Great Beach Getaway, Paleo Diet Slip

What a great weekend at the beach!  The weather was great, the parents came and met us Saturday night for dinner, then sat on the veranda in rocking chairs and people watched.  Went up on the beach Saturday, almost killed me, sand walking is now on my list of things I both hate, and stink at.    We had a wicked cool storm roll in, took about 5 minutes, came from the north and south, met right in front of us, cool.

Strayed off my eating plan whilst away, only slightly, but it wrecked my system.  Had a soda one day, sweet potato fries another, and it almost killed me.  My system is a finely tuned machine, it was like putting diesel fuel into a race car!  Doesn't sound like much of a slip, but I've had no sugar for over 2 months, it was enough.  Did I mention the fries were coated in sugar and cinnamon?  They were really good, but no more, 65 lbs down, getting there.

The Wife On Vacation And The Church Garden Died

The wife is in Punta Cana for the week, soaking up the sun at an all inclusive resort. She and 3 childhood friends set it up in honor of them all turning 50. The wife was a little reluctant to go, worried I would miss her too much, not remember to eat and stuff. Well, I will miss her, and the eating, yeah, right! Truth of the matter is I wish she would do this more often. I don't travel well, and she lives for it, so beam her up Scotty!

My garden idea at church turned out to be a flop! Like most things I've found, the garden idea was discovered too late. My plan was to put in a small plot, get the scouts at church, the younger parishioners, anyone interested in lending a hand to, well lend a hand. If the 15 or so churches in our area all did a small plot that would have been a lot of food for those who needed it. Thanks to the couple of people who did show an interest, I appreciate it. My fate is to have a mind that still has good ideas, but a body that can't carry them to fruition. Oh well, at least I still have my boyish grin!

Car Pains, Beautiful Day, and Swank Diet Take 2

I quit, no more long car rides for me, I am hurtin for certain. You know it's bad when you are 2 hours into an 8 hour ride and you have already had it. My legs are trashed! I was not looking forward to the ride home from MA, the ride up was bad enough. Good news is I did it, was able to see both sides of the family, just don't know if I can do it again.

Beautiful day here in Nottingham, picture perfect summer day. The wife is out lounging in the pool, the kids are at work, and I'm listening to the Stones on the radio, all is good in that part of my world. The Orioles are playing baseball, not just showing up. The squirrels are getting fat off of peanuts and sunflowers, and the hummingbirds are drinking up our homemade nectar. The wife is going to a cookout with her parents and I'm pretty sure I'll be taking a nap, all's good.

Thinking about starting up the old Swank diet, try to kill 2 birds with one stone. I still could stand to drop some tonnage, and maybe a low fat regimen will make the ms go away. That was funny, make it go away. No red meat for a year, that's the tough part. I'm sure I can get used to it, especially if I see a benefit, I just worry I won't. No dark meat turkey or chicken, the best part, and tons of fish. I'll just keep hoping something works, and keep my fingers crossed.

Travel and MS

What a trip, me and the wife had a blast! Great to get away, but I feel like somebody chopped me into little pieces, then smashed the pieces with a hammer. It's going to be a long couple of days.

Rental Cars, Kids In Charge, and Family Visits

Going on our trip tomorrow, this will be the party house next week, I can feel it. Rented a car for the trip, ours are a little long in the tooth, plus very uncomfortable. We got a free upgrade, which means they didn't have what we reserved, so we got a Ford Escape. It's duel fuel, the kid tried to tell me it would switch on the highway to the "other" fuel, ergo get better mileage. I must of had my idiot shirt on, but we went for the cushy leather seats, Sirius radio, and the cool look.

No computer is making the trip, it's just going to be me and my baby on the open road. The kids know how to get a hold of us, so we will be connected. They will be on the run, people coming and going. Here's if we see if we did a good job or not. We will have the groups from the bowling alley I'm sure, and I have a feeling a certain young man may stop by. Oh how this was omitted from my copy of the playbook!

It will be great to see everyone, wish they all lived right here, but you don't always get what you want. Maybe I can talk the wife into moving up there... na, I doubt it. I asked my friend if she would be interested in writing a few things while I was gone, she said only if she could make stuff up. Could be an interesting week!

