Pull Tight

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/opinion/sunday/kristof-a-possibly-fatal-mistake.html This article although mostly about the state of healthcare for the uninsured, illustrates the sometimes profound benefit of early cancer detection. Symptoms ignored and untreated because of a lack of health insurance resulted in unpaid costs of many hundreds of thousand dollars and counting.  Also a life will almost certainly be shortened significantly. We all help pay for these costs through local taxes and higher insurance premiums. The article brought to mind my own diagnosis and treatment.  http://pulltight.blogspot.com/2010/05/43-life-throws-curve.html .  Wonder what I would have done when my first symptoms appeared if I had not been insured?  Would I now be in the same shape as Scott?  As it turns out my early symptoms lead to an early diagnosis and treatment.  Probably I will live another 30 years.  But not so for Scott.

Getting ready to go out this morning, already wearing a jacket on a cool day, Nancy called to me there is a lizard in the bath room. I rushed to the rescue of the poor reptile (a ground skink) with a paper plate.  The paper plate was close at hand and it seemed better than trying to catch by hand and possibly injuring.  The lizard was very compliant and crawled on the plate, and then quickly proceeded up my sleeve. Just for the record, nothing helps you help you remove your jacket quite so fast as when it co-occupied with a slightly slimy reptile migrating toward your arm pit.

Low humidity and a temperature in the 60s made it a perfect morning to be out, be you snake or bicyclist. This guy crossed the bike path in front of me.  Look closely and  you will see a copperhead snake,  Agkistrodon contortrix. Very good camaflauge, I have know a few people bitten by them over the years, it is pretty easy to come in very close proximity with a creature blending so well with their environment.  If you didn't spot him yet, look straight above and slightly to the right from the green clump of grass, about 2 -3 inches of body from under the leaves and grass with the head sharply to the left.   And, watch your step!

Today on the radio, there was a discussion of a museum exhibit in the Ukraine related to Sleeping Beauty. Started remembering the many children's books and stories I read to my children. As most parents know, children enjoy favorite stories, videos and books again and again.  My daughter must have been about 4 or 5 when I was reading the Disney versions of children's stories to her.  We would usually read the same book over many times at her request.  After several bedtimes readings in a row of Alice in Wonderland at my daughter's request, I decided to get her to tell me the story. "Lauren, we have read this book many times, tell me what the story is about." She didn't miss a beat with her immediate answer "A rabbit was late."

Please read Up in Smoke Blog post first. After reading my post about Jesse and wondering whatever became of him, my old coworker who introduced us contacted me.  Jesse won the election and served as mayor of the town near Austin.  It would be a good ending if this where it ended.  But his life was to take another turn.  My friend/coworker and I searched to find him online.  What we found sadly, was his obituary.  He died way too soon at age 58. Reading through almost a hundred condolences,  praises, accolades, etc., I discovered he had gone on to obtain a Ph.D. and spent many years as a very beloved, respected and very effective elementary school principal. Action is the foundational key to all success. Pablo Picasso

"Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country." - Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President Remembering this as we near elections always brings a smile to my face. Back in the 70s I was recently out of college living in Austin working nights in a hospital laboratory.  Realizing that some of my new found friends had much better sound systems, I was inspired to assemble my own, but on a budget.  A coworker/friend who was somewhat of an audiophile helped with this endeavor.  First thing was a trip to the multitude of pawn shops in Killeen near Ft Hood for a receiver and turntable.  Ray then suggested that an acquaintance of his could help me with the speakers.  This is where my story begins. Early one morning after work we went to Jesse's house.  When we arrived he was sound asleep in front of an open window, curtains blowing in the breeze, with his stereo blasting rock music at very slightly below the threshold of ...

Donald Cyr, Patricia Cyr Drown Trying To Rescue Dog From Lake : "WESTFIELD, Mass. -- A Massachusetts couple boating on a lake drowned after jumping into the water to rescue their dog, who survived." Many of us have devoted dogs.  And, probably many of us would go to at least some risk for our canine best friends.  Very sad story.