Good morning, everyone. All good here. Weather looks good most of the week. 

Enjoy

Good morning Sensational Friends~
Ernie sent me a message on Facebook. He is not able to reach the Forum website today.

The sun is shining bright and it is going to be another warm day.

I had a busy weekend watching Bronwen ~ a four year old can keep one very busy!

Enjoy this smoke free day!  

Good morning Susan, Kitty, Paul, and all.  Not sure what happened with forum yesterday morning.

Here, just said "page not found".  First I ever got that but could have just been here.  Maybe something

going on with page maintenance.  I was a little concerned the forum was gone forever. 

Glad everyone is doing well, I keep seeing that depression is common with the changing of the seasons.

Nice picture of Bronwen.  I envy you, my youngest grand is 10, others are teens.  Was a magical time with

young grands.  Looks like she is on a dock, same as the picture I loaded of my granddaughter couple days

ago, and probably both on a lake.  One of my grandsons might go to a hamfest Saturday about 50 - 60

miles away, a get together, radio - antenna - stuff for amateur radio.  Lots involved with ham radio, something

for everyone.  Testing for people to move up to a more advanced license at hamfests also.

I was awake at 3:30 this morning and had enough sleep.  Pups started whining, I got out here before wife woke 

and got up.  They just wanted to get out of their kennel and sleep on the sofa.  It's getting common.  Probably

because one of them gets put in there or they both get put outdoors when their playing rough gets more like

fighting.

We are at 78 today, then 60s tomorrow, then 50s Thursday.  Hope it settles next week, then will ride my

bike down to the PA farm to take care of problems down south. 

Got the new squirrel cage fan for my 2 meter amplifier yesterday and installed it.  Henry Radio was right,

it fit in their amp, just barely.  About a quarter inch from the circuit breaker terminals and the back of the motor

against the side of the chassis.  The amp was used for a paging system before so the fan probably ran continous

for 20 or 30 years, fan just wore out and the original is obsolete. 

Was at my daughters yesterday to take care of her garbage and saw that she has branches against her garage roof

destroying it so need to take the chain saw over and cut them away same as I did in PA.  At least daughters is a

standard one story garage and I don't need to go up very high. 

Got my 6 month blood test yesterday morning.  Glad I got there 6:45 AM, about 20 - 30 people lined up behind me

before 7.  Most likely A1C will be the only interest to me, since I got my weight down around 150 I don't have problems

with blood cells or beginning kidney problems.  Things that most diabetics have.  A1C is the average of my Glucose

level for the past 90 days and isn't just a spot check in the morning like my home test.  So hope it isn't too bad.

I did have that kidney reading 51 to 59 at one time so had to start working on that but gone in the past now, GFR or

something like that.  My brother is at 30 and has a kidney specialist but most likely he won't do anything to improve

the condition.  He's one step from dialysis and 100 pounds overweight.  At least he's taking the meds the doctor

prescribes. 

Have a great day all, Fall is on our door step. 

Ernie

Granddaughter doing a large water balloon slingshot years ago. 

Dear Ernie, Paul and Kitty....and who lurk about?

What a cool picture of a slingshot.....not sure I ever knew of that game.  Yes, grandchildren are indeed a blessing.  I wonder now how I handled two daughters (5-1/2 years apart) when I am so done in by this precious Bronwen (age 4-3/4 as she likes to say).  She's cute and ever so bright.  She knows things that I never in a million years knew).  She is a reason to keep on keepin on.......

Hot and humid.  The weather I dislike the most.  I can tell it's so humid because walking and breathing.  I managed to get myself to the gym today.  It's rather odd......no management personnel there.....a code in fob...Wonder what would happen if a person became distressed with no one there?   I managed to ride the bike for 30 minutes and walk for 15 but not very fast.  I have to watch my respiratory numbers.......  it's a beginning.  I may alternate that with my yoga class.   Need to keep in shape like Ernie does!

Storms coming tonight.  I will welcome with open arms 60 degrees!!!!!

Dear Kitty,

I should probably know the answer to this question or I should google it......  The seasons change earlier (trees etc) to our North, correct?   Our peak season is usually mid October.   

Managed to get to the gym today on this hot and humid day.  Now, a trip to Lowe's for home needs.  LOL

(commode seat, Wet it and Forget it for the condo)....  LOL

Life is Good

Susan

Good evening, all.

Yes, Susan that is my impression. The trees change colors earlier in Canada, then New England, versus NY. I'm not sure how much earlier. We have lots of geese in the parks near me. I guess they eventually fly back north, though they seem too heavy to do that.  

We have lots of Canadian Honkers ~ if that is what you mean by geese~ by our ponds here in the suburbs!  For several years, I have had a pair of mallards who would visit my bird feeder each evening. I have not seen them this year so they must have moved on….

You are aware of what sporting and hunting dog breeds like to roll in….. Mother Nature at her finest… let’s absorb the scent of the geese or ducks and then a hunting we will go!!!!  

On that note….. my sporting dog, Finn 

Good morning Susan, Kitty, Paul, and all.  I woke to thunder and the sky flashing but the storm was a

slight distance away.  Was ready to go turn off my antenna switches but see the radar on here and seems

we have no more coming.  

Susan, I think the grandchildren time is so beautiful.  Much more beautiful than I had expected.  Comes

with worries and concerns to though.  My granddaughter is in college and married.  For some reason I

woke this morning worried about her future, maybe she was in a dream.  I haven't remembered a dream

for a decade or two. 

