Hello

Ya' know that old trees just grow stronger,
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day,
Old people just grow lonesome
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

My sister, the eldest, has had the unenviable task of taking care of the 'Old Folks'.  First my father, then her father-in-law, then her mother-in-law.  They all had calamitous illness or accidents before they died and the nearest "full-service" hospital for those maladies is 25 miles away.  I made it home as much as possible, but my sister, Auntie Bo, as we call her, took the brunt of taking care of things.  It just was what it was and she didn't complain.

Now it is my mother.  Bo has worked very hard to enable her to live at home, at 89, in a wheelchair and suffering from a series of ailments that are all serious, but none live threatening.  And that has come to an end.  I got the email last night.  There were complications.  She is at the hospital in LaCrosse.  This time there will be no more coming home.  There just isn't anyone who can provide her with the care she needs at home.  The visiting nurse and the home care aide just cannot keep up.

Arrangements have been made for a nursing home after she leaves the hospital and with good graces, she will.  We plan on keeping the house for awhile, a few months anyway.  The idea is that the nursing home is only a few blocks from where her house is and  is equipped with ramps and a few years back one of the bedrooms was converted to wheelchair access, hopefully to allow her to come 'back home' for a few hours when weather and help are agreeable.

It is what it is.  There is a sadness that is inescapable in the whole process.  I have some antiques that were left there, a bedroom set, and old dining set, some chairs.  I will have to move them. Some other things we will sell and I have made plans to go for a week or two to paint and repair various things that have been neglected for awhile, mostly sundry window trim painting and garden maintenance, before we have the house put up for sale this fall.
It is what it is.

I guess there is no point in being overly morose.  She has had a full life and she filled it as much as she could with  laughter, love, and lightness.  It gave her many friends.
Leaving the house will hurt her and is right now causing her a lot of grieve; as Auntie Bo writes,

"this of course has been very stressful because she is being cheerful for the nurses but is on the verge of tears. It is so unfair that her life has been so sucky and I guess if there were a god, I would be mad at him.  Feel free to send cards. I think she will be there a while."

So if you're walking down the street sometime
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Please don't just pass 'em by and stare
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."

 I have to go buy stamps.

It was that kinda place....

Well..... anyone who has visited my pages knows where I go to indulge a pint or two...three.  The location has been a bar since 1884.... built after the last fire destroyed the downtown.  For years it was owned by the Schlitz brewing company with several different tenants.  Approximately 36 years ago it was named Oblio's.  I am close personal friends with the current owners, Mark&Todd.  They were college roommates that, after graduation, thought it would be a good idea to buy the business from the current owner and run a bar for a few years.  Eventually they bought the building, totally refurbished it as much as possible to it's original state; unveiling the century old tin ceiling, re fashioned old oak bar stools, a new cooler that could accommodate 27 taps, re done old pine plank floors, restored antique lighting.  It really is a great pub and would be a great pub in almost any city in the US.

Previous to Mark & Todd buying the place, however, and back when I first frequented the place, it was a bit..... rowdier. And was known for being that way.  Unabashedly so.  Recently I came across an advertisement that was printed in the student UW-O  newspaper, The Advance-Titan (of which I was a frequent contributor) .  I offer it now for amusement purposes.

....the offer is no longer valid.

still on hiatus

the Kid

The Kid comes back tomorrow......... I guess I have been trying very hard not to miss her......  and have failed miserably.   Good for me!

How Now Black Bird

www.blackmagpietheory.com

I still have nothing.  I am lazy.  One of these days I may post something that is amusing, interesting, provocative, exciting, breathtaking, astounding, funny, mind-boggling, sexy, political, scandalous, intriguing, absorbing, inspiring, tear jerking, incredible, amazing, astounding....................but don't count on it.

In the mean time.... visit www.blackmagpietheory.com

where all of the above can be found  &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& MORE

OK.... it"s hot

.... very unusually warm spell around my part of the world.  Memorial Day weekend is a toss up.... very cold, wet... warm.  2010 hit the warm end.  I don't care.  I love it.  Oh, granted it has moments.... sweat, sunburn, mosquitoes, ugly fat people wearing tank tops, a few nights of uncomfortable sleeping.... but gimmee dat ol' time hot weather any old day.  I mean...let me just list a few things that summer has over winter.... and these are just a few.

1) you never have to scrape a windshield when it is warm

2) you can drink beer while mowing the lawn... ha! try to do that shoveling snow!

3) young girls on roller-blades look lotz cuter than girls in snowmobile suits.

4) you can cook food outdoors while wearing shorts and sandals

5) you can ride a bike.  Trying doing that in minus 15 weather!

6) you never get stuck in a snowy drive way.

7) boating is way cooler than ice skating

8) Beer in the evening by the Lake.  Unjustifiably the best.

9) women sun tan almost near naked.  Now I am a civilized guy... but I am a guy!

10) Hot weather pisses off Randal Graves.

..... gotta go light the BBQ.... burgers &spuds with Tiger Sauce!

ya gotzta have friends!

Just a word about friends.  You never know where or how or why or when you meet them.  Bang.  Next thing you know.... there they are!  And I don't mean Facebook Friends.

One of my oldest friends I met when we were in college and both cab  drivers.  His hair was half-way down his back and we called him 'Dimly-Lit'.  Now his hair line is half-way up his head and he is a successful  financial manager.

One of my dearest friends..... actually one of my son's best friends all through grade school and High School , has started writing her own blog about, as she explains,

" devoted to examining our society of artificials -- from artificial food to artificial history -- and finding ways to obtain healthier and more informed living. Re-evaluate, re-discover, re-evolve".

Now, Jayna  never did anything part way.  She was one of the best girl's soccer players in town (as well as better than a bunch of the boys).... basketball too... ....she also had one of the most inquisitive minds I have ever had the pleasure to meet.  For a few years she was like an 'auxiliary' daughter.  I think she was at my house enough that she kept a spare tooth brush just in case.  She studied in the UP of Michigan and is now living with her husband in Salt Lake City.... and still kicking ass.  Check her blog.  Tell her, okjimm sent you.

reevolved.blogspot.com

One of my newer friends I met while he was perusing the 27 tap handles at Oblio's.  Turns out he could walk the walk as well as talk the talk.  The guy knows beer!  He also writes of the the neatest cleanest crispiest spiffo-keen blogs around.    oshkoshbeer.blogspot.com 

you can never have too many friends!!