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
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
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
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
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
Too much basketball to blog tonight. Just want you both to know that I'm alive and well.
Takk for alt,
Al
Blogging about Laos surfaced another memory about that trip. Travel to Luang Prabang, Laos was by air. Departure was by bus. The guidebook recommended purchasing a bus ticket on the VIP bus. That sounded good but I don't know what the travel writer was smoking. Only in one's imagination was there a VIP bus on that route, which I took to Vientienne.
A tuk-tuk delivered me from the guesthouse to the bus depot. A ticket on the only bus secured I clambered aboard. The bus looked ancient and air conditioning was via open windows. Away we went with nary an empty seat. Careening abound the turns on the mountain road we motored south to the capital city.
Perhaps forty five minutes into the trip the bus sputtered to a stop, clearly not planned. The bus's engine was below the floor between the driver and the front door, an area piled high with luggage. Out went the luggage and off came the cover over the engine. The driver and another crew member went to work on the engine with much pounding and pulling. Eventually it restarted, baggage reloaded and it ran until we reached our destination.
An hour and a half later the bus pulled to the side of the road while the engine was clearly running. All the passengers disembarked, me included, to use the toilet facilities, which was the road ditch. Necessities met off we went again.
The road was good and at wide clearings beside the road villages clustered. They were there to avoid the unexploded ordinance that infects Laos. In America's seven year undeclared war on Laos more bombs were dropped than on Germany in WW II. Laos is about the size of Minnesota.
Takk for alt,
Al
PS Another bus story; While riding in bus in Thailand, seated by an open window, I heard a rooster crow so near I though we must have almost run over it. A hundred yards later it crowed again. Looking behind me I saw a rooster tied to a bus seat.
