tdehaas

Hey ruthie It sure does make a huge difference to have a supportive partner and family during the rehab/recovery from a major health problem.. seems to make the physical aspects of the recovery much more productive. Speaking of being fortunate, my wife is now the sole breadwinner which makes things real tough on her. hopefully that will change a little as I try to pick up some slack with an increase of my efforts in self employment. It nice to see you and DH are also conservationists. Tom

Hey Ruth I've lived in the east, midwest and west and IMHO it seems the further west you go the more friendlier people get .. however I'm biased..my first wife was from New Yark. I don't want to generalize too much .. we have east coast folks on board I do agree though ..as much as I tease about Texans, they are very friendly down there.. Tom

Hi Ruthie.. I'll second Jean's emotion ..I can apprecciate the cultural shock you must've experienced moving(being)from Maryland and going to Texas. I'm an Okie by birth so I know some of them longhorns and aggies....strange folks. Although in my youth, I always enjoyed road tripping to big D and partying down on Commerce and of course going to the Cotton bowl for concerts and football. ..like a lot of other places Texas and Okahoma lives for Footbal, all kinds. Cheers Tom

wb Tom

Congrats Yeah Denny I'am with Phyl..post a pix in gallery if possible Tom

Forgive Sandy for getting a good chuckle from the mealy bug episode.. I have a warped sense of humor and a great imagination....to have been a fly on the wall. I am sure it was good that John was at work and not within arms length especially if there are kitchen knives on the counter.. .. You might be doing your blog from Rikers.. Had it been my wife who made that discovery and i walked into the room at the time..I would have been wearing the bisquick like a sort of Al Jolson reverse white face We actually had pancakes for dinner the other night in a fit of sweet tooth and b/c we hadn't done our shopping for a while.. I'll be thinking of you next time i viisit IHOP Cheers Tom PS..Oh I forgot..Have good one in DC this weekend....represent..

Hi Janice. I forget you're from Iowa..j/k. I haven't started a blog yet .. i do plan to in the near future....blogs are great.. you're able to throw out your thoughts to the world.... anything you wish to say . others can read it and maybe some will respond to what you have to say .... when i do blog hopefully you'll take the time to read what i have to say and if it strikes you, maybe you'll have a comment..i hope what i have to say provokes others to comment I was reading your blog.as i do most everyone's here..and something struck me at the time.. because American history and politics is something i enjoy and read about a lot .. i have a tendency to read those subjects into most everything people say or do.... in reading this blog.. I found it unusually ironic that two of the women you mention you most admire are both big public advocates of stem cell research..a subject that I brought up, not you. and also an issue that is in direct opposition with the right to life. I'm sure that was the furthest thing from your mind as you were blogging..but that's was caught my attention and brought about my remarks.I am sorry if it offended you. By the way my signature is meant as a joke and to be provocative..HOWEVER i am an American Indian whose immediate (1880s) ancestors (Otoe-Missouria/Ioway) were forceably removed from present day Nebraska and Iowa to Oklahoma. Eventually we were paid pennies/acre for our Iowa land....you got some you want to sell back.. Tom (Rezdog)

Great list Janice.. i have to admit that i got a liitle kick out of it..One thing i've learned over the years .. .is that when someone says .' it's not about something or another.. then it generally is.. in this case.. there is a lot of poliitical matter here.. i.e.religion.. right to life/choice..stem cell research advocacy and women's rights.. i know that's not where you were going.. but it's funny how politics creeps in everywhere.. Tom Glad to see you're feeling better Oh and by the way... the "west' wasn't unknown back then..there were a lot of people living out there..

Hey You Snap out of it !

About 35 years ago..i visited/lived with a family in Mexico City for over a month.. this was the family of a young man my mother befriended while working in a large hotel in Tulsa, OK.. i was kinda on an unofficial exchange program. While there i became attracted to one of his nieces.. who was was my age.. In my home in 1970 if i ran into someone like her i would have asked her out on a date or something....to a movie etc.. without thinking anything about it.. I told my host, my mom's friend's brother, about my wish to see their neice on a "date". where upon he told me it was proper that i had to ask her father's permision for such an thing.. I was stunned.. couldn't believe it.. but since i was in 'Rome' then i did what was necessary.. I bet this protocol since exist today there and in some places in the USA.. makes for a better situation don't you think?

