The World of Grandpa Don  

There was a family celebration Sunday evening. The Albano clan went to Maggiano's in Oak Brook to celebrate Sarah's entry into the Catholic Church, her First (Catholic) Communion and Confirmation as well as Dominick and Sarah's anniversary, I was to attend but I am not sure of myself and did not want to take the chance of an "accident" in the event that I had to wait to get into the men's room in such a crowded place. Dominick and Sarah had joined me at Church Sunday morning so I expressed my regrets and after returning home I called Anne Marie to let her know. Sometimes, as my dad used to say, "Discretion is the better part of valor". Later in the week, Anne Marie told me that they had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated and the service was slow and not very good. There was too much food and a price to match. She agreed that it would not have been a very pleasant evening for me.

A guest homilist at mass Sunday was Fr. Dennis Chriszt who gave a wonderful discourse on  the subject of love of God and our neighbor but no mention of the cause he was there to promote. However just prior to the end of the mass he did tell us about the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging. It is a group that promotes the sponsorship of people in poor parts of the world. The sponsor donates $30 a month through the organization and almost 95% of it goes to support a selected individual.  This is truly a worthy cause. To learn more see CFCA This organization is being promoted as our parish's "Joining Hands" effort of the Peace & Justice Ministry. What makes this program great is that it is the Christian way for the better off people of the world to give assistance to the poor and disadvantaged among us. It is something we should do because, as Christians, we should. I have several charitable organizations to which I regularly contribute such as The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, Covenant House and a few others. Mr. Obama, well meaning as he may be, would have government "redistribute the wealth" as a government program and through taxes. What merit is there in forced charity? Little, if any, I think. Would government make the program over 90% efficient? I doubt it. I would rather have it my choice as to who I assist. Of course there are those who would say that we are too self-centered to want to be charitable and we need to be forced into socialism. I pray they are not right.

In an email from Diane on Sunday  ...

... by days end Caitlin will have officially applied to 5 schools! We are halfway there. Actually more like a quarter way there if you figure that she is applying to 10 schools and then we are hoping for 10 acceptances.

Go for it Caitlin! I am sure, if Caitlin ever gets her applications done, they will meet their goal.  I don't understand the need to apply to so many schools, especially with Caitlin's academic credentials and considering the cost entailed with each application. However, it is not my decision to make so, ... so be it!

Monday morning I was off to the Palos Intermediate Care Center for my blood work. (I see my cardiologist later in the week.) It turned out to be, as daily living often is, an opportunity to brighten someone's day. As I was checking in, the clerk was getting frustrated. Her computer, and only hers in the group, was running incredibly slow. She apologized for the delay and I told her that there was no need to do that explaining that I don't wear a watch to church or medical appointments. "When it is over - it is over" ... and that at home I usually go to a game of Solitaire when my computer decides to relax and slow down. I then gave her my card announcing The World of Grandpa Don and my motto, "Be more kind than you need to be". As the computer poked along, during the pauses we spoke of life and pleasant things. All at once, the computer announced, "Update Completed .. re-boot now or later" and after she clicked on the "latter" button it resumed its normal speed. I left her smiling and she gave me a big "Thanks" as I went on my way to have my blood drawn. The nurse that came for me was putting on her white jacket and I was obviously her first patient of the day. She too was obviously a little disturbed and I asked if she was just beginning her day. "Yes", was her reply, "but I was late getting here after finally getting the kids off to school". She went right to work, finding a vein and recognizing that she would need to use one of those "baby" needles. She warned me of a pinch and after the needle was in, I asked when I would feel the pinch. Now she was smiling. Soon, after three small vials were filled, I was done and I told her that she did that just as if she knew what she was doing and that I was glad she got to work because I needed her. I left her smiling for her next patient. I was smiling too."Be more kind than you need to be" (Even when people are sticking needles in you.)

I tell this story not to pat myself on the back. I have already received my reward in the smiles of the people I encountered and the good feeling I am left with. I tell it because I could have chosen to be a grouch who at any delay would try to show how important I am and that no one should inconvenience a Big Shit ... Ooops I meant Big  Shot, ... like me. And do you know what? No one walks all over me because I choose to be nice ... in fact, they return it to me ... doubled in spades. Negativity breeds negativity ... why on earth would I want to make myself miserable?  Everyone is welcome to join me in my world. Some would say that I do not live in the "real" world but it works for me.

From there I was off to Ashford House to reward myself with their delicious Eggs Benedict. They serve grilled diced potatoes mixed with diced onions. Yummy. I don't eat much of them but a little goes well with the rest of the meal. It was quite cool. in the low 40's and very windy but the sun was shining brightly. My maple trees are gorgeous, at the peak of their color and in stark contrast with the dark green of the pear tree as well as the big blue spruce in my neighbor's yard. I would have loved to be outside but I opted for the coziness of the living room for my morning meditations. As I entered the room and said Hi - Biscus, my usual greeting, I noticed he was full of buds.  Down in the TV room, the Christmas cactus is also in glorious bloom whit its orchid-like red flowers. I started into my usual prayers and such as the sun streamed into the room and was soon overtaken by a nap. Mikey woke me to go out about an hour later. 

