Little to say today, too...

    With no original thought again this day perhaps a trip into the picture files for something that will trigger some reflections. There are two funerals next week which I'll write about after the fact. Peers are dying which the reality of a person of a certain age.

Takk for alt,

Al

This is the egg store near "my" house in Thailand. The store was about the size of a one stall garage and all they sold were eggs. The eggs were priced according to size, the larger the more expensive. Because they were not washed they didn't need refrigeration even in the tropical heat. When purchased they were put in a plastic bag. Sitting on the back of a motorcycle it was my job to hold them until we arrived at home and none were ever broken. At home Met would refrigerate them. Thai omelets are exceptionally good, perhaps becasue they were done in a wok?  Naturally, the omelet was served on a bed of rice.

Living in the past...

     With the quiet life in the OFH often there is not much to report. That's probably a good thing. With international travel a thing of the past travel stories are in my memory as are experiences in the Marines. If either of you get tired of the recall of memories tell me and perhaps I'll stop sharing. Then again, maybe I'll continue. 😀

Takk for alt,

Al

Have you ever seen Mt Fuji without snow? When we first arrived at this tent camp for cold weather training on the base of Mt. Fuji, it was snowless. This was about the first of November 1961. As the days passed snow arrived gradually giving the mountain its characteristic snow cap. The frequent changes to its visage accounts for me accumulating multitude pictures of it. I regret not attempting to climb it though it was officially closed for the season. It's 12,388 feet above sea level.

Choices

      Today was the follow-up appointment following cataract surgery. All's well and testing of my vision provided me with a prescription for new lenses. Since the surgery I see distance well but need glasses to read or use the computer. Surgery and follow-up were at Park Nicollet. With prescription in hand I went to the Park Nicollet vision center to order glasses.

    Under the impression that my health insurance would provide one set of glasses it was a surprise to learn, "No, they pay 20%." Uffda, I wasn't prepared for that. Retrieving my prescription I headed for the VA Medical Center which was even on my home. At the VA Eyeglass Store no one was waiting to be seen. Within 15 minutes glasses and frames were ordered to my specifications and the prescription from Park Nicollet. The new glasses will magically appear in my mailbox in two weeks. I'm blessed with choices!

Takk for alt,

Al

Guess what?

Joanne Elizabeth (Hanson) Negstad 4/1/1936-4/12/2018

     There's an interesting story about naming Joanne. Her parents intended to name her Martha Louise. Then Knut Lokken, her maternal grandfather, came to visit her in the hospital and the name changed. Upon meeting the baby grandpa said "How's my little Joanne Elizabeth?" So, that's how she acquired her name.

    The last birthday she celebrated, April 1, 2018, was also Easter Sunday. At home on hospice care she was unable to attend Easter Services. Our congregation, Grace University Lutheran, sang happy birthday to her during the Easter Service. Shown a recording of the congregation singing to her, her response was "I never knew dying could be so glorious!"  She died like she lived, full of gratitude.

   May God bless her memory, good and faithful servant! Rest in peace!

Takk for alt,

Al

Easter Dinner, April 1, 2018, the last time she was at the table with the family.

A book, then...

      Thinking it was time to read some history I went to the OFH library in pursuit of a book. What do you suppose I found?  If you guessed "a book" you're correct. However, it isn't a history book. While there were many of that genre on the shelf none of them spoke to me.

    Wandering over to the fiction section one book immediately stuck out. The cover proclaimed "NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER."  Also, "The Good Morning America Book Club; A GMA book club pick." The title was familiar to me becasue I'd given it as a Christmas gift. It had arrived from the Bookshop too near Christmas for me to read before gifting it. Don't you read gift books before giving them? 😀  

   This book was engaging from the get go. In fact a time or two I read beyond my bedtime, my bedtime usually being sacrosanct. Have you guessed that the book in question is Lessons in Chemistry, did you begin to wonder if I was ever going to name it?  Author Bonnie Garmus' debut novel is a very interesting story well told. She also strikes some significant chords for feminism, in fact that's a major thrust of the book. Then there's the ending...

Takk for alt,

Al

 

This is the house in Thailand where I lived with five other teachers in 2009, my first year of teaching there.  One memory: a teacher from Australia went to a hot pot to get some hot water, the kind of pot where you press on a lever and the fluid comes out. When she pressed on the lever a gecko came out of the spout. 😁

Now. then...

     Only two basketball games today, both over now. The first one I had no favorite and in the second my favorite won. Therefore, there's no excuse not to blog now, but that assumes something to say. 😀 That's a shaky assumption.

   When all else fails talk about the weather. The ground is white with new snow that was preceded by a nice rain. Apparently Sinai also received some much needed moisture. The rains and snows that have reached the OFH have largely missed SDak. So March goes out like a lion. Anyone remember how it came in? Too long ago for me.

  Perhaps another time I'll think of something profound but no luck today.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

This is the guesthouse down which steps I fell on one of the ill fated Laos trips.

Too Much Basketball

   Too much basketball to blog tonight. Just want you both to know that I'm alive and well.

Takk for alt,

Al