Sunday, May 17, 2009

May Blogger Hiatus Expected to End Soon

Between familial situations, THREE Major Projects at work, and recurring bouts of dyspepsia and sleep-pattern irregularities (not to mention my eight month fight with Hand Eczema), I have been way behind my personal expectations in three major areas for the past several weeks:
  • Blogging
  • Work
  • Family
  • Shooting
My epidemiologist finally found something that helps the Hand Eczema, but it is not yet a cure. At least I can now type without wearing vinyl gloves. This also suggests that I may be able to reload ammunition, work on my semi-nonfunctioning competition pistol, and perhaps even compete in USPSA matches without shredding the skin on my fingers (and triggering another Eczema outbreak).

My family situations are settling down. My son and his family have moved to his new duty station in San Diego, which is (not coincidently where my daughter and her family live.) They are now mutually supportive, and don't expect to be displaced by change in duty station for the next few years. There's a pleasing symmetry to this situation, except that they all now live so far away that it's virtually impossible to see them more frequently than once a year. But when I get to see them, I'll visit them all --- all four adults and SEVEN grandchildren!

Also, we just celebrated my Mother's 91st Birthday, the day before Mother's day. She's doing very well now; her health has settled into a comfortable rut. My sister has been increasingly concerned because Mom has developed problems with her balance (and memory, Osteo-arthritis, etc.) We got her one of those "Help Me I've Fallen And I Can't Get Up" systems and I installed it last weekend. Together, Mom and I tested it and we received a very warm welcome from the Medical Alert operator. My sister is completing the forms with family contact information and medical history. When she submits it to the Medical Alert people, they will have friends and neighbors who they can call to contact in case the alarm rings, before they call the EMT and local police. We all feel a lot more comfortable now. Especially since Mom fell down the back-porch stairs two weeks ago and got a black eye and four stitches in her eyebrow.

(I also installed grab-bars in Mom's shower, and my sister got mom a walker to get around at home and when she goes out shopping. Plus, my sister is taking Mom places so she isn't driving hardly at all any more.)

Work is going to continue to take more time than I have, and less time than I will be able to give. Last month I missed more hours of work than I could cover with accumulated sick leave and vacation leave. Most of this was because of insomnia, but some due to dyspepsia. Without getting into the Too Much Information, these are both stress-related.

I had intended to go to the ARPC Full-Auto Shoot this weekend, but I missed Friday and parts of Saturday and Sunday due to dyspepsia, so I had to choose between spending my time with SWMBO and going to the gun range. Easy choice, SWMBO and I went out to breakfast this morning (after I slept 11 hours last night) and did some essential shopping (books, groceries) before I headed home early in the afternoon.

With any luck at all, I'll be able to put in a full week's work during the next 7 days and still get ammunition loaded at night, so I can attend the match at Dundee next weekend.

I'll still be shooting iron sights, but my bifocals have made it easier to see the sights and even, sometimes, get proper sight alignment.

It's a joy to be able to shoot Limited again. Still, I'm hooked on shooting Open division. If I can bet .38 super ammunition reloaded I'll replace the mainspring on the Open gun and start using it again. That is, I will if I can find primers!

Saving the best for last, SWMBO has been continuing to slowly build her strength. Her Oncologist increased the volume of infusion a week ago, and it severely affected her balance, strength and mental accuity. She has an appointment tomorrow and plans to insist that the negative affect on her quality of life is not worth any marginal benefit, since it appears that the tumor is not shrinking no matter what they do. Her choice, and I won't argue with her. It's a joy to see that twinkle in her eye and hear the joy in her laughter. I've missed that.

Bottom line, I feel more free than I have for months, and I've saved up so much blogmeat that I don't know what to write about first. Guess we'll all just have to wait and see what comes out of the Geek Meat Locker next.

(Now, if I can just get my PC and SWMBO's fixed, we can go back to Business As Usual.)

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