It was no easy matter getting back into the city for medical care. Flying to connect with the cruise line (Oceania) we went through customs in Amsterdam on our way to Stockholm where the cruise began. All of the Baltic countries we visited, except Russia, accepted the visa we were given in Amsterdam. But, in Russia we had a provisional visa under the auspices of the tour company only good when we were them. So, when we needed to go to a medical clinic in St. Petersburg, we were assigned a port authority employee who stayed with us until we were back aboard ship.
A car and driver drove us to the medical clinic. An "English Speaking Clinic" meant that there was an interpreter assigned to us. The clinic was in the process of remodeling so the x-ray equipment was inoperative. The Curmudgeonette was bundled into an ambulance for a ride to a hospital for x-rays. The x-rays confirmed those that were taken aboard ship. So back in the ambulance she went for the ride back to the clinic.
At the clinic two doctors set her arm by each pulling in an opposite direction. Satisfied that the bones were in place they cast her arm (left) and right thumb. (More about this later.)
It was 4:30 when we finished at the clinic. In the parking lot of the clinic the woman from the port authority said "It's rush hour and it will take two hours to get back to the ship by car so we're taking you by ambulance." Into the back of the ambulance we loaded and we were off to the races.
Lights. sirens and a grand Prix driver who was not afraid to use them and we whipped through rush our traffic...left lane, right lane, through red lights...whatever it took and we were back at the ship in 30 minutes.
Back at the ship we reported back to the medical clinic. When I asked the ship's doctor about paying he said "The ship is paying because it happened aboard ship." OK, that's OK with me as I thought about our decision to decline the medical insurance offered as part of our cruise package.
(In a subsequent post you can read about her medical follow-up at home.)
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
The Curmudgeonette is Recovering.
Three days into our Baltic Cruise, which was the final phase of celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary, we had a first day tour of St. Petersburg, Russia. The tour included a comprehensive drive in the city. We saw many of the famous churches and sites even stopping for a free sample of vodka, which the Curmudgeonette refused,...so vodka is not to blame. The walk to see the graves of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great was over very rough cobblestone in a light rain. Fixing me with a death grip she negotiated the terrain with neither a slip nor a stumble.
Back aboard ship after the tour we had a delightful meal and enjoyable conversation processing what we'd seen on the tour. Departing the cafeteria after lunch the Curmudgeonette tripped on a quarter-inch-high threshold going through a door. Falling forward she did what physical therapists call a "swoosh" when a person instinctively throws arms forward to break a fall. Subsequent x-rays, aboard ship, revealed a broken left arm and right thumb. The ship's doctor, who was from Poland, said "maritime rules mandate a second opinion so tomorrow we'll send you to an English speaking medical clinic in St. Petersburg".
In the next installment you'll learn of how that led to three ambulance rides.
Back aboard ship after the tour we had a delightful meal and enjoyable conversation processing what we'd seen on the tour. Departing the cafeteria after lunch the Curmudgeonette tripped on a quarter-inch-high threshold going through a door. Falling forward she did what physical therapists call a "swoosh" when a person instinctively throws arms forward to break a fall. Subsequent x-rays, aboard ship, revealed a broken left arm and right thumb. The ship's doctor, who was from Poland, said "maritime rules mandate a second opinion so tomorrow we'll send you to an English speaking medical clinic in St. Petersburg".
In the next installment you'll learn of how that led to three ambulance rides.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Recommended Reading
Don't read this if you're into "shoot um up" type thrillers but Elizabeth Stroud's The Burgess Boys is fascinating if you're interested in relationships. Perhaps if I were teaching a class on Family Systems I'd assign this as a reading. It would be fun to discuss in a class setting.
Of particular interest is the clear illustration of the power of secrets in family life and the effect of secrets exposed. The younger boy, Bob, has to re-imagine his entire life is response to a secret revealed. Family System's theory has much to say about the toxicity of secrets in families. I'd welcome conversation with any who may of read this book.
Of particular interest is the clear illustration of the power of secrets in family life and the effect of secrets exposed. The younger boy, Bob, has to re-imagine his entire life is response to a secret revealed. Family System's theory has much to say about the toxicity of secrets in families. I'd welcome conversation with any who may of read this book.
Monday, September 22, 2014
I Love Auctions
It was a perfect day for an auction. 72 degrees, sunny with only a light breeze. It was an auction of my niece' husband's family estate. His mother lived on a 5 acre site and kept horses and goats. There were many interesting tools and animal husbandry equipment in addition to house hold items.
