The World of Grandpa Don
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Back to grandkid .
A work in progress - complete but not finished |
What's New In the world of Grandpa Don On this page I have recorded what I found significant during the past week as well as my thoughts about those events and other reflections. I started doing this before the practice became popular on the internet This is my diary, written a little each day and published weekly. At times I may seem to pontificate on a subject that comes to mind during the week. I do not intend it as a demand or even a suggestion that everyone should think or act as I do. It is rather, intended to let you know what goes on in my mind ... how I am motivated to live as I do. If The World of Grandpa Don appeals to you, you are free to join me in it. Be warned, however, it is not always what some would call "The Real World". |
Week Ending Friday |
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Or to learn more of Grandpa Don and his remarkable family ...
Many of the quotes found on this page are from the daily messages I receive from Covenant House  |
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The 4th of July holiday was great. Mikey and I went to the Albano's and were soon joined there by Dominick, Sarah and her parents. It is always nice to see Zoltan and Penny. A friend of Joe's stopped by for a short visit. She had also been on the same commercial for RMC as Joe had been, We were also surprised to see Nick who was actually there to see the girl next door. They grilled some Italian sausages from S&T Provisions, the best and always a treat and supplemented them with chicken that Anne Marie had ordered, There were delicious sides and it all was topped off with home made brownies and cheese cake & cherries. It was a delightful day,
Not surprisingly, due to the Midwest Sliders status in the league, Anthony was not listed as a member of the Frontier League All Stars when they were announced on July 3rd. This, despite the fact that he leads the league in extra base hits and RBI's. He was not discouraged ... never is. Sunday he called home to report that he had been selected by the All Star Team Manager as one of his three added players from his division. Congratulations Anthony! This two day event, to be held at Travers City, MI is a big day for the selected players, an opportunity for them to showcase their skills as well as to enjoy some recognition and have some fun. See the All Star Game Agenda. Of course Anne Marie and Dom will attend and probably Joe as well.. A well placed cap for a glorious weekend!
On July 7, 1904 a wonderful thing happened. Clara Florence (Packard) Lossner gave birth to Florence Lucile Lossner. The proud father was Richard Frederick Lossner. Happy Birthday mom. Thanks grandma and grandpa. On the 9th of July in 2001, after 98 years and 2 days of a very eventful life, My mother, known better as Lucie and affectionately as "Tootsie" was born to Eternal Life. She is remembered, if not personally, in gratitude and love. Thanks mom. Thanks God.
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We are all but God’s instruments who do our little
bit and pass by. |
They are getting desperate. Comcast has been using the message feature on the cable TV to advertise for door to door salespersons to sell their products. But AT&T has already been to my door. Their claim is that they have now replaced their wiring in my area with fiber optic cable and they can now deliver TV signals to me on a dedicated cable that is not shared by my neighbors and that does not degrade the signal as more subscribers get on line for TV and/or internet. They also offer 4 channel DVR recording as opposed to Comcast's two and offer picture-in-picture searching, not available with Comcast. And, ... all of this a lower cost. Plus, they will install it all and upgrade my internal wiring if necessary, all free and on a free trial basis. He would set up an appointment for me and they would put it all in at no charge and if at the end of 30 days, I wasn't satisfied, just return the equipment ... no questions asked! I sent him away. I will wait until it all shakes out and I see that it all really works as advertised or that my present service upgrades to match or exceed them. I have been on the "cutting edge of technology" before and have gotten cut.
I don't know if any of his family see this page but condolences go to the family of my cousin Lenard Plefka. He had lived on the South side years ago but even then we were not in touch. My son Dan called to let me know that he had died and there was to be a memorial service at a church in Evanston. That is beyond my comfort zone for driving these days so I will not attend and although I had met one of his daughters many years ago I am sure that no one would know me, or I, them. May the Good Lord know him well and welcome him into His Kingdom. Maybe we can renew our cousinship there at a later time. I went on line and signed his guestbook.
