Virginia Returns

Haven’t seen Virginia since the end of March a year ago when late one night she peered through the lower panes of the family room French door. I was surprised to see her done up in white rag curls all along her back. Took me a few seconds to realize that opossums don’t do rag curls and that those tidy little white projections along her back were her brood hanging on during her nocturnal meanderings.

Thanks to her lack of speed I was able to snap a few photos of her as she made her escape. A later photo analysis of the “rag curls” suggested at least 10 little Didelphis virginianans accompanied their mother that evening. Virginia appeared once or twice more in the next week and then no more. About a month later two rather adorable smaller versions claimed our woodpile as home.

Here is one we spied in early May. We were happy to have them as we saw the evidence of their food gathering in our flowerbeds taking care of all sorts of small insects and cleaning up the fallen fruit from the loquat trees.

Now I don’t know if this mother with swollen marsupium traversing our deck and yard this spring is Virginia or one of her babes, but I wonder how soon she will be sporting those rag curls.

Click here for more information about the stylish opossums.

On the Trail

We took the VIA bus downtown on Friday afternoon to participate in history. It was a beautiful day and warm. After a leisurely early supper at Fuddruckers we walked over to Hemisfair plaza to watch the setup for the Hillary Clinton rally.
Just two hours to go until the rally found a hubbub of activity. The Houston band La Mafia was knee deep in wires, cables, lights and sound boxes. Many men and a few women in dark neat suits and polished shoes were everywhere turning their heads in all directions. The top of the Fairmount Hotel had silhouettes with binoculars watching the area below. The Secret Service scanner squad was setting up and testing their equipment as barriers were being set in place around the rally area. A nervous group of white shirted TSA employees waited nearby to search the attendees .
The gates would not open until 7 and we found a place at the beginning of the line about 6. No one was admitted early. Not even Henry Cisneros' mother who tried to convince the SS crew near us that as a ticket holder she should be able to enter early. No dice. When the appointed time arrived, we had to jostle our way to the scanner, but managed to enter quickly and found a place on the barrier very near the stage.
Music that was much too loud was provided by a band from Houston until about 8. Nearby I overheard a SS man in a dark suit tell someone in the crowd that HC would not arrive until after 9:30. Not long after that the pep rally began led by Henry Cisneros. He certainly had command of his audience and of his mission that night as he praised Clinton and brought forth an array of backers to appeal to the tejano/Hispanic voters of San Antonio. He explained that a delay in the rally had occurred because of the funeral that morning in Dallas for the police escort who died last week leading Clinton motorcade and that HC would not arrive until 9:30 " or so"!(Well, our plans to take the VIA back home evaporated at that as the last bus on our route would not be waiting for us. It took only 50 cents for us with our senior passes to get to the rally, but the taxi drive back home was much much more.)
The crowd was largely hispanic and largely female. There were people of all ages and some children. I was surprised how many older women who didn't appear to be able to stand in a crowd for a long time actually did.
The supporters who spoke were eloquent in their desires to elect this woman who they believe will deliver their hopes into reality. Cheers followed their endorsements until on the barrier line whistles and screams announced the approaching motorcade. Not long after Clinton found the stage and spoke to the crowd. It is difficult to imagine how she or any campaigner maintains the stamina this grueling activity requires. She did it without any show of fatigue and with great enthusiasm not even diminished when the lights failed for several minutes. A large crowd crushed in when she finished to shake her hand, beg an autograph, and just be close. It was an enticing idea, but we chose to work our way toward the perimeter and head on home.
The campaign rhetoric often wrestles with the idea of change. For me this election has nothing to do with the idea of change in racial mindsets. That battle is old hat. Obama is a man with brown skin. There is no change in electing another man. Real change would be in allowing a woman to lead our great country for the first time in its history.