Of particular interest to me was the tractor. It was an IHC M with an older Farmhand loader. The tractor was in good shape with a Schwartz wide front (much better than the factory IHC wide front) and power steering. Wide fronts are preferable to the tricycle fronts on many tractor. The tires were in good shape which is important because one new rear tire costs $500.
Lisa and Derek were with me at the sale and I told them I'd bid to $2000. Kirk, my niece' husband told me that the man who had sold it to them was there to bid on it. I though "he's not going to get it cheaply."
Sales at auctions begin with the smallest items and work up to the most expensive. The tractor was the second to the last item sold. Bidding quickly moved to $2500. and I had not yet bid. It seemed that would be the final bid until I bid $2550. The lone other bidder (the one who had originally sold the tractor) thought a long time before bidding $2600. and I stopped so it was his tractor.
It was mostly relief I felt when it was finished. I already have two IHC Ms, one of which I have for sale. The appeal of this one was the wide front, power steering and loader. At $2000. it would have been a bargain but $2600. was it's full value. Visiting with the winning bidder he told me "that was my final bid." Sometimes it's better to bid and lose than to bid and win.
Of particular interest to me was the tractor. It was an IHC M with an older Farmhand loader. The tractor was in good shape with a Schwartz wide front (much better than the factory IHC wide front) and power steering. Wide fronts are preferable to the tricycle fronts on many tractor. The tires were in good shape which is important because one new rear tire costs $500.
Lisa and Derek were with me at the sale and I told them I'd bid to $2000. Kirk, my niece' husband told me that the man who had sold it to them was there to bid on it. I though "he's not going to get it cheaply."
Sales at auctions begin with the smallest items and work up to the most expensive. The tractor was the second to the last item sold. Bidding quickly moved to $2500. and I had not yet bid. It seemed that would be the final bid until I bid $2550. The lone other bidder (the one who had originally sold the tractor) thought a long time before bidding $2600. and I stopped so it was his tractor.
It was mostly relief I felt when it was finished. I already have two IHC Ms, one of which I have for sale. The appeal of this one was the wide front, power steering and loader. At $2000. it would have been a bargain but $2600. was it's full value. Visiting with the winning bidder he told me "that was my final bid." Sometimes it's better to bid and lose than to bid and win.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Reading Recommendation
Moloka'i, Alan Brennert 2003, is not a new book but well worth reading. An historical novel about the Leper colony in Hawaii by the same name, the narrative begins in 1891 and continues into the 1970s. Brennert relied heavily on historical records while he wrote what is a fictional account focused on primarily on one character. He writes so well that I was captivated emotionally with the fortunes of the characters. It was the choice of our book club at our last gathering and was universally appreciated.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Too Much of a Good Thing
Perhaps I'm the only farmer(?) who cultivated a corn field to kill corn. Last year there was such a bumper crop of corn that the pheasants, of which there were very few, and the deer, not many of them either, didn't eat it all over winter. This spring when I chopped the stalks before plowing, the ground was yellow with corn kernels. I should have done a light discing and let the corn germinate before plowing. But I was anxious to get the corn planted so skipped that step. The result is a field so thick with corn that I can hardly pick out the rows that were planted.
The problem with such a thick stand is that corn resents being crowded. In it's resentment the corn refuses to grow very well. When the corn was between 4 and 6 inches tall it would have been a good time to cultivate. At that time, however, the Curmudgeonette had me on a Baltic Cruise to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. I did cultivate after I got back but by that time the corn was almost two feet tall and harder to kill. It's helpful that the field is far from the road so real farmers can't see it. I do hope there will be enough to feed the critters this winter.
The problem with such a thick stand is that corn resents being crowded. In it's resentment the corn refuses to grow very well. When the corn was between 4 and 6 inches tall it would have been a good time to cultivate. At that time, however, the Curmudgeonette had me on a Baltic Cruise to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. I did cultivate after I got back but by that time the corn was almost two feet tall and harder to kill. It's helpful that the field is far from the road so real farmers can't see it. I do hope there will be enough to feed the critters this winter.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Remembering Steve
Steve, my first cousin once removed, who died in a plane crash a week ago was my "Thailand buddy." Our relationship began 6 years ago at a Bergh family (my maternal relatives) reunion at my cousin Millie's place near Engelvale, ND. I'd known Steve since he was born July 5, 1963 but I hadn't known him very well. He grew up on the parental farm west of Canby, MN and eventually left farming and ended up in the Twin Cities.
Steve was manning the grill at the reunion in ND cooking hamburgers and brats. Some one told me that he's been in Thailand so I went over to chat with him. We shared stories and compared notes of our travels in SE Asia and Thailand in particular. That was the beginning of a special friendship.
We didn't see each other so often but we'd make a point of connecting especially when one of us was recently back from a trip. That was a time to share stories and pictures over lunch. My adventures pale in comparison to Steve's.
