after several hours and all kinds of blood tests they sent me home with instructions to get back on the BP medicine. I did, but in the next few days like a windshield wiper the double vision progressed to about 80% of my vision field from left to right. I went back in and they sent me to an eye specialist who proclaimed that I was suffering from “6^th nerve palsy” most likely caused by a micro bleed (mini stroke) somewhere in the brain due to the high blood pressure and probably high blood sugar as now they were telling me I was also diabetic. News to me! Within two days of seeing the eye specialist and being told that there was no medicine they could give me to make it go away, the only hope was that in time------I should give it 2 to 3 months and it ‘could’ get better. In that two day time the double vision went complete 100%. If I covered one eye, and it didn’t matter which one, I got rid of the double vision and could even drive, but it was uncomfortable.

Now for some good news!! It is 5 wks since the onset of my eye problem and I am happy to say that about 80% of my vision field has returned to normal. I only have the 20% to the far left (peripheral) that is still double. It seems that each day things have progressively got better so I continue to hope that I will recover 100%.

We left the La Crosse area about a week ago because there was nothing further to be done for me----only to wait it out. When we first left I drove with a patch over one eye but today I am able to drive just fine with both eye’s as long as I turn my head to look left and not rely on my peripheral vision to that side.

We are set up along Fork Lake in Texas at a very remote little Resort with one RV pad. My little boat is in the water and the fish are calling.

We will migrate closer to the Rio Grand Valley as weather and aching joints dictate.

Stay Well, we think of you often. George.

To all of our friends and especially our Blog followers I thank you for expressing your concerns. It was difficult to read and or work at the computer and yes, I admit, I was a bit in the dumps over my situation. Each day shows more progress to my vision returning to normal and I am feeling more like getting back to a normal routine. I should get back to blogging on a regular basis very soon.