Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Better late than dead, eh? I missed work yesterday with what has become a recurring back problem. I've been treated by a chiropractor for the better part of a year, but things are getting worse. I drained the koi pond on Saturday and trimmed and cleaned up the plants in and surrounding the pond. I did manage to kill ALL of the resident gold fish (see last week's blog). I removed the filter and UV light and the pump. It was getting hot, so I took a thirty minute break to look at the golf on television and my back cooled off as I was lying in a twisted position and my back locked up. I spent Saturday night, Sunday and Monday suffering from intense muscle spasms. If I moved the wrong way, it was like shoving a knife into my spine. I slept on the couch Saturday night, because every time I tried to move to get up, my back would spasm and bring tears to my eyes. Finally, the call of nature got me at about two-thirty and I was able to roll onto my stomach and off the couch onto my knees. I made it to bed and spent a sleepless night turning and spasming. Sunday was more of the same. Darla abandoned me and went to a San Francisco Giant's game with a friend and I spent a pathetic day on the couch and on the bed.

Finally, Monday I was able to see the chiropractor and he told me about hurting myself laying down (Now, I know for a fact I'm getting old). I saw him in the morning for an adjustment and electro-therapy and then again late afternoon. Darla had to help dress me, put my socks on and help me with my shoes. She said that was good training for when I get old. I said, what training, you're doing it NOW? I feel well enough to be back at work today, but will see the chiropractor at 3:30 today and 5:30 tomorrow. Hopefully, he can get me lined back up and in good shape before our vacation this weekend. It took almost a week last week to calm my back down and I was well for all of three days before messing myself up again. As I've said before, I have a congenital defect in my spine, where one of the verterbrae did not fully develop in my spinal column. It has never been a problem when I was a helathy young buck, but now that my spine is shrinking with age, the defect is beginning to tell noticeably. I will likely have back problems the rest of my life and it is really threatening my golf game. I haven't picked up a club in three weeks and with the pain, have no intention of seeing the teebox at any time soon. If I can get healthy, the toughest thing I'll be lifting is a soda at the beach at Lake Tahoe.

I talked to Dad on Sunday and he and Shirley are seriously looking into joining the family in Kauai next year. We will be in Kauai from June 12th -23rd of 2005. We will spend a week in our timeshare at the Makai Club Cottages, although we upgraded from a one bedroom to a two bedroom. We will then move for three days to the Kauia Beach Resort near the airport, where the boys can snorkel and perhaps even take surfing lessons. It should be a fun trip and one of our last family vacations with David graduating from high school. We have also invited Darla's Mom and Dad to join us in Hawaii next year, so it should be fun.

The boys started school yesterday and are back in football practice and all that entails. David was up with the roosters and at school by 5 a.m. for a senior tradition of watching the sunrise on the first day of school. They ate muffins and drank orange juice and coffee. Sounds like something out of the Lord of the Flies. The Seniors always seem to have odd traditions.

We will be on vacation in Lake Tahoe this coming weekend, but it will be a mishmash vacation as we have to return the boys for school on Monday. Because of my limited vacation, I will work Monday and Tuesday and then Darla and I will return to Tahoe to see the week out. The resort is breathtaking, right on the beach at Lake Tahoe and within a mile of the casinos at Stateline, Nevada.

Hot August Nights ended it's run this past weekend in Reno. It is the largest car show in the Western United States and unless I miss my bet, I expect to see Dad and Shirley there next year. The other big one in California is the Fortuna Car show in Fortuna, California on the coast. It is more of a 40's-50's style car show, but they have all classes of cars. Dad's two rides are both sharp and expensive. I'm looking forward to hearing his stories as soon as he begins to show his cars.

Well, this is short and sweet this week. I have tons of work to do , having missed Monday, so I better roll up my sleeves (I'm wearing a golf shirt with short sleeves) and get to it. God bless.


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