The World of Grandpa Don  

You should have seen the look on the face of my doctor, my GP, when I saw him last Friday.  It had been about four months since I had seen him, not since starting to see the endocrinologist. Now I had been on insulin all that time and most of my diabetes medications had been changed. I had lost 20 pounds! My A1C test was in the "normal" range as were all my other blood tests, ... cholesterol, triglycerides, electrolytes, and liver. I no longer had swelling in my legs. He had never been able to come close to these levels of health for me. He was ecstatically happy but embarrassed that he had not sent me to an endo sooner. He actually apologized. While I was waiting to see him I had the nurse give me a flu shot. After a brief exam, ... nose, throat, ears, heart and lungs, (The endo doesn't do that)... all doing very well, he sent my on my way to return in three months. I will probably stretch it a little longer. He will continue to be my GP ... everybody needs one, for the normal everyday ailments of life.

When I returned home, Pete had finished the window trimming and left. He had closed the garage door and the house was all locked up, snug and secure. If you need windows replaced, in the Chicago area,  I'll be glad to give you Murphy's number. They are great. I love the windows and the installation couldn't have been done better even considering the fact that it was raining all the time it was being done. Care was taken to protect the surrounding area during the removal of the old windows and installation of the new. All of that was done from the inside of the house. When finished everything was a neat and clean as before they started. The outside work, consisting of wrapping all wood framing in white aluminum and then caulking, was done with great care. I had them wrap a pair of stained glass octagon windows as well as the ones they replaced. They did a great job.

 

Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible. ~ William Sloan Coffin, Jr. .

Saturday morning continued cold and wet. I was in slow motion all morning ... needed to go shopping but didn't feel like it. I finally got enough drive to do my laundry ... reluctantly and without energy. I am still troubled with irregularity and was feeling the results. After lunch, ... a bowl of chili  ... I forced myself to go shopping. The clouds were breaking up with some sun peeking through and it was a bit warmer. I felt better already. There was the added benefit of reacting with other people at the store. That is always a pick-me-up.  By the time I emerged from the store it was mostly sunny and after putting the groceries away and feeding Mikey, nature called. It may have been a result of the walking in the store ... another clue to better health ... activity. (I need more of that) It was turning into a beautiful fall day physically and spiritually. I took my annual October 24th shower and came out a renewed man. The entire world was new. Glorious!

Sunday morning my daughter joined me at mass. Why, ... was I falling apart?  :-) We went to Ashford House for brunch, a delightful change from my usual fare and always a pleasant experience. Then she came by the house to inspect my new windows. She was delighted with my choice of the diamond grid inserts for the kitchen. I had at first thought I may want to get rid if the vertical blinds for that window but have since decided that they do not pose a problem. They will be completely open during the day and when closed there is no clash with the diamond pattern. Anne Marie agreed. (It is always good to get the woman's view on these things.) I asked her to look at one of the windows to see if she could spot a problem. The upper sash would not come down. She confirmed that there was no obvious reason and I will call Murphy's on Monday to have them look at it. After a pleasant visit she went on her way, probably to do some shopping on the way home.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

... to my little sister Rita. After Anne Marie left, I called her and we talked for quite a while. Her husband John is not the happiest in the nursing home but he is getting good care there and doing well. Rita is doing well too in her independent living apartment and spends a lot of time across the way at the assisted living facility to get her meals, play bingo and just be with people. She still needs to get some things from their old house to make her new place 'homier'  and is having a bit of a problem with her back but, overall, is doing well. She would like to get the basement of the old house cleaned out so they can put it up for sale. It is difficult when you can't get things done yourself. We extend all good wishes and prayers to her and John. It is sad that sometimes our "Golden Years" result in separation of partners and too much dependence on others. I only wish I had known my siblings many years ago. I don't call Rita often enough. It is always a pleasant visit when I do. After my conversation with Rita, I put on a light jacket and went out to the patio intending to read a bit. It had been sunny and very pleasant out but the clouds had re-entered the scene and I was chased back into the house by gentle rain drops. Well, you can't have everything.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !

Congratulations to Dominick and Sarah. Anne Marie and I were hoping to see them and Sarah's parents at mass this morning. Her parents were in town for the weekend and they had other Sunday morning arrangements. In any case we extend best wishes to them and (((HUGS))) to her parents. And, ... a big (((HUG))) to Bella too.  

