marlen

THANKS MAGGIE FOR THE KIND WORDS. AND PAM, IF YOU WROTE ABOUT RETIREMENT, I PROBABLY READ IT AND DUE TO MY SENIORITY, JUST FORGOT.

SEE WHY I HAD TO RETIRE? MEMORY PHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHT!

MARTY

KIM,

DID YOU PLAY HER A RECORDING OF DONALD TRUMP SAYING "YOU'RE FIRED? BAD HELP IS WORSE THAN NO HELP AT ALL. I HAD THAT IN OUTPATIENT REHAB FOR A WHILE, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BAD IT WAS UNTIL MY WIFE WENT TO A SESSION WITH ME. THE WHOLE GROUP SUCKED.

BEST WISHES,

MARTY

GEE GARY, I GOT SUCKED IN. YOU COULD HAVE THROWN IN ONE SENTENCE ON MATING.

LIVING IN THE WOODS I WAKE UP TO THE SOUND OF THE BIRDS, MANY BIRDS, EVERY MORNING. WHAT WONDERFUL MUSIC THEY PROVIDE. THERE ARE 10 BIRD HOUSES IN THE YARD, BUT THE MOST FASCINATING IS THE ONE OUTSIDE THE KITCHEN WINDOW. THE HUMMING BIRDS REALLY KEEP THEMSELVES BUSY.

WE ALSO HAVE MANY DEER. YESTERDAY, WE GOT TREATED TO A NEW FAWN MAKING ITS APPEARANCE. AIN'T LIFE GRAND?

MARTY

HI KIM,

IT'S ALWAYS TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK. LIFE WAS LIKE THAT BEFORE THE STROKE HIT ME. NOW I JUST TAKE THE SET BACKS IN STRIDE AND STAY POSITIVE. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO ?

MARTY

PAM,

SOMETIMES I JUST "PUT ON A HAPPY FACE'. THEN I START TO BELIEVE I'M HAPPY, SO MY DEMEANOR CHANGES. LIKE YESTERDAY, AFTER BEING DOG-TIRED, MY GRANDSON ASKED ME WHY THE LOBSTER WOULDN'T SHARE HIS FRENCH FRIES? BECAUSE HE'S SHELLFISH. OK, HE'S ONLY SIX.

MARTY

CLARK,

THE DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY PUT ME ON PAXIL BEFORE EVALUATING MY MOODS. NOW I'VE ALWAYS BEEN UPBEAT, WITH JUST A FEW PERIODS OF DEPRESSION WHICH I SEEM TO BE ABLE TO OVERCOME. MAYBE THE RIGHT MEDICATION WOULD HELP. I'D LIKE TO WEAN MYSELF OFF THE MEDICATION, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EFFECT IT WOULD HAVE.

I WAS FORCED INTO RETIREMENT LONG BEFORE I WANTED TO BE. THAT WAS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW, BUT I FOUND MANY NEW AVENUES TO KEEP ME OCCUPIED. MY FAMILY WON'T LET ME BE DEPRESSED, SO I WON'T BE.

LOOK FOR THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE. IT'S OUT THERE.

MARTY

HEY STAN,

YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE ALIVE. YOU SHOULD MAKE #5 ON YOUR LIST #1. YOU CAN'T HAVE THE OTHER 9 WITHOUT IT.

THE SUN IS SHINING, EVERYTHING IS IN FULL BLOOM, AND I'M OFF TO WATER REHAB. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KEEP SMILING,

MARTY

GOOD FOR CHRIS. GOOD FOR BOTH OF YOU. REMINDS ME OF MY SECOND DAY IN THE HOSPITAL. LEFT SIDE KAPUT, I'M LYING IN BED AND TWO THERAPISTS COME IN THE ROOM AND SAY "TIME TO GET UP". I ASKED IF THEY WERE CRAZY? THEN THEY WALKED ME DOWN THE HALL, ONE HOLDING MY ARM AND THE SECOND FOLLOWING WITH A WHEELCHAIR. THEY DID THIS TWICE A DAY UNTIL I WENT TO REHAB.

NOW THINGS WILL REALLY BEGIN TO MOVE AHEAD. JUST TAKES A GOOD THERAPIST AND A WILLING PATIENT.

MARTY

AMY,

I GO GROCERY SHOPPING WITH MY WIFE EVERY WEEK, BECAUSE SHE FORGETS THE LIST AND I REMEMBER WHAT WE NEED. I PUSH THE CART, UNLOAD IT AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER (SHE'S BUSY READING THE MAGAZINES), LOAD AND UNLOAD THE CAR. ONE TIME I LEFT HER READING THE MAGAZINES, LOADED THE CAR, THEN WENT BACK TO THE HARDWARE DEPARTMENT. SCARED THE HELL OUT OF HER. HASN'T CHANGED HER HABIT THOUGH. I JUST CONSIDER THE WHOLE THING AS THERAPY.

MARTY

MICHAEL,

LOVED IT!

MARTY

THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU GO TO THE AIRPORT, THEY CALL IT TERMINAL PARKING. YOU MAY NOT RETURN.

MARTY

UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MARTY

KIM

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WOULD BE A "CHEAP" DINNER DATE.

PAM,

I'VE NEVER SEEN A HYBRID SNAKE (ONE THAT RUNS ON GASOLINE AND BATTERY). SEND IT OVER. COULD BE A MONEY MAKER.

MARTY

HI KIM,

RUNNING ON ADRENALINE ISN'T HEALTHY. IT'S WHAT I DO MOST OF THE TIME BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HAD 8 HOURS SLEEP SINCE I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN. AS I RELATED BEFORE, I'M GOING FOR SLEEP TESTING JULY 8 AND JULY 15 BECAUSE THE NEUROLOGIST IS CONCERNED. ME TOO.