I don't think I would stay fit if not for diabetes, diet and exercise dominate my thoughts every day.  It's such

a pain and after the stop smoking thing.  I get a constant reminder of how bad diabetes can get when I see

my brother addicted to eating, bad legs, feet, clumsy hands and arms, bad eyesight, and his mini stroke.  I

might have left something out.  He married a woman 20 years older and she's bedridden now, almost.  He

gets very frustrated he doesn't want to move when she needs something and she blows up at people when

they're trying to help her.  Every time I hear him talking on ham radio, I can hear his phone ringing to come

help her.  They both could do more for themselves but choose to be needy.  I don't understand it but I haven't

been there yet.  I want to be of help to my family as long as I can, not a burden. 

I didn't do as well in my blood tests this time but just barely missing the mark.  Most would laugh that I have a

concern.  I'll do better on the next one, gathering my resolve now.  Once I got an A1C of 5.7, where you probably

are but it's so impossible to get back there.  Can't ever let up any minute of any day.  I started taking Turmeric

Root caplets and it seems to be reducing my glucose readings for the week I've been taking it.  Also, started

chewing on cinnamon sticks when I feel like chewing on a snack.  Cinnamon reduces glucose for a short time. 

At least when we stop smoking we can let it drift away from our minds as long as we don't let the actual addition

back into our lives.  Diabetes, I have to work at it every day for the duration.

I got my antenna rotor back together right with the help of a video on youtube.  It's a lot to get everything in sync

during reassembly.  Started getting my antenna ready to raise back up into the air.  Lucky I have a pulley and the

backhoe to help raise it up into place now. 

Have a great day all.

Ernie

Granddaughter helping her little brother on his first day of school.

Dear Ernie,

I so admire your tenacity in keeping your blood sugar in check.  Growing older is not for sissies. That’s not my original thought by the way!

I went to the gym (free to those on Reward). I rode the bike and did the treadmill. I constantly monitor my respiration rate as it drops with exercise.  It’s a beginning. I have tried to lose the added ten pounds to no avail.  I get discouraged about it as I eat very healthy…..just difficult.  My vice is two glasses of red wine in the evening!

So, who said.  Keep on keepin on????  Why do I think Charlie?  
 

It’s 60 some degrees. Fresh, cool air!  Wonderful

My 16 year old grandson. A sophomore in high school. I raised two daughters ~ I don’t understand boys!!!   
 

sorry, can’t get picture to flip!!!!!

Good morning Susan.  I don't check my respiration, guess it's ok.  Dr listens to my lungs with a

stethoscope every 6 months, that's about it.  He says ok, they say they can barely hear heart murmur

now.  I don't have any breathing problems.  I breath hard when I hurry up hill through the field

trying to get the pups up into the wood before they go so I don't clean it up.  I wear Army boots so

the two pups don't twist my ankle or something, one is over 60 pounds and the other over 50.

There aren't many choices for a diabetic.  If I take the synthetic meds from prescription now I will

get closer and closer to having to inject insulin sooner.  If I can keep my glucose down with diet and

exercise, along with the Turmeric Root I just started taking the insulin is further out in my future.

This is not to mention the disabling effects yo get when you go down hill, not a good life style. 

It was very difficult, almost impossible, for me to lose the 30 pounds, about 18% think it was to 

get diabetes into remission.  It's hard to stay here also. 

I have to start taking retirement savings out next year to help my granddaughter with tuition and

books for college and the stock market just can't recover.  Now they're saying recession next year.

I think it's a privilege for me to help her but I like advantages.  The savings belongs to wife and I.

Maybe someone else across the family will help some but doubt it.  It's more than 10 times what

it cost me to go to college, gone up faster than the prices of cars.  Her books were inexpensive for

the first semester, surprised me there. 

We raised two daughters also Susan and I also have a harder time understanding and being friends

with grandsons.  One or both of them are supposed to go to the ham radio sale - get together tomorrow

but often they decide not to go, granddaughter always went.  Granddaughter and I spent thousands of

days together while she was growing but not so with grandsons.  They are some interested in electronics

and video games.  Their father played video games most of the time he was home so they picked it up but

many of that generation love video games without help from their father. 

I've started closing the pool because the rain showers are a pain for antenna work.  I would like it to be up

at 70 but in the 50s today.  Leaves are falling into the pool and pine needles have started, they cause it to

get algae.  We like to keep the pool open an extra month, it's a little cost to keep the pump running every

day but the pool is only about 10 feet from the sliding door and is a nice view. 

I have a grandson teen that looks almost like yours but not sure how recent pictures have of him on this PC.

My grand-kids birthdays are Aug. Sept. Oct.  Our other daughter had a bad stroke at age 24 and she's afraid

to have kids, looks like it's cost her a failed marriage now, very sad for all of us.  There's no history of young

age strokes in our families that I know of.  I was the youngest in our family so I know less than my wife does

about hers, she was the oldest.  I don't even remember having a conversation with the only grandparent I

met.  My oldest brother says he didn't think she liked kids because he doesn't think she talked to him either.

I like to mix Cinnamon Gin with apple cider but it's bad for diabetes and apple cider only lasts few months in

the Fall so most years I let it go by.  Have to get cider from the markets that don't flood it with preservatives.

Have no plans on getting any this Fall, have to work harder on diabetes.  Expensive even at the Farmer's Market

for Cinnamon Gin which is the only place that sells it I think. 

Glad you are enjoying the cooler temps.  Hope all are doing well.

Ernie

Grandsons last February.