I was worried. It was lesson # 32,256,238 about worrying. The lesson ... Don't bother! 99% of the time what you are worrying about doesn't happen. I had booked two doctor visits in the same afternoon and I was concerned that the first one would run long and I would be late for the second. Well. my foot doctor is always prompt in starting and quickly had my feet pampered. I was out of there so soon that I had time to go home to kill some time. I was early for the appointment with Dr Yung, my Dermatologist. That was good because his offices had been moved from the 2nd floor of the East building to the first floor of the South building. I went back to the car and drove around the the other end of the complex, finding a new spot near the door. Looking for room 120 I found Room 20 but that was not the right place. They are using the European system there. The building is on a hill and I had entered on the ground floor, not the first floor. After going up to the 1st floor I signed in and they re-copied my insurance information. It had been two years since my last visit. After a short conversation with a friend who worked there and also was in our Bible Study group I was ushered into the examining room. I mentioned that there was a reoccurring sore on my left cheek but he found nothing to be concerned about there. I was home free ... no? NO! His eyes went to a dark spot on my chest. My GP had told me to have Dr Yung check it but I knew it was just a blemish left from my heart surgery. He then checked my back and found another area he didn't like and then a spot on my left temple. With several freezing squirts the left temple was taken care of. I left with an appointment to return to have the other two problems surgically removed. I had been worried about the wrong things. No problem ... Dr Yung is good with the knife. I am in good hands.
.On Monday Sarah, Dominick and her parents visited Sarah's doctor. They thought they were going to discover the gender of the little one but the baby refused to cooperate and so that remains a secrete ... for now. They do know they have a healthy, active child and in this pose, with hand on chin, one who contemplates the situation. Thoughts may .range from the present ... Gee, it's nice and comfortable here ... interesting noises ... look, I have hands that I can touch my face with and put in my mouth ... I wonder what a mouth is for? ... and I have feet that I can kick the walls with ... I wonder if they have any other use ... And thoughts of the future ... I here sounds from outside ... wonder what is out there ... is it cozy and warm? ... I keep growing and if I continue this place will be too small for me. ... will I be safe out there? ... my mother is all around me now, what will it be like when I am born? ... Maybe I don't want to be born ... it is frightening to go into the unknown. ... There is the voice of my father ... What is a Father? Something tells me it will be great, that I will see my mother. What does it mean to see? I am to have life ... Don't I have life now? ... I guess I just have to have faith.
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Too many people miss the
silver lining because they’re expecting gold.
And whether we love, or close
our hearts to love, is a mental choice we make, every moment
of every day. |
My morning readings of C.S. Lewis have been on the subject of Love. This excerpt was particularly interesting.
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to be sure of keeping it in tact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements, lock it up safe, in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken, it will become unbreakable, impregnible, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all dangers and perturbations of love is Hell."
Have you seen the movie "Shadow Land"? It is about Love and it is based on an aspect of C. S. Lewis' life. This movie is where I met Him and it motivated me to read his books. I wish everyone could see that movie ... go ahead, rent it. You will love it. It does a great job of putting life into perspective.
Everything was wet Tuesday morning, evidence of at least some rain. Mikey doesn't like the wet grass so he was reluctant to go out. It is also obvious that he is troubled with arthritis. When Barbara came in she had to look for him as opposed to the usual greeting he gives her.. She was extra happy this morning as she tried to convey that someone, maybe a daughter who has still been in Poland, was coming to Chicago with her two small boys. Mikey and I went out to the gazebo for our morning reflections. I helped him up to the other chair with the comfortable cushion and he was quite content for quite a while. When he sat up and tried to "talk" to me I knew he wanted to go in the house and it was only when we left our shelter that I realized that there was a fine light rain falling.