Snowed Out

I guess if you reap the benefits, you shouldn't begrudge the title. I am a snowbird having flown to Texas long before the snows hit in New England. Really I had no choice; the water and electricity were turned off in October and unless you were a small furry rodent, you would have flown away too. Waking up to a mild 70's day here while the drifts are piling up in Maine, I almost have to pinch myself that I don't have to worry about scraping the car windshield and shoveling through the plowed drifts at the end of the driveway. I did that many times and I hated it. Ending a balmy day in Texas with a glass of wine on the back deck, while in Maine the flakes of a new front gently drift down over the softly rounded landscape and onto the bare arms of the forest trees, I sigh remembering that beauty, that silence which calmed my soul. I did that many times and I loved it.

A Dream Realized

Any beautiful day when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, and the blue of the sky beckoning from on high, I think how wonderful it would be to glide through the air above. That glide would have to be quiet without the mechanical sounds of most aircraft droning against the experience. Anytime my conscious desires are prompted to think of something I would most like to do, taking a soarplane ride is the first to come to mind. A recent fall trip to Vermont offered the chance to marry this desire with a unique way to experience the fabulous Vermont foliage thanks to the encouragement of my true love CDJ.

MEN ONLY (The annual PSA)

The annual call from SABOR* -"hey Clay it's time to check your PSA"
So down the freeway to get my annual PSA including the anal check as they say.
"Bend right over there Mr. Johnson you'll only feel a little pressure."
Everything feels fine; they say!

I'll get the results another day.

I open the letter to see what the test results say-5.5 they say. Give Dr. Thompson a call today.
Hey Dr. what do you say?
He say you need a Biopsy.
What is a Biopsy? I say, umm is there someone else to talk to about this Biopsy?
You can have a say with your personal PA. but we strongly suggest a Biopsy today.

We talk and we study all the alternatives and finally say, okay, let's schedule the Biopsy.

On the day follow these proceeding's they say- don't do this but be sure to do thus. I just want to get over with the fuss.
Now they take 12 pieces of your prostate for this Biopsy test and tell you you'll bleed for awhile when you pass. But don't worry, it wont last.

Now go home and we'll call with your results another day.
On that day, they say- everything looks good, Mr. Clay!!

Hoping you all have a great day and a good PSA, your friend, Clay

* SABOR is a prostate research group
Sorry there are no pictures to go with this.

The business of the rotator cuff

What is this stuff the rotator cuff?

Just part of the shoulder but a real economic engine sure nuff.

“Rotator cuff “ Smiles the phone clerk

“Rotator cuff” Perks up the receptionist

A gleam in the eye when the PA hears rotator cuff

The anesthiologist gets in line for his pay off from the cuff

Radiologists with the MRI do declare “It is torn. MY! MY! Even I get a piece of the pie.”

Hospitals, Clinics, Business managers, PTs. Who else can we tack on to this insurance shill?

Have you seen the Bill?

The surgeon has been waiting to strut his stuff; cause he knows this torn cuff is going to buy him lots of stuff.

Click on to see the sewing of Clay's cuff

YOUR RESERVATIONS CONFIRMED

To My Brother Loris
Welcome to the CJ & CJ Bed and You Fix It Breakfast.
We want to confirm your reservations for on or about the 31st of December.

The Johnson Room will be available for you most anytime you wish to arrive. You should have your own bath room most of the time. Hot water as it comes.
Your room is on the first floor with a wonderful view of historic Severn Rd.
Just so you know;
The upper level will be occupied from the 24th -30 with a young couple and a 2-year old. The2-year old is well behaved sometimes. This couple will be leaving on the 30th and a new couple arrives on the 31- Jan. 6. with an 8-year old. The latest report is both kids do not bite or kick. (As long as they get their way) We also have a 84-year old great grandmother staying with us. Unlike the kids she may present a threat.

Your host(CJ & CJ) will be on the site most of the time unless we move out; in this case you are on your own. All meals are included as long as we can keep the fridge stocked.
All of the above is based on at least a two night stay and with this Holiday Special we prefer you stay even longer.

Looking forwarad to your visit, Carol and Clay,proprietors