I am not a farmer or not even a gardener, not the "hands on" kind. But I do know that you can't just throw seeds down and expect a good crop. In the same way, we can't expect to be good Christians just by saying "I believe" or even (claiming to) having a "good relationship to God". We must start with regular attendance at church. That is where the seeds are planted. But is the soil ready? and will the crop be tended and nurtured? That takes some extra effort on our part. Monday's 3 Minute Retreat tells us about that part. Anything worth doing is worth doing well and that especially applies to being a Christian.

 

Don’t try to reach God with your understanding; that is impossible. Reach him in love; that is possible. ~ Carlo Carretto .

It was almost 8 when I forced my eyes open Monday morning. It was dark due to a heavy overcast and the ground was damp. After getting into my morning routine, the lawn guys came. Because of all the wet leaves they struggled with their work, using the blower to move the leaves to the lawn and then the big mowers to cut the grass and pick up the leaves, The mowers kept clogging up with all the wet grass and leaves and it was slow going. Each fall a letter is received informing us that to avoid an extra charge for leaf removal we should have the leaves picked up before they come to cut the lawn. But of course, if I could do that, I wouldn't need them. For me, it is not an extra charge but payment for a much needed service.

When I was taking all the stickers off the new windows, ... they need to be saved for use when applying for the energy tax credit, ... I found one sash that would not move. The window was stuck in the closed position. So, Monday I called Murphy's and they will have Pete stop by to correct the problem. Later in the afternoon Marc called. Would I be home? He and Anthony needed to use my printer. The one at home was not printing well and they needed good copies of their resumes. The two young men came shortly and soon the documents were printed. They looked great in their dress shirts and ties. There was a job fair at Robert Morris University. The school was hiring for several positions including recruiters and other non-teaching positions for all of their branches. Later I found out that there were so many applicants that instead of individual interviews they simply collected the resumes and went to the auditorium where they had each applicant give a short presentation to the hiring staff and other applicants. Most unusual, but these are unusual times.

Frank Schober shared a story, a true story, and I pass it on to you. The Day I Met Daniel.  This version has another story appended. Both are worth the read.

When Maria arrived to clean on Tuesday she brought a Polish treat. It was on a paper plate, wrapped in foil. I was at the kitchen table having just finished my breakfast and she brought it over to me and unwrapped it to show me simply saying "Polish". Thanking her, I sampled a small portion. It looked like cheesecake but had the consistency and taste of a firm pudding. Very good. During the morning Maria came to me and started talking in Polish. I didn't understand a word and just gave a shrug and then she started motioning to convey something like windows going up and down. I just said "no windows" and tried to motion in the negative. I thought she got the message because she just smiled and went back upstairs. Yes, the windows could be washed inside and out from the inside but the method of tilting them in was not simple enough for me to describe it to her.  I had been warned by Pete, the installer, that care needed to be taken to prevent misalignment. Later that evening when I went up to my bedroom I saw that the twin windows were both open just a little. When I went to open the one furthest from my pillow a little more, it would not move. Neither would the other one, both jammed solid.  She had obviously tried to tilt them to wash them and got them out of alignment. Also, it was now obvious to me that she had come to me to tell me of the problem. It would have been better if she had just motioned for me to follow her upstairs to show me the problem. However, the results would have been the same. I will need the installer to show me how to deal with the situation without doing more damage.

An email came from my grandson, Nick Plefka. He had reviewed the chart of his ancestors that I had sent and was very interested. What surprised him was the fact that I had included his mother's ancestors. Well, of course I did. It would not have been complete without her family. Nick lost his job at The Great Escape ... they cut back all their temporary help ... but he is busy, and then some, with courses to get his teaching certification. He is also keeping up with his martial arts training just to stay in shape.

Charity gives life to all the virtues. ~ St. Catherine of Siena .

Thursday morning after leaving Mikey at Touch of Class, I went to Bible study which as usual was very spirited. From there I went to the card shop to get, what else, some greeting cards. Then there was a short stop at the home store for a supply of furnace filters. Upon returning home there were two voice mails. The first was to inform me that Mikey was ready to come home so I got back in the car and retrieved him, all sparkling and pretty. Then I returned to second call from the window installer's  repair man. He would be at my house in an hour.

