Summer +

It looks as if summer might finally be starting. Yesterday was a lovely day. I think they should call the day after Memorial Day the first day of summer.

Eldon my volunteer partner for many years finally called to let me know that he is settled in an assisted-living in San Pedro quite a distance from Santa Monica.
His legs are still a big problem. He is pleased with his situation. He is not too happy with the food. Eldon as always liked his cocktail hour. The report is that they have a happy hour on Sunday. We all miss him.

Memorial Day,2006

Memorial Day at Santa Monica’s Woodlawn Cemetery was an impressive event. The BBQ at the Elks Lodge was just what was needed to finish out the day.

Wayne did a lot of traveling to and from San Bruno on a busy holiday weekend. He was there to help Norma with a new computer setup. Getting on the Internet would be a good idea.

The following is a snapshot Wayne at Crestmoor drive.

Memorial Days

Memorial Day has been celebrated in different ways during my memories. It is always been a day in our family to remember those of the family who have passed on. I do not remember that much emphasis was placed on those who were killed in our wars. Memorial Day parades are mostly a thing of the past. National cemeteries use flags on the graves of those that were part of the military and buried there. Our family usually saw to it that the graves of out departed were cared for and some fresh flowers were there. I cannot say that we always visited the graves of Memorial Day. Many years we have done what a lot of people do, use the day as an outdoor holiday.

Tomorrow I plan to be at The Santa Monica’s Cemetery where they have an impressive military remembrance of those who have died in our wars. The world’s military died did not die for us ... they died because of us. The civilian war-dead should also be given some thought.

Sewing

Check the second blog of yesterday, too.

More than a year ago it was decided that I would no longer use sunscreen. That meant that I needed long sleeve shirts. Sport shirts do not come with long sleeves. That made it necessary to remove the scallops/tales from regular shirts. I have been doing that and adding the slits on the sides to make that resembled sport shirts. Sometimes it was necessary sure shorten the sleeve about an inch in order to finish the tailoring. I have gotten quite good at it and might even be able to qualify for a sweatshop factory making dress shirts..

Susan and Wayne, June 2006

 

Toys

It is no wonder that I am not often board when I review the list of my toys. As I look down the list I notice that they are all high-tech, except the gardening tools. I cannot imagine what life would be like without computer chips.

List of Toys:
Computer
Inside-Outside Electronic Thermometer
Telephone and Answering Machine
Palm Pilot
Electronic Chessboard
Clock Radio
AM/FM Audio Control Center
42” Thin Screen TV
DVD/CD Player
VCR Recorder
Wireless Headset
Portable AM/FM Radio/Cassette Player-Recorder
Segway Human Transporter
Set of Gardening Tools

This day

Things were not always as settled and quiet as I expect it to be here this coming day.

May 26, 1637 The Pequot massacres began (ethnic cleansing)

During the Pequot war, an allied Puritan and Mohegan force under English (future Americans) Captain John Mason attacks a Pequot village in Connecticut, burning and massacring some 500 Indian women, men and children.

Certainly uncertain

The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty, not knowing what comes next.
I am not being pushed to do anything and I am not certain about that. Some things might become certain, breakfast at Saint Johns Medical Center some shopping at The 99 Cent Store, cleaning the birdbaths and putting some water on some of the gardening. I have a couple of good books, The Manhattan Country Doctor and Meditations From A Movable Chair. So you can see that an certain day can be uncertain.

A good day

No real plans except that the plan to recycle a perfectly good DVD player to a new owner. A used and discarded DVD player was repaired and found to be more versatile than the one that was in use. The plan is to advertise on Craigslist at a very low price.

Aircraft

To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything. That is a quote by Otto Lilienthal an early inventor of heavier than air aircraft … gliders. He was born on this day in history in 1848 and died in 1896.
My experience with aircraft started at about 1936 (15) . We had a cow pasture on the edge of town, Goodhue, Minnesota. Small planes would land there and people would gather. Some would pay for a short ride. It was a thrilling experience. Shortly thereafter my father paid for a ride in a Ford tri-motor plane from the airfield in Rochester, Minnesota. The next experience was on Midway Island during the Second World War where I did some radio repairs on Marine fighter aircraft. The next was, starting in 1966, when I went to work for United Airlines. The next six years I was involved in all types of electronic equipment used by the airline, working on the airplanes. The most exciting part of that was going on test flights to determine navigation equipment problems. Sometimes, even making repairs while in flight. In 1972 until I retired in 1981 I worked in the UAL radio shop. Since then Norma and I have a good use of aircraft for our travels.