I STILL THINK I REMEMBER WHEN I USED TO WAKE MY WIFE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. IT'S ROUGH ON EVERYBODY. HOPE TOMORROW BRINGS A RAY OF SUNSHINE.

MARTY

DUH, TANKS FOR THE KIND WOIDS.

ACTUALLY I'M FLATTERED TO MAKE ANY LIST.

MARTY

PERFECTLY NORMAL. I GET FATIGUED EVERY SO OFTEN, AND NEED TO TAKE A NAP. WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAMINA WE USED TO HAVE.

MARTY

THE BEST FLAVOR COMES WHEN THEY'RE FINISHED OFF ON THE GRILL. THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTIONS.

MARTY

BAKED/GRILLED POTATOES.

BAKE ANY NUMBER AND SIMILAR SIZE OF RED POTATOES IN THE MICROWAVE UNTIL ALMOST DONE.

CUT IN HALF AND RUB ALL WITH OLIVE OIL*. ON THE "WHITE" SPRINKLE SALT (LIGHTLY). OREGANO AND PAPRIKA.

PLACE A SHEET OF ALUMINUM FOIL ON THE GRILL AND PUT THE POTATOES ON SKIN SIDE DOWN SKIN SIDE DOWN. COOK FOR 3-5 MINUTES. TURN THE POTATOES OVER AND COOK ANOTHER 7-10 MINUTES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN.

GIVES A BAKED POTATO A GREAT FLAVOR

*IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE BUTTER OR MARGERINE ON THE "WHITE"

IT"S 2:30AM AND THE CAKE MAKER IS SOUND ASLEEP.I'D BE COMMITTING SUICIDE IF I WOKE HER UP.

PHYL,

I DON'T WORK ANYMORE, BUT I FIND THAT IF MY MIND IS ON OVERLOAD, I TEND TO FORGET SOMETHING. I JUST CALL IT A SENIOR MOMENT. ONE TIME JUST OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, I FASTED FROM 7PM WED. FOR BLOOD TESTS TO BE TAKEN AT 10:30 AM THURS.

BOY WAS I HUNGRY!

WHEN MY WIFE SAID IT WAS TIME TO GO, I CLIMBED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE DENTIST'S OFFICE . I TOO, HAD THE DAYS MIXED UP.

MARTY

KIM,

AGE IS ONLY MEASURE OF TIME. MY FAVORITE LINE COMES FROM GROUCHO MARX, " YOU'RE ONLY AS OLD AS THE GIRL YOU FEEL".

I'LL GIVE YOU A HEAD START IF YOU REALLY WANT TO RUN. BY THE WAY, I USED TO DRINK ABSOLUT ON THE ROCKS. IT'S ACTUALLY FUN BEING SOBER WITH SOMEBODY.

MARTY

PAM,

INVITE A COUPLE UNCLES OVER TO KEEP THE ANTS BUSY. THEY WON'T BOTHER YOU.

MARTY

OK KIM, IT'S 78 AND SUNNY, NO HUMIDITY. PERFECT FOR PUTTING A BLANKET ON THE BEACH, HAVING AN ICED TEA (IF I DRANK BOOZE, WITH ALL MY MEDS, I'D BE HORNY), JUST LETTING NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE. THEN THE CHALLENGE BEGINS. TRYING TO STAND UP ON THE SAND. OH WELL, ONCE DOWN, WE JUST STAY DOWN. WHAT A PICTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MARTY

KIM,

SO NICE TO READ ABOUT CHRIS' GOOD DAYS AND ACHIEVEMENTS. SOME PEOPLE GO FAR AND BEYOND IN THEIR JOBS AND IT'S REFLECTED IN EVERYONE'S ATTITUDE.

I TOLD THIS A WHILE AGO, BUT IT'S WORTH REPEATING. I SIGNED UP FOR WATER THERAPY CLASS OVER A YEAR AGO. JUDY LED THE CLASS AND TOOK ME UNDER HER WING. SHE STAYED WITH ME UNTIL I LEARNED THE EXERCISES AND MADE SURE I WAS ALWAYS SAFE IN THE WATER. SHE TREATS ALL NEW PARTICIPANTS THE SAME WAY. NOW JUDY IS 62, STONE DEAF, AND HAS A HOST OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS. SHE SMILES ALL THE TIME, AND GETS VERY CONCERNED IF YOU MISS A CLASS. SHE HAS 4 CLASSES, 1 HOUR EACH, 3 DAYS A WEEK, ALL THIS FOR $7/HR. EACH CLASS IS LIKE HER FAMILY.

THE DAYS GET BETTER AND BETTER. AS FAR AS SLEEPING, LOOK WHO'S WRITING TO YOU AT 2AM. THE KING OF INSOMNIACS.

MARTY

KIM,

NOW I'M GETTING BLAMED FOR WHAT'S RUNNING THROUGH YOUR MIND? OK, CATCH THE FIRST PLANE UP HERE. MY COMPUTER IS STARTING TO MELT!!!!!!!!!!!!

MARTY

BOY, IMAGINE WHAT GUESTS MUST THINK WHEN THEY VISIT THIS SITE. DO WE CARE?

I TRUST THIS NEUROLOGIST, AND I DID NOT INQUIRE ABOUT RADIATION. HE NEEDS THE RESULTS TO SEE WHY AND WHERE I AM NOW. IF I HOLD A LIGHT BULB AND IT LIGHTS UP, I GUESS I'VE HAD TOO MUCH.

MARTY