Beautiful and Delicious Cakes

My daughter Jackie brought this cake site to my attention.

Jenny and Kat have developed their own unique art form.

Unfortunately, the cakes are not really available outside of Utah, but if you like to look at lovely creations, then it is well worth your while to visit
this site. <~~~ link

A Special Lady

This is my good friend Patricia Rousculp.

Next month will be 81 years since she was born.

In spite of her age, she has maintained a schedule that would wear me to a frazzle. An avid sports fan, she has followed the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Reds for years. She has golfed at every opportunity. She has been a volunteer for FISH, Needy Baskets, the Clothesline, all of which benefitted the needy folks in our area. She has been, for a number of years, an election official, and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Red Hat Society. She is a charter member of the Tipp City Players where she was head of wardrobe for many years and a vereran of the stage. Other volunteer activities throughout her lifetime are too numerous to mention.

Once, since she had never had any, and was brave enough to try it, my other friend Pat and I went to her home and made her some grits, country ham, and red eye gravy. She loved it, and wanted more. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to do it again.

She was a member of Pulmonary Rehab with me and loved by patients and staff alike.

Pat went into the hospital with acute appendicitis a couple of weeks ago, and had an appendectomy. While in the hospital, she had a heart attack, and then a stroke.

Pat passed away last week.

The world is a sadder place today.

God bless you, Pat. You are sorely missed.

The Secret to a Long, Long, Life??

Henry Alleningham 6 June 1896–18 July 2009

Henry became the world's oldest man earlier this year when the previous record holder died. He attributed his longevity to "whiskey, cigarettes, and wild, wild, women."

If that's the case, I'm glad I calmed down some years back. Otherwise I may have lived forever. I'm decrepit enough in my late 60s, as it is.

Henry was a veteran of World War 1.

Catfishing

My Grandson Googie saw pictures of a catfish that I posted in my previous blog, and decided he could catfish, too.

Who knows? Perhaps he will grow up to be a fisherman, too. There are worse things he could be, I guess.

From One Extreme to Another

This really is a Big Mouth Bass that Pat caught a few weeks ago. Of course, she threw it back to grow some more.

This week, she caught this catfish.


The guy is Dave. His wife, Karen, and he were kind enough to invite us to fish at their pond that is stocked with Bass and Catfish. We also caught another Catfish, and several large Bass. Thanks a lot, Karen and Dave.

Pat and Russell taught me to skin catfish, so we skinned and filleted this one and he is in the freezer. We will eat him soon.

As you can see, the fish is twice as long as my rather large foot. :)

Our new GodPuppy

Our Friends Pat and Russell got a new puppy. Half German Shepherd and half Yellow Lab. It's going to be a big one when it's grown, I think.

Marsha's boss loves yellow labs. She has one, actually, so Marsha emailed her a picture of Pat and Russell's new addition and referred to it as our "GodPuppy".
Nothing would do but that Pat take it to work and introduce it to Marsha's boss, who seemed to love it.







Pat probably loves the pup more than she does her children.

Russell has his own ideas about it.

It really is a sweet dog, though, playful

and extremely friendly. Marsha and I wish Pat and Russell much happiness with young Jake.

I Really Am A Grandfather!!

Actually, I've been a grandfather for a number of years. Seven, to be exact, but for one reason or another I never met my grandkids. Never, that is, until this past Tuesday, June 9, when I was finally able to meet 3 of the 4 grandsons.

This week, my daughter, Jackie, and her companion Josh loaded their 4 kids and themselves on a plane and flew from way out west to PA to visit family. Personally, I can't imagine four kids age 7 to 2 on a plane, but Jackie and Josh said they had absolutely no trouble with them. Amazing!

I had the opportunity to drive from Ohio to PA to spend a bit of long overdue time with them.

I have been described by my friends, variously, as being bubbly, cheerful, happy, and having a twinkle in my eye since I returned. My wife, Marsha, who is not normally given to poetic turns of phrase said that I looked like I was floating on a cloud of happiness. I don't know about all that, but the trip was well worth making, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity.

I really hate posting pictures of myself since I have gotten so fat and ugly in the past few years, but here are a couple to share with those of you that might be interested.
From left to right: Jordan, Jacob, and Jadon. Jacob is squirming around trying to get down. He is an active boy....full of life.... after a somewhat rocky start.
This is Jackie and Josh. This was my first meeting with my son-in-law. He's quite a nice guy.
Finally...here is a picture of Jackie's feet taken by Jordan. :)

The boys have an uncle named Matt, and not being quite sure who I am, even though Jackie introduced me as her daddy, they referred to me as "Old Matt." Oh, well...that works for me!