Some rain +

We are expecting some rain for tonight and tomorrow. It is late in the season for that to be happening in this area.

The Coming Of Age group, there were 10 of them. They restored my confidence in the future in mankind, for the United States, and the world. I have a lot of respect for the younger generation, in spite of all you might hear on the news and from talk. You get a bright picture when you get right down to the listening and sharing ideas with the young.

Birthdays

My sister Marianne and Jyoti my daughter-in-law’s birthday is coming up on May 25. Marianne was born 24 years before Jyoti. I never did have much faith in astrology. I have known Marianne and Jyoti long enough and well enough to know that they are not similar. Does astrology explain such things? They are both great ladies and I am fortunate to have them as part of my life.

Today

The way this day is viewed it would not make an interesting blog. I will not even try.

You, have a good one!

Arthritis

If anyone wishes to be informed about arthritis you might find the book The Arthritis Handbook by Christian Barnard’ formative. This is a full and authentic account of Christian Barnyard’s life with arthritis. He is a world-famous heart transplant specialists that has had rheumatoid arthritis most of his professional life. I do not believe that I have either osteoarthrosis arthritis or rheumatoid. There may be some left over polymilgia rheumatica. Now I feel that if some arthritis happens I will be much better prepared to deal with it.

Breakfast

This Thursday morning is the day that I go to SJMC for breakfast. That consists of scrambled eggs, three slices of bacon, sour dough toast with butter and strawberry jelly and a cup of Starbucks coffee. The cost is about $3.00; coffee is free as it is part of benefits of being a volunteer. All other breakfasts are eaten at home. I will be off for of that breakfast in few minutes.

Dean Kamen

For me, last evening’s World News Hour was most Interesting. Dean Kamen was part of the show. One sequence of the show was about high school students with their competing robots. Kamen is very much interested in teaching children science and was a sponsor of the event. He was there riding his Segway and his stair climbing wheelchair. He is a very interesting man and one of my heroes. If gas prices continue to rise so might the sale of Segways. I noticed that people are taking more of an interest in alternative ways of transportation.

The post offfice

On this date in 1971 the US postal rate for first-class mail went from $.06 to $.08. The post office is now considering raising its $.39 first-class mail to $.42. Most of us do not send much first-class mail. 800 numbers, voicemail, on-line this and that, e-mail and blogs are used by so many. Wouldn’t it be better if they the raise the junk mail rates? The continuing rate raising is encouraging people to use alternative to the post office.

What is a family

Yesterday
What Is The Family was the title of the days of exploration. It was a different way to handle Mother’s Day. A family consists of a mother, father and children. Not all mothers and fathers are capable of having children. The couples that adopted children explained their process. The adopted children showed their gratitude to the mothers who made each other’s life worthwhile. During some of the presentations there was not a dry eye in the congregation. It was a wonderful way to present Mother’s Day.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Happy Mothers Day!

Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get to see the DVD Harrison’s Flowers. It is not a terrible movie. It is just verily okay. You can take a chance on such movies if the rental charge is only $1.99 per week and you cam walk to and from a rental store

The Cottage

This four-unit complex looks much better. The painters were here all week repainting the trim. The white paint on the trim was in poor condition. The four tenants all think that we have good management. Management thanks mostly about the bottom line and ours is not much different. They are quick about their follow up of complaints. This unit feels like home and me.

New blog address

I hope that all will be able to make use of this new blog. The name is a shorting of Russell Elias (russelias). Thinking, Steven Elias could be stevelias, and
Wayne Elias could be waynelias. They might be suitable for e-mails and other uses. The suggestions for Paul and Lisa do not come to mind, yet.

Enjoy our bloging.