What kind of bags do you use when you go grocery shopping? I always come home with those flimsy plastic ones. But then, our recycling pickup service. does not want them. I could take them back to the store but I forget them. Even if I did remember, what would they do with them? Recycle? ... probably not. Take a look at PLASTIC BAGS. I received an email with the message about plastic bags form the third person in two weeks. After watching the message this time I decided it was time for me to do something. A quick search brought me to GreenFeet and I ordered 5 reusable bags listed at 5 for $20 plus $5.80 for shipping. Sure, the plastic ones are free ... but are they? The federal government should ban them. Sometimes the right thing is more costly that just accepting what is easy and convenient. My next problem ... what do I put Mikey's poop in when I clean up the yard? Grandpa goes Green!
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God give me work, till my life shall end |
I have been using FrontPage to work on the parish web site but Expression Web to do this web site. I was afraid of "messing up" the parish web site because others on the parish web team are using FrontPage and the programs apply code differently in presenting the pages on the internet. Well, this past week, I have gone to the newer Expression Web for both web sites..Nothing is messed up and life is simplified for me. Besides, I am getting comfortable with EW so why complicate life with two was to do the same thing.
Our parish bulletin last week featured a parish ministry which reaches out to alumni of the Youth program. In doing so the story of Andy Taube was highlighted. Andy was a member of T.N.T (Teens Need Togetherness) and while in college returned to the parish to help with their activities. He has now volunteered to serve with the Marianists Missionaries in Africa. Recognizing Andy as one of those ordinary people doing extraordinary things, I added his story to the parish Someone You Should Know pages and my own Witness to Life pages. You can read Andy's story at Andy Taube But this is not just a one-time thing. There is a link there to Andy's African Adventures, his own newly initiated blog. Book mark it and return to follow his escapades. They will be both inspirational and interesting. I emailed him to tell him about the page and this was his reply:
"This is so great!!!
I had been out of town until yesterday, and it was so exciting to come
back and find all this work that the two of you had done!!! How
wonderful!
The bulletin page looks wonderful, and what an honor it is for me to
have you sharing my story in so many places! However, I shouldn't be
surprised because this isn't the first time God's Grace and Blessings
have overflowed upon me!
Thank you so much for your encouragement and your willingness to share
my story and the work I am leaving to do. Though it will be hard to
leave the St. Julie's community--especially being unable to physically
present to help with the Teens Need Togetherness activities--I know that
where I am called to go is where the most good can be done, for me and
for others.
Your web site looks excellent, and it is so encouraging to see it! Thank
you!
Please do stay in touch, and I look forward to being able to share my
experiences on this mission with you!
Peace and Gratitude,
Andy Taube"
By "the two of you" he was referring to myself and Sheila Pluchar, the Youth Director at the parish. I am not surprised that Andy said "I shouldn't be surprised because this isn't the first time God's Grace and Blessings have overflowed upon me!" You see, when a person shares his or her life with others, God gives more to be shared.
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Eternal life is not a life for the future. |
The cupboard and the frig were getting bare and I was out of bread and OJ among other things so an unusual Wednesday trip was made to the grocery store. That may be a good day to go, plenty of parking spaces ... but I parked in my usual space ... quite far from the entrance, and there was a relaxed atmosphere in the store. I did have to hurry a bit at the checkout counter because the checker was waiting for me. My usual brand of OJ was not on the shelf ... I suppose there was a reason ... so I am trying something else. I picked up some German potato salad to go with the brats I still have in the frig but other than that came home with my usual selections. After putting everything away and saving those unwanted plastic bags to use for Mikey's waste I fed my little friend and went out to the gazebo with my afternoon coffee. While there, the Urologist's scheduler called. My prostate laser surgery is scheduled for late August. It will be done at a facility in a nearby town and she will send details and information. I will need and electrocardiogram and some other test and she will contact my GP and cardiologist.
