East Coast Happenings

[Diane Amberg]

Hey...it's not snowing! But it is pouring, with thunder and lightning. What a refreshing change.
Al just left for his three month cancer bladder scoping. It hurts badly for several days afterward, so he didn't sleep well at all last night. I wish I could help, but he's own his own for this. Also had our fire company president, and good friend for 45 years, in Philly yesterday at HUP ( Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) for open heart surgery. He had a valve replaced and the ascending aorta repaired. I'm told he did very well.  Another fire fighter just had a hip replaced. He thinks he should be further along with his rehab.  He had to be reminded that he'll get there, but he's past 50, not 25 anymore. It will take longer. One more local thing.
We've had several very serious house fires recently, with some related to our bitterly cold weather. One of the kids whose family lost everything is a student at Newark Charter High School. They have asked that any of our fire fighters, who were at her fire, to have lunch with her at school on Friday, if they can make it. She wants to thank them for trying so hard. I thought that was awfully sweet.
  I see some of the hard core political posters still don't acknowledge that others have the same right to speak their mind about issues and can use any format they wish; it does not have to be a professional tightly edited dissertation just to please them.They don't even write that way themselves. That is especially true for one who repeats the same material and gripes over and over and over for years!  It's no wonder many of the friendly, social folk have gone. They were chased away and/or don't want to read about others being attacked for having a different view. Very bad form and seems so ignorant. They were asked several times to stop with the personal attacks but they don't think they have to. So it keeps up.  Nuff said about that, or I'll be rightly accused of repeating my plea for political peace too many wasted times.
Personally, I'd like to see some of the other nonpolitical threads reactivate, but I'm afraid those groups have gone for good. Any takers? Whoops, just heard a call for a house struck by lightning.
The kitchen is calling. Bye all. Have a good day celebrating KU basketball.

[Diane Amberg]

So, Al had his three month bladder scoping. The results were't what we had hoped for. The Doc did find a little something again....it's been just a year since this all started. He's not sure if it's another early cancer or a bit of infection.They took a some for biopsy and culture.It will take about two days or so to get the results.If positive, he'll have to have another little surgery. Not sure what happens after that. Regardless, he still has another year of three month scopes and then a year of six month scopes...that's just two.After that, who knows? I just hope he is still here. In the meantime, we are due a warm up today, around 60 with some rain and then back to the deep freeze next week.
Today I have to spend some time working on some text and photos for the big Aetna history book we are  writing. I'm one of several authors and the main proof reader. Some of the younger ones have much better skills than I with computer design. It's been fun watching them work and how creative they are.  BUT my spelling and grammar is much better than theirs . Most of them still don't use there and their properly and will stick apostrophes in anywhere, willy nilly. The computer catches it for them depending on what program they use, but they still don't know the rules and really don't care.
Now as for me I'm writing social conversation, but someone will be sure to accuse me of bragging.?  Go ahead, hate me all you want. Like the one who was "bragging" about his two corporations, etc. Personally, I think that is interesting conversation, but according to some people's rules that's "elite" bragging . HA! And he calls ME names! Pots and kettles again. Need to go make Al's breakfast oatmeal. He's still sore so he slept in.

[Diane Amberg]

Finally, we're going to try to do some traveling again, if Al's OK. Might rent a cottage near Ocean City MD for a few days. We'd also like to drive to Toronto late summer just to see the city. We could do it in one longish day, but will probably do an overnight...easier on both of us. Al is researching to pick out things for us to do while we are there. He always comes up with neat stuff. I'd love to come back to Kansas too, but we'd be shot at the Elk County border, so I guess we'll skip that. Or keep the trip a secret. How sad is that. Time to feed the birds. Have a nice day friends.

[Diane Amberg]

Yay! We finally had enough snow melt in some warm spots to have some snow drops pop up.There is hope at last. We better enjoy it as snow is predicted for Tuesday and more on Wednesday. I need to spend the rest of the day working on my part of the history book some of us are writing.Then the last of the Olympics, Downton Abbey and East Enders to finish off Sunday. Have a great one friends.

[Diane Amberg]

Oh joy. It's snowing again now, tonight and tomorrow. . I'm going to go to my hair appt. this afternoon even if I have to find some sled dogs.
I hope everyone enjoyed the Olympics as much as we did. It's been fun watching some of the newish events ,like snow boarding, develop into serious competetion.
I think our ice dancers were the most entertaining since Torval and Dean raised the bar with their fantastic Bolero program back in 1984.
I'm still working on our fire company history book. So far we've picked and scanned 300 plus of our photos from the late 60's on. It's been really funny watching many of us age .Thick heads of hair have gone bald,smooth skin has earned many wrinkes. Some have died, of course. I think our oldest now is 96 and still active as a fire police officer. He sure doesn't look his age ,still has a big shock of white hair. He actually had a cochlear implant  because he had gone completely deaf. Ok, I've had my break. Back to work.

[Diane Amberg]

This morning's snow, a daily event now, dropped another 2 inches, but I think now that the sun has come out it might go away. That was our 15th measurable snow this winter. We may have t-shirts made up.
  One sure sign of spring though...the shad are running and I had a nice set of shad roe for breakfast. Yum.
  Monday night we are having Mardi Gras night at the fire house Bingo. It's been so miserable we thought we'd have some fun. I got 288 green, gold and purple necklaces for the players to wear. If I have time, I'll get a few feather masks to put on the doors for the players to see as they come in. I'd make a big King Cake, but I know I won't have time.  The New Orleans krews have been having their amazing costume balls all this months we were there one year and several krews were using the ball rooms at our hotel, so we were allowed to peek in to see the amazing costumes. Several nice people explained it all to us, as were visitors and didn't know much about the whole business. They had spent huge amounts of money on those balls!
Al and I are still working on the history book and it's almost time to start writing the next fire company fund drive.I need a nap!

[Diane Amberg]

So, Al got his test results back and it is not what we had hoped for. It's not just infection. He has to go back  to the surgicenter on March 18 to have a deeper piece removed under general anesthesia for a different biopsy. The doc again said it's very early and small, but we were hoping for it not to come back at all. Now I'm very worried, but have to be OK for him. I'm not sure which end is up right now, but hopefully things will settle down once we know more...again.

[larryJ]

Al is in my prayers.

Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

Thank you Larry. I really appreciate it.

[Diane Amberg]

Interesting. At the foot of my street there is a left turn and curve into an electric substation and parking area. Beyond that is a hiking trail up through the woods that winds around through UD property. Right now there are several Newark Police cars and the ME's vehicle next to the sub station at the edge of the woods.I know several of the folks there, but it was too public for me to ask any questions, even though it is only four houses away from mine. I wonder if our "walk away" from nearly two years ago has turned up. I always figured if he was around here the buzzards would have let us know. I'll eventually find out.
We're on snow watch again as of tomorrow night and all day Monday. They are saying probably 8-10 for us but who knows? That will close schools again. A few NJ schools have already announced closings for Monday. That's a bit early even for me and I undestand it.