If you're headed south and staying until Monday, hope you've packed an umbrella and waterproof sleeping bag..looks like a strorm's brewing your way..Good Luck tom

Hi VM I've been following your struggles with your employer and i know you postings for the most part are an effort to seek moral suport from our communitty and not advice oer se. And since I'm not a lawyer i can't help in that vein anyway. However i have a couple of observations... In my experience with Unions over the years from both sides of the fence and currently my wife is a Union member, i have found most to be fairly aggressive in support of their membership.. particurlarly in these kind of instances. I don't know all the details here but when you say they grilled you neuro. and that the doctor lied about your abilities.. no one was grilling him/her as to any contradictions. union rep seems lame here. i'm sure you're limited within the bounds of arbitration but after the decision in reached and if you aren't satisfied can you seek legal representation of your own? I' hope with my comments I'm not adding to your frustration. cause i know not stressful this all can be... I wish you good luck in dealing with theses folks. It's too bad people won't just do the right thing.. i will think of you in my prayers to the creator. Tom

Not sure about the quality issue.. sounds like more propaganda/bs from this administration.. but i did hear/read about Canada drying up for US buyers.

Hey sandy..enjoyed the riff..Hooray for another demo aboard.. glad that ur not a member of any organized political party. look forward to the next 93 entries on your list.. btw me and wife are big dog people.. currently fighting my golden for alpha position.. Cheers Tom

I saw ELVIS on TV pumping gas in Birmingham . go let him check out your new duds.. Thank you.. thank you very much.. Tom

beat me to it Jean.

To me it's all about acceptance and not wanting to be identified or singled out for your disability, which for a stroke survivor, many times takes the physical form of being uncoordinated, awkward, or even "spastic". remember as a kid and kids are the worse about teasing or making fun of someone different, whether it was the way someone walked, looked , spoke or dressed for that matter.. Survivors of cancer, heart surgery, etc.. don't normally bear those physical handicaps. So there is sometimes a misguided shame about stroke that our society and culture helps create in our minds. Along the same lines as the "shame" of being unfit, overweight, or unathletic. Tom

Hi Pam.. reading your blog has me wondering about my creativie streak .. Is it oriiginality, creativity, ideas. and thoughts that are diminished post stroke or is the confidence in yourself to express them.. which I think is the culprit in my case..I am not the most creative person in the world but I made a living in marketing and advertising, small business and most recently pre-stroke, creative arts and crafts .. i find my creative juices flowing just as before but i lack a little of the self confidence that is reqiuired to implement them... which i think is stroke related..anyway.. just a thought.. glad to hear you doing better with your ideas.. Tom

Thanks Jean ..fur dat web cite..

Hi Amy .. Currently .I own and drive an older classic 1976 BMW ..and ever since I was in my twenties I have owned and driven older unique cars. I just like the way they use to style them in the 60s and 70s..plus my father encouraged an interest in working on autos in my youth so i enjoy working on these older cars too. ..The point about cars.. you ask???.. well when you own something unique like a classic car and you're out in public . it's funny but you can't help but notice others with similar cars.. if fact you think you have an unusual auto and the moment you get out driving and all of the sudden you realize there are many more out there than you thought and you find that your car is not so unique after all. Having a stroke is the same...the moment you get out you start noticing others with an unique walk..or maybe favoring an arm.. maybe a curled hand or fingers ..there's a whole bunch of survivors out there.. Cheers tomt

Hi Mary.. i'm actually glad you blooged about this.. .. most of the time we are caught up in our stroke world and we forget about what's happening out there .... i was sad to hear about the news out of the UK...as much as i was about 99/11-NYC. As they have been digging into the investigation what struck me specifically hard was the fact that a couple of the bombers were teenagers, born in the UK.. 17 years old which would have made them about 14 at the time of the world trade center attacks.. the only thing that helps me understand how this is conceivable is the fact that I am an American Indian and when I read or hear about terrible things happening to the indigenous people of any country. as i have recently read about the natives of the South America and the Amazon. It really upsets me.. maybe not to the point of suicidal hatred but extremely mad.. America and our allies have to realize that as each day muslim people are being killed and maimed either diectrly or indirectly because of our involvement in Iraq and Afganistan than we can expect more of the same as this past week in London.. i know this is a simplifed take on the issues but real nonetheless. thanks for bringing up the subject.. Tom

Hey steve.. that should be easy to resolve.. although it sounds like you have done most of the normal troubleshooting .. what kind of motor is it.? does it have a bleeder screw to release air from the cooling system. I've worked on many motors in my time as i'm sure others here have also.. keep us posted Tom

" Love means never having to say you're sorry" Kim you're one for the movies... Couldn't resist injecting a little leviity here.. Cheers Tom

Great recipe for the potatoes will try it next week and enjoy the humor...I don't blog but will enjoy following yours.. BTW wanted to say that when I see your comments in the forums, i can't help picturing you sitting there in front of the computer with your slicker on and the SH** dripping off.. Tom, ROFLMFAO