 Remember last week I told of my sister Rita and her husband John moving into an assisted living community. John has had more health problems in the past few years than any six people I know. An email was received on Monday from their daughter Judi. It said, in part '''

"I was just reading over your world for the week and decided to send you an update.  My mom said that she recently sent you a letter stating that all was well with the Barillas.  Well.....that was short lived.  On the morning of October 16th, my dad fell getting out of the shower and broke his hip in 4 places.  He had surgery the very next day.  They installed a rod and some pins to hold the rod in place.  They also put a filter in to catch any blood clots that may form and break loose.  The filter would stop a clot from reaching his lungs.  They were concerned because after his last surgery he formed a blood clot.  His surgeries went very well and he has begun his rehab at Southern Hills Nursing Home.  It's the same place he was at this summer recovering from the chipped pelvic bone.  He seems to be in good spirits, although therapy is quite painful, actually most movement is painful.  They have already begun helping/teaching him how to transfer to a chair, so he is not in bed all day.  He will not be able to stand/walk for 4-6 weeks.  So he has a long road to recovery.  We are all praying for the time to pass quickly and to be as painfree as possible for him.  He has been through quite a lot in the past 2 years!"

John has heart problems, is an insulin dependant diabetic and is on dialysis. I need to recount my blessings because by comparison I am in perfect health. So I missed a family dinner last Sunday ... So what! My prayers for John ... and Rita are being doubled. And ... Judi also told me  that Rita and John now have their first great grandchild. Sam was born on September 1, 2008 to Sam and Cassandra Sampson. Sam (Samuel [Al] Alden) Sampson is the son of Susan (Barilla) and Dale Sampson.. Sue, of course is a daughter of John and Rita and sister of Judi. Ok now ... that would make the baby Sam my (half) great grand nephew. The family tree grows. He is also the first great great grandchild of my father. I was hoping that my great granddaughter would have that honor but ... no matter. If I counted correctly, my father now has 43 direct descendants and counting. ... Seven Children, Ten grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Of course, one of his children only lived in this world for a fraction of a day but she lives in eternity because of him.

I called my sister Rita Monday afternoon just to say Hi and see how John is doing. She tells me that his spirits are good which is half the battle. We talked for quite a while. She sounded good and is adapting to the new apartment and eating arrangements.

Don Hall's son Andrew is soon to be published. I have placed a couple of his poems on this web site. You can read ... A Love One's Touch and Join Hands Together. There is more of his writing and some information about him at Andrew Hall And ... for a look at the new book see Forgiven.

I am loosing a friend and helper. Barbara announced that she is quitting cleaning. Her daughter has a good job in an office and Barbara will be taking care of her baby during the day. Her daughter is making "good money" now and Barbara no longer needs to work. Barbara came here first and earned enough to bring her family here. I remember when her daughter came. She came to the house with her mom and helped clean. That was several years ago. Now Barbara assumes the role of full time Grandma. Hopefully, Irene ... of Irene's Cleaning Service ... will provide a replacement who is close to what I have come to expect. Barbara has spoiled me. When she left, there were hugs and kisses (on the cheek). I will miss Barbara ... but I am happy for her.

Another lesson for life demonstrated ... rejoice  in the good fortune of others.

My new phones arrived Tuesday afternoon. After supper I opened the box and read the instructions, then installed the batteries and set them up in their charging stations to charge all night. On Wednesday, I put the main unit on the wall phone jack in the kitchen and it immediately sprung into life. The handset was then taken into the living room to be there for my morning meditations. Glory Be ... Biscus was sporting a big red tropical flower, the first of the season.

After my prayers, I set up another remote phone next to my chair in the recreation room and then replaced the old and very large base unit (with the no longer needed answering machine) which was taking up desk space next to my computer monitor with the very small footprint remote phone. That took care of the basic system. I also opened the box containing the additional add-on phone and started it on it's needed 7 hour charge. It will need to be "registered" so the base unit will communicate with it, a simple procedure, before placing it in my bedroom this evening. Now ... if all my friends and relatives will please call me, I can save their phone numbers in the system's phone book instead of needing to key in all that information. (If they only had a system that could transfer the information from my computer ...) This of course leads to another task and a decision. The task is to take the time to delete all the phone numbers from each of the old remote units. The decision is ... what to do with the old system. Does anyone need a good answering machine with a cordless phone? One or two of the remote units are usable also. Or, do I put it in the basement with all the other old phones that I have? I could probable start a Phone Museum with all the old phones down there. You do remember rotary dials don't you? Or maybe this is the time to gather up these phones along with the rest and just throw them all out?