Heaven on Earth ... that was Thursday morning. My first surprise was a phone call during breakfast. My cardiologist's office had received a request from the urologist to clear me for the surgery. He wants me to have a stress test first and will send the information and order to me. I am long overdue for that. My bypass surgery was 10 years ago and my last stress test 9 years past. .After breakfast Mikey and I went out to enjoy the perfect morning and I had just completed my daily dose of C.S. Lewis when the cordless phone interrupted again. It was touch of Class. I had completely forgotten Mikey's appointment. So, off we went to drop him off before I could return to the peace and quiet of my little retreat. But it was not to be. In my short absence, the shrub trimmers had started their work at the condos across the street and the loud .incessant buzz of their gas powered trimmers was too distracting for contemplative thought. I simple took a different path and used the time to spread the fertilized I had purchased at the store the day before, followed by a sprinkling of the flower beds. The rest of the morning was fulfilled. at the computer.
After retrieving Mikey, and lunch, ...liver sausage spread thickly on rye bread with mustard and slivers of dill pickles, ... I had my coffee in the, now quiet. gazebo. I brought out a magazine but couldn't get into it. As a matter of fact, a nap grabbed me and it wasn't 'till Mikey started making "How about feeding me" noises that I awakened. I couldn't refuse him, all spiffed up with his head groomed like the pictures you see of the perfect "powder-puff" Bichon. We keep his body hair rather short and he seems to like it that way. Well, he has never complained. While he dinned, I sorted out my pills for the week and afterward we went on a tour of the yard looking for Mikey Gold so the lawn people do not have to deal with it in the morning. .There was another phone call, this time from my GP's office. They had received the message from the Urologist and she wanted to set up an appointment ... not necessary because I already have one for next week. Since I have a standing order at the blood lab, always done prior to my visits, she will check to see if anything has to be added to it and get back to me. She will also see if he wants and electrocardiogram in addition to the stress test.
Let's see, ... this week I have been involved with my foot doctor, skin doctor, urologist, cardiologist and general practitioner. They all have children going to college that I help ... no excuse me ... that Medicare (That's you ... thanks) supports. Well, I do contribute a bit through my supplemental insurance premium. Believe me, I am getting my monies worth.
But gone are the days when there was a family doctor that everyone saw for everything. Go back a couple generations and he (It was always a "he") came to your house. If you had to see a "specialist" it was because you were in deep trouble. If you were in the hospital, chances were that you were close to the end of your life. Those were far from being the "good old days". With the medical knowledge of those times I would have been gone 10 years ago. And, with the medical knowledge and technology of today, no one GP would be capable of mastering it all. That is just another example of the need for each of us to share our talents and abilities in order for this world to function as God intended. We have to work for a living but that is not the most important aspect of our work. Each ones work is meant to be a contribution to the combined effort to make this world a better place to live and thrive.
You needn't be a brain surgeon to contribute to the wellbeing and advancement of humanity. A garbage collector's work is as essential and worthwhile, as is a construction worker, machinist, the salesman who makes people aware of products and service which they would benefit and the athlete or entertainer who brings inspiration, release from stress and joy into the hearts of others. It is only important that the work contribute in a positive way and it be done with joy in the knowledge that it is done well while providing sustenance to self and family.
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Not only is there a right to be happy, there is
a duty to be happy. |
The father of Deanne, our choir director, has had a stroke and is having a very difficult time. It is also very difficult for the family. I have seen the love in that family and when there is much love, when one member id hurting all hurt deeply. This is one of the aspects of love for which we must be prepared when we commit to love. Please join me in praying for him and his family. I have heard Deanne and her father sing a duet and the love radiated from them in glorious splendor.
My feeding of the plants in the garden on Thursday was perfectly timed. We had light showers Thursday afternoon followed by thunderstorms at night. This morning the plants were all perky and the flowers were saying "thank you". Biscus (say Hi Biscus!) is full of blossoms.
Grandpa Don Plefka
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Anne wanted everyone to be 'Nice'. This button was in one of her dresser drawers I cleaned out in August of 2004
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