His favorite method of seeing a country was via motorcycle. He'd ridden extensively in Thailand and Laos visiting Thailand 20 times. Many of his rides were in the back country on barely visible trails along the borders. He was often stopped by the army in Thailand along the border with Burma. They'd check his papers and let him go again. He rode all the way north through Laos to the border with China.
Indonesian and The Philippines were other countries he explored by motorcycle. The traffic was the worst in Indonesia. It was in The Philippines that he hit a water buffalo while riding a motorcycle. Neither he nor the buffalo were hurt. Perhaps his riskiest ride was doing much of northern Mexico on a dirt bike.
His death came later on the same day the last Bergh reunion ended...this one was at Joy Ranch, Watertown, SD. It was wonderful to spend time with him at the reunion. He showed me pictures of his last trip to Asia which was just last June. He took his significant other and her family to Laos and Thailand. The Tiger Temple enthralled him and he planned to swim with the tigers on his next trip. Steve was very interested in hearing of my experience in Kunming, China because he was thinking of traveling there.
We always had a lot to talk about. He showed me pictures of the ultra-light airplane in which he and mark died. One of the pictures was a movie of Mark flying the ultra-light. I wondered if he really wanted to fly in plane powered by a lawn mower engine. Twice during the reunion in response to people remarking on his risky adventures he said "I don't plan to get out of this alive."
My heart aches when I think about Steve and Mark...Steve my Thailand buddy and his best friend and brother, Mark.
Steve was manning the grill at the reunion in ND cooking hamburgers and brats. Some one told me that he's been in Thailand so I went over to chat with him. We shared stories and compared notes of our travels in SE Asia and Thailand in particular. That was the beginning of a special friendship.
We didn't see each other so often but we'd make a point of connecting especially when one of us was recently back from a trip. That was a time to share stories and pictures over lunch. My adventures pale in comparison to Steve's.
His favorite method of seeing a country was via motorcycle. He'd ridden extensively in Thailand and Laos visiting Thailand 20 times. Many of his rides were in the back country on barely visible trails along the borders. He was often stopped by the army in Thailand along the border with Burma. They'd check his papers and let him go again. He rode all the way north through Laos to the border with China.
Indonesian and The Philippines were other countries he explored by motorcycle. The traffic was the worst in Indonesia. It was in The Philippines that he hit a water buffalo while riding a motorcycle. Neither he nor the buffalo were hurt. Perhaps his riskiest ride was doing much of northern Mexico on a dirt bike.
His death came later on the same day the last Bergh reunion ended...this one was at Joy Ranch, Watertown, SD. It was wonderful to spend time with him at the reunion. He showed me pictures of his last trip to Asia which was just last June. He took his significant other and her family to Laos and Thailand. The Tiger Temple enthralled him and he planned to swim with the tigers on his next trip. Steve was very interested in hearing of my experience in Kunming, China because he was thinking of traveling there.
We always had a lot to talk about. He showed me pictures of the ultra-light airplane in which he and mark died. One of the pictures was a movie of Mark flying the ultra-light. I wondered if he really wanted to fly in plane powered by a lawn mower engine. Twice during the reunion in response to people remarking on his risky adventures he said "I don't plan to get out of this alive."
My heart aches when I think about Steve and Mark...Steve my Thailand buddy and his best friend and brother, Mark.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
In Memorium
 |
| Viewer's left to right: Schultz siblings Dawn, Steven, Mark & Shari.
The descendants of Olai & Minnie Bergh, my maternal grandparents, gathered for a family reunion at Joy Ranch, Watertown, SD. September 5-7. Ten grandchildren survive, my brother and I, plus 8 cousins the oldest of whom is 98. There were approximately 90 persons in attendance. It was a joyous event in a great facility with perfect weather. About noon on Sunday the 7th we said our goodbye's and headed home in the glow of time with a large and loving family.
Mark and Steve, sons of my cousin Helen and her husband Orville, stopped at Montevideo, MN to fly their ultra light plane. Shortly after take off the plane crashed into a soybean field and both Mark and Steve were killed instantly, Their funeral will be at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Canby, MN Saturday, September 13.
|
Monday, September 8, 2014
2014 PHEASANT OUTLOOK FOR SD
2014 PHEASANT OUTLOOK
2014 PHEASANT BROOD SURVEY RESULTS BY AREA
Pheasants Per Mile (PPM)
|
Change From
| ||||
| Local Area |
2014 Survey
|
2013 Survey
|
10 yr. ave.
|
2013 Survey
|
10 yr. ave.