Great Friends, Insurance Runaround, and Visiting Family

Nice day today, even though I was feeling a little off. The wife went to church without me today, I stayed in bed. The minister asked for me by name, it's like I was called out for detention! We had people over for dinner, I was absolutely no help at all. The wife make a killer meal, all from scratch, and I sat and caught up with 2 dear friends, so all in all a good day. Oh yeah, got a picture of my hummingbird, but not a great one yet, but I got him.



Go tomorrow to the doctors, have to have my nutsy pills straightened out. I take 90 mg of Cymbalta once a day, but the insurance company says the therapeutic dose is only 60 mg. My doc is out for back surgery so I have to see her partner for him to write a justification letter to the insurance company. Either way you look at it I have to pay my copay for the insurance company to be happy. For me to be happy I'm going to have the partner check me out from head to toe. If I gots to pay for it, it going to gets me moneys worth!

We go on a trip this coming weekend, visiting family up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Spending a couple days with the wife's family first, a couple aunts and an uncle and all her cousins, always a nice trip. Swing back down to my aunt and uncle and cousins, also always a nice trip. It's nice to get away, though will pay the price for being out amongst the humans, but hey, you only live one, you have to see the things and people that make you feel good.

Grandparents on Vacation, Exercising With MS, and Church Garden

The boy is probably going to hook up with his grandparents one day while he is at the beach, my guess is on the boardwalk. My parents live about 40 minutes from the beach, I hope they are able to make it in to see him. A lot of 18 year olds on their first week long adventure away from home probably wouldn't want a visit from the G-Parents, but both of my kids have always been very good about including them. I'm pretty sure he will be in contact with them, he called to make sure he had the right phone number, thanks buddy, we love you.

Time to take the bull by the horns and start exercising! I'm pretty sure that made no sense whatsoever, but you get my point. My legs are killing me! I need to do something, the legs are getting weak, and they ain't going to get any stronger sitting here on my ever spreading rear. My problem is what I consider exercise, and what I'm going to be able to do now. I have to change that mindset, as well as my sedentary lifestyle. I think I've probably said this before, but it's fish or cut bait time. I'm going to write a post and use nothing but cliche.

Our minister gave a great sermon today, one that really made me think. For a long time I have thought what a waste it is to have land go unused in certain places when it could be used to grow food for people in need. I'm lucky to have never been hungry a day in my life, but know that's not the case for everyone. I've talked to a few people about it, always leaving it at just an idea. I think it's time to move it out of that column and at least bring it up people that may be able to make do something about it. I know how gratifying it is to eat something out of our garden, can only imagine how good it would be to feed other people.

Heat, Graduation Trip, and Reconnecting With Friends

The heat has been unbearable, thank God for air conditioning! What did people do without it? I actually remember the work without A/C, I was 13 before me family had it, we just soldiered through hot times. I really don't remember it being that hot, but it must have been, guess we were just used to it. I know now it is a comfort I would fight for, and pity the fool that is without it.

The wife and boy are in Florida, a graduation present for him, he took his one buddy with him, and a very deserved break for her. The dudes went to Universal Studios and their water park, she was the queen of the pool. I tried to talk her into hitting the shopping scene, but she wanted to be at the hotel if the boys needed her. Can you say cell phone? It made her feel better to be there, so that's all that matters, and I'm glad they are home tomorrow evening.

Been spending a lot of time on facebook, it's been pretty cool hooking up with people I knew 30 years ago in school. Seems like I have more in common with the gals I went to school with? Don't know what it is, but we get together fairly often, lunch, Friday night snowballs, Karaoke every once in a while, nice. Trying to be out more while it's still somewhat easy to do, what I call being out amongst the humans.

Vegas Vacation, Artifact Dig, and Race on the Big Screen

The wife and boy made it to Vegas with no problems, that's a good thing, I like good things. The wife was a nervous wreck, 90 lbs of balling balls and she she sees a problem with the luggage? 30 lbs each as carry one, 30 in the luggage, done is done! The boy had practice tonight, made 7 - 10 split, he's pumped. The wife is hitting the casino to win some money, have a drink, and relax a bit. I told her to be careful, there may be gigolos in the casinos, preying on women. She told me she sure hoped so. Ouch! The boy bowls at 6 pm tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed.