Dan & Karen met Chris while shopping and Karen told Anne Marie and Anne Marie told me ... My niece Chris (Lawler) Titone is engaged! Congratulations to Chris and George. Her happiness is deserved and long overdue. The bonus is that George is packaged with a ready-made family. We welcome George Gancarski and his four children, ... Stephanie , a psychology student at McMurray College in Jacksonville, IL. ... Bobby, a freshman at Tinley High ... and the twins Sami and Joey in 6th grade at Central Jr. High in Tinley Park. Congratulations to all. George has now been added to my list of Friends and Family and so will be invited to these pages on a regular basis. I hope he finds something of interest here.

I got an email from (aparently) Kurt, one of the guys who grew up on Drake Ave with our kids. But the message did not sound like the guy I knew but was promoting the purchase of electronic products complete with links to a web site. Suspicious, I sent an email to Kurt and sure enough, he had not sent it. He was being "spoofed" and his address book had been used to send spam or worse. That is why I never open links in an email "apparently" sent by a friend unless the body of the mail positively identifies him as the sender. If you are sending attachments or links to me, you better have an identifying signature in the body ... or ... it gets deleted. And, if you blindly open this kind of mail, don't be surprised if you find your computer slowing down while it merrily uses your address book to send out spam or viruses to your friends in the background while you try to do some work or play a game.

After taking my annual Oct 29 shower I found my new phone's indicator light blinking and a message on the display saying I had a voice mail of 1 second duration from 407 999 9999. They obviously didn't want to leave a message and I didn't want to call them back ... whatever they were selling. But it told me that my new phone system's voice mail indicator is working perfectly.

Now the way it is supposed to be done is this. Saturday night you set your alarm for 2 AM. When it wakes you up, you turn the clock back to 1 AM. But then, an hour later, the alarm will wake you up and you have to set the clock back and hour. Then, an hour later ... You get the picture ... so, if you are going to do it at 2 AM, don't forget to reset the alarm to the time you really need to get up in the morning or morning will never come.

During this election year let's be reminded of these wise words:
* You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
* You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
* You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
* You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
* You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
* You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
* You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could, and should, do for themselves.
You probably don't recognize the author, ... Abraham Lincoln.
Very wise words written decades ago and we still don't get ....if not Abe – good whoever said them.
    Thanks to Ginny Gully for sending the reminder.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY  to Dan, our firstborn son. Congratulations Dan. Actually there are three birthdays in his household within four days but in order to celebrate them we had get together on Thursday, since the weekend is booked with other things. And even on Thursday the schedule was tight. This from Karen, family vice president in charge of logistics ...

"Hi:  Here's the deal for Thursday. I thought you all should come over about 5:00. It will be very casual, pizza and salad. Dan will be in Nashville and should be home by about 5:00 or 5:30. Kelsey will be at cross country but she will  be back by about 5:30.  Ana has to leave at 6:30 for a soccer dinner, so in order to have everyone together for a little while, this is the best I can do.  Hope it works for you! Love Karen"

My visit Thursday afternoon to the cardiologist's office was as expected. My heart and all things associated with it are good but he is more concerned with my blood sugar and if I am doing enough to attack that problem. That, even though I had lost 14 pounds since my last visit. My A1C level was at 8.1 and should be below 7. I attribute this to my prostate problems and my concern about it but that may be a cop out. Along with the weight loss I must exercise but I haven't been doing so.  By the way, the most noticeable result in that loss of weight is in my feet! My toes are skinny and only I see that.

Well, I joined the Buckler's at the appointed time and we all gathered in the Rec-room at Dan's house. It was like Christmas with the opening of presents by Dan, Kelsey and Ana, a bit early for all of their birthdays.  That was followed by salad and pizza and then coffee with ice cream cake. It was a delightful gathering. Kelsey is now involved with the School Variety Show and will be practicing every Sunday afternoon for the next several months. Another addition to their busy schedule. Is Kelsey taking after her 3rd great grand aunt, Minnie "Tood" Packard? No, probably not  ... just a high school thing.

When I returned home Thursday evening, I watched a program that I had recorded for about an hour and then switched to "Music Choice" and reveled in the music of the "Big Bands" from the 30's and 40's. That was the music that I grew up on. It had melody and a beat that you could dance to. It had talented musicians and vocalists, not purveyors of discordant volume and shouters of nothingness or vulgarities. It brought memories of Saturday evenings at O'Henry Ball Room in Willow Springs and complete joy while dancing, as best I could, with Anne. It took me back for a while.

Don't forget to set your clocks back Saturday night. Otherwise you will be very early for church on Sunday. And don't forget to change those smoke detector batteries too. And ... don't forget to vote on Tuesday. But be careful. When you pray, God often gives you what you really need, not what you think you need. There is no such protection when you vote.