|
| Chamberlain |
6.55
|
2.66
|
14.38
|
147%
|
-54%
|
| Winner |
3.78
|
2.00
|
7.33
|
89%
|
-48%
|
| Pierre |
5.20
|
2.15
|
9.16
|
142%
|
-43%
|
| Mobridge |
3.59
|
2.12
|
6.88
|
70%
|
-48%
|
| Aberdeen |
2.74
|
1.70
|
6.11
|
61%
|
-55%
|
| Huron |
2.92
|
2.04
|
7.32
|
43%
|
-60%
|
| Mitchell |
3.04
|
2.00
|
5.97
|
52%
|
-49%
|
| Yankton |
1.36
|
0.68
|
1.40
|
95%
|
-3%
|
| Sioux Falls |
1.06
|
0.90
|
2.14
|
18%
|
-50%
|
| Brookings |
1.16
|
0.77
|
3.89
|
50%
|
-70%
|
| Watertown |
1.21
|
0.77
|
4.63
|
56%
|
-74%
|
| Sisseton |
0.77
|
0.56
|
1.94
|
38%
|
-60%
|
| Western SD |
1.53
|
1.01
|
2.68
|
51%
|
-43%
|
| STATEWIDE |
2.68
|
1.52
|
5.75
|
76%
|
-53%
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Every year counters drive the same route early in the morning to count pheasant broods on the roads. This provides a fairly accurate estimate of the year's pheasant hatch, Brookings encompasses the primary area in which I hunt. The survey shows a 50% increase over last year but it is still 70% below the 10 year average. Last year was a poor nesting season following a difficult winter. This year the winter was better and the nesting season was more favorable. The other negative feature for nesting success is the continued loss of habitat due to farming practices.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Poy is home form the hospital
Poy is now recuperating at home with "severe abdominal pain" but "not many cuts or bruises." It is difficult to ascertain many details of the motorcycle accident because of language difficulties. Learning more will not likely be very possible until I get there and evn then will will be a challenge.
I plan to go to Thailand in early February this year because of family travel schedules. It will be an interesting experiment. Likely the weather will be hotter and, while I tolerate a lot of heat, teaching and living without a/c will be interesting. On the other hand I have often missed school field trips because that were scheduled in February. January in Minnesota is not lovely but coming home in early February and having winter stretch on also leaves something to be desired. Stay tuned to see how this all turns out.
I plan to go to Thailand in early February this year because of family travel schedules. It will be an interesting experiment. Likely the weather will be hotter and, while I tolerate a lot of heat, teaching and living without a/c will be interesting. On the other hand I have often missed school field trips because that were scheduled in February. January in Minnesota is not lovely but coming home in early February and having winter stretch on also leaves something to be desired. Stay tuned to see how this all turns out.
 |
| Poy is on my left. |
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Poy hospitalized again.
Readers of this blog may remember Poy, the 14 year old girl taken in by Tuk-Tuk drivers Gai and Mai in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Earlier this year she was hospitalized in Bangkok. Yesterday I received word and pictures of her hospitalization following a motorcycle accident. It is not clear how seriously she was hurt but I could tell from the pictures that she's not in an ICU nor where any casts or splints visible. Gai's written English is hard to decipher but I'm attempting to get more details.
 |
| Poy is the girl in the center. |
Thankful for NATO
To complete the celebration of our fiftieth wedding anniversary (married June 6, 1964) the Curmudgeonette took me on a Baltic Cruise. We left America on June 20, and returned July 1. Leaving from Stockholm and returning to Copenhagen we visited Estonia, Russia, Finland, Latvia, Germany and Lithuania.
President Obama's trip to to Estonia to reassure NATO allies reminded me of an experience I had in Latvia. At each stop we took the organized tours that were offered. The tours were guided by competent locals. It was rewarding to engage the guides in conversation when they were not otherwise engaged. In Latvia I asked our tour guide her opinion of the unrest in Ukraine. She replied that Latvians felt bad about the violence and loss of life. I asked "Do you worry about Russia?" "No," she said, "because of NATO."
It's ironic who Putin's adventures in Ukraine have backfired on him revitalizing and re-energizing NATO.
President Obama's trip to to Estonia to reassure NATO allies reminded me of an experience I had in Latvia. At each stop we took the organized tours that were offered. The tours were guided by competent locals. It was rewarding to engage the guides in conversation when they were not otherwise engaged. In Latvia I asked our tour guide her opinion of the unrest in Ukraine. She replied that Latvians felt bad about the violence and loss of life. I asked "Do you worry about Russia?" "No," she said, "because of NATO."
It's ironic who Putin's adventures in Ukraine have backfired on him revitalizing and re-energizing NATO.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)