I was at my computer, after a light lunch, when I heard a "hello" from inside the house. How did he get in? Why would he just come in? But then I recognized that it was Joe, my grandson. As usual he came in the back door. Having finished his Thursday classes, he came to "put summer away." He put all the patio and gazebo furniture into the shed, emptied the potted plant containers and put away the garden hose. While he was doing that Murphy came. It was Jimmy's (current owner) father come to take care of my windows. In a short time he had my problems solved. The one window which wouldn't open had, apparently during factory assembly, gotten a piece of plastic trim jammed in it. It is now as good as new. He not only showed me how to fix the windows that Maria had jammed by misaligning them but showed me how to instruct her (without words) on how to make sure it doesn't happen again. He also gave me some tips on how to maintain the windows in top operating condition. He was then on his way. When Joe asked if there was anything else he could do I put him to work changing the tiny light bulbs in the track lights I installed under the kitchen cabinets years ago. We ran out of replacement bulbs, each a 5W push in bulb. I will need to order more. Even with some still out, the kitchen counters are much brighter now. Thanks Joe. 

With my maple trees looking like Halloween skeletons I can now see why there seemed to be an increase in squirrel activity in the yard this summer. High up in the branches of one of them is a large squirrel nest. My sugar maple still has most of it's leaves and they have turned a russet yellow. Of course the Bradford pear refuses to give in and it's leaves still cling to the summer green. It is often well into winter before they turn brown and one year they didn't fall until February.  As I had my dinner, the patio looked so bare but I am glad Joe came and took care of things. We expect heavy rains and thunder storms tonight and tomorrow. .

 

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. ~ Karl Barth .

My bill for the second installment of my property tax came. Earlier this week the TV news was full of reports of outrageous increases in property tax coming to many citizens in our county. I was prepared for the worst. What I got was unbelievable. For the first time I can remember my tax for the year went down! It only went down $39.24 but it went down! It was a reduction of about 3/4 of one percent ... but it went down! I do not complain about paying taxes, believing that they are necessary to pay for the many benefits and services provided by the government. (I do complain about the waste when I see it) There are services that are not for me, ... schools, prisons, many social services, and such, ... but they serve the common good. Without them this would be a chaotic and miserable world. It is all part of the cost of living. We do not live in isolation. It is my responsibility and privilege to pay taxes in order to support the community.  I thank God that I am financially able to pay my share of the load ... whatever that may be. When these funds are mismanaged, squandered or stolen it is on the heads of those who do it and thy will be held accountable either in this world or the next, or both, but ultimately in the next. It would be immoral of me to pass judgment by withholding taxes in judgment of the offenders. There is a Pacific island who's inhabitant's wealth is judged by how much they give away, not by how much they have. They had never heard of Christ but they live a Christian life.

Visiting the message board of my Ancestry.com account I found two messages, long unread. One was Jan looking for information on the Tropf family. Cal (Calvin) Tropf was one of my mother's "husbands" and we know little of the family since they immigrated from Germany around 1900. Apparently several from the family came to the Cleveland area all within about 20 years of each other because they are listed in the 1900 - 1930 census reports but there is nothing to connect them. There are also several different spellings of the name. Customs officials and census takers stumble over the "pf" at the end if the name. I did some digging and went to Peggy & Jim for information but we could be of no help to Jan who was looking for the maiden name of a Christine Tropf. Maiden names are particularly difficult to trace unless you find a marriage record or an in-law is living with the family. The second was Suzanne who was searching for information about Frank Korous and his ancestors. John Simousek, my adopted mom's half brother married Antionette Korous and Frank was her brother.  I was able to send Suzanne information about their parents and grandparents, all born in Czechoslovakia. Neither of these two people are directly related to me but as far as I am concerned, they are "family". I am glad to be able to help others find their roots when I can.

Another 3 Minute Retreat that struck me as significant came this morning (Friday). It is from my favorite Gospel passage and one that has deep meaning for me. I invite you to visit To Love and to Serve. 

 

Happy people plan actions, they don’t plan results.  ~ Dennis Wholey  .

Wholy hit the nail squarely on the head with that statement. We often plan results without thinking through the actions needed to achieve them. Then we wonder why we don't get the results we want. When we concentrate on the actions we need to take, right now, in the present, we are living success. The actions are what is important and we must do them well. In doing them well we gain satisfaction in them and when we are satisfied, we are happy. Planning results is merely wishful thinking and when we wish for something we are unsatisfied with the present and that translates to unhappiness. We may never achieve the results for which we strive but that makes no difference if our journey is a happy one. Happiness now is infinitely better than happiness wished for. 

As for me ...

I Am blest I Am  anointed I Am overjoyed .