Joe's Double Lung Transplant

This is Joe Martin, 41, who attends Pulmonary Rehab with me and has Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Or did. I'm not sure if he still has it or not, because just a few weeks ago Joe had a double lung transplant.
There are five million people worldwide that are affected by this disease. In the United States there are over 200,000 patients with Pulmonary Fibrosis. As a consequence of misdiagnosis the actual numbers may be significantly higher. Of these more than 40,000 expire annually. This is the same as die from Breast Cancer. Typically, patients are in their forties and fifties when diagnosed. However, diagnoses have ranged from age seven to the eighties. Current research indicates that many infants are afflicted by Pediatric Interstitial Lung Disease. At this time there is limited data on prevalence for this group.
Symptons of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis include:

Shortness of breath, particularly with exertion, Chronic dry, hacking cough, Fatigue and weakness, Discomfort in the chest, Loss of appetite, Rapid weight loss.

While the exact cause remains unknown, associations have been made with the following:

Inhaled environmental and occupational pollutants, Cigarette smoking, Diseases such as Scleroderma, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus and Sarcoidosis, Certain medications,Therapeutic radiation

Because the origin and development of the disease is not completely understood, misdiagnosis is common. Varying terminology and lack of standard diagnostic criteria have complicated the gathering of accurate statistics about people with pulmonary fibrosis. Supplemental oxygen improves the quality of life and exercise capacity. Single lung transplant may be considered for some patients. Pulmonary Fibrosis is a very complex disease and the prediction of longevity of patients after diagnosis vary greatly. Joe lost a sister when she was 4 years old, a brother who was a teen ager, and his mother at a very young age to this terrible disease.
After Joe returned from the Cleveland Clinic where he had his transplant, there was a benefit given for him to help him meet some of the astronomical costs associated with the surgery.
The community seemed to really support Joe and his family and turned out in great numbers for this benefit. There was somewhat over $15,000.00 raised, I believe, which while not enough, was, I'm sure, quite helpful.

Below are a few pictures of the event.

This is the Piqua High School Show Choir. A wonderfully talented group of kids. They gave a purely professional performance. I've never seen a group of kids this age that are so talented. Some of the Pulmonary Rehab folks that attended are as follows:

This is Karen and Dave. Dave said I made him look ugly in the picture....Sorry Dave. It wasn't me, bud. It was someone much more powerful than me.



Here is Dave again...the guy's a real camera hog....with Mary Heft, former Manager of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab, and Carol, a retired Respiratory Therapist.
Here's another one of dave...we just can't seem to get rid of this guy... with some of the other fine folks associated with Pulmonary Rehab at Upper Valley Medical Center.
Finally, here is your's truly with the two loveliest ladies at the event...Pat and Elaine...a Registered Respiratory Therapist, and a Registered Nurse, respectively.

P.S. Just teasing about Dave, of course. Dave is a nice guy with a great wit and sense of humor. See you at Rehab, Dave.

I Guess I Look Like An Idiot To People That I'm Not Married To, Too. :)

I received this wholly unsolicited offer of a business proposal....an unobscured business proposal at that, whatever that is....from the Peoples Bank of China, using what appears to be a German return email. I guess they heard I like Mandarin Oranges and Saurkraut. (I promise that I don't eat them together, though.)

From: Mr. Wang Hongzhang (abt.rhabanus@schweiklberg.de)
Sent: Thu 6/04/09 5:57 PM
To: wang1954@hdrmut.net

Hello, I am Mr.Wang HongZhang,Chief Disciplinary Officer,People's Bank of China(PBC).I have an obscured business proposal for you.Please reply ifinterested.

Kind Regards,

Wang HongZhang

I wonder if I should reply?

First Time Out In The Boat This Year

We finally got out in the boat this year. Caught about 30 fish. Most of them are cleaned and in the freezer now. Mostly fairly small Crappie.

We went to a series of small intra-connected lakes close to our home.

When we get tired of fishing in one lake, we can go through one of the channels into another lake.

It was a pretty enjoyable day. I caught one pretty good sized one. I am going to post the picture, although I have studiously avoided posting many pictures of myself because I look so darned old and fat.