I'm going to go look for arrowheads tomorrow, a friend is building a house, he's found all kinds of things. His parents live next door in a house built in the early 1700's, so it's an old area. I think his dad has a metal detector, he's going to let me borrow it. Why wouldn't he we haven't gotten arrested together 30 years, so we can be trusted to play nice. I want to see what kind of things are there, maybe muscat balls, arrowheads, or even buttons. 2 things amaze me, we had wild Indians warring in our area at some point, and we have deer, 200 lb wild animals running around our neighborhood, now! That is so cool.

I don't claim to be the smartest man in the country, I leave that to the politicos, they are sure of lots of things. They are sure one of the biggest fixes we needed was for the Professor, the cop and the President to have a beer, bury the hatchet. Cool, that will fix the problems the black community perceive. I for one would want to attack the murder rates in our cities. Our young men are dropping like flies. 5 just this past week in Baltimore, and that's just the number that was killed, 3 times as many shot! 130 murdered for the year so far. I think it's horrible when white cops hassle black men for no reason, but look at the larger picture here, people are dying, 1000's of them a year.

Bermuda Shopping, Tourism, Beaches, And All Done With Multiple Sclerosis

There is plenty to do in Bermuda for people like me, the less mobile of us, if you like shopping and sight seeing. Transportation is good, you have choices, from the trolley, to buses, to taxis, and even ferries. I'm not sure how they handle wheelchairs, or scooters, luckily I only used the chair on the boat. We were in Kings Wharf, not as developed as Hamilton, or King George, but a really cool looking place. The shopping in Kings Wharf wasn't huge, but we weren't there to buy a new wardrobe, or new dishes, we mostly looked around.

We were only in Bermuda for 2 days, so we didn't go everywhere. Day 2 the wife and kids went on the ferry to Hamilton, had to be back on the ship by 2, so not a huge amount of time. I didn't go, with the time restrictions, I didn't want to slow the group, and I'm not huge on shopping. The crowds for the ferry were pretty big, and the bus was running slow, so they only spent a couple of hours in Hamilton, you don't want to miss the boat. I think the boy is the only one that bought anything, he had to buy gifts for a couple "special" friends, 2 different gifts so they couldn't compare, he is just like his mother!

The beach we chose was a very small one, at the Snorkel Park, just adjacent to the Naval Dockyard. It was clean, and we were able to experience the blue water. It was picked because it was so close to the ship, and it had a public restroom. Horseshoe Beach and bay was probably a bigger, more desirable beach, also with bathrooms, but it involved the bus or ferry, so we opted to stay in port. It wasn't real active, the water just kind of lapped in, but it was good for us. I enjoyed my time looking at nature, dodging the ferral roosters, and looking out at the blue water. We will do it again, either with friends, or just me and the wife. Either way, it was worth a do over.

We Had a Great Vacation, Batteries Recharged For The Next Push, But It's Good To Be Home

We made it through the cruise, nobody fell off the ship, got sick, or killed each other, so it it was a good vacation, and a very much needed break away from captivity! It was great to not have anything to clean-up, cook, or figure out. The weather was great, Bermuda is beautiful, and the water is actually as blue as I've always heard, if not bluer. We had a great time on our first adventure at sea, and were glad the kids, and the wife's family were there to share it with.




I always heard too there was so much food you couldn't believe it, midnight buffets, round the clock smorgasbords, and mer-folk throwing seafood at you for our consumption, but we didn't find it on this cruise! The dining hall food was very good, the entrees were presented beautifully, and were very plentiful, although the shrimp cocktail reminded me of those 51-60 already cooked shrimp you see in grocery stores. There was a late night buffet each day, but it was hamburgers, hot dogs, and 7-11 pizza! One night they had a fancy spread up to the pool, in an area not accessible by wheelchair, which I used at my families urging, so the boy's plan of eating until he exploded went unfulfilled.





The one thing I did not like, even a little bit, was how they handled your drinks. We bought a prepaid soda package, $25 or so a person, show your card for a soda, no problems. The problem comes when you try to get the wait staff to get you a soda. Royal Caribbean must have it set up that every beer, shot of tequila, and rum swizzle the crew can sell, they get paid a cut? They bombard you every few seconds asking if you'd like a cocktail, in a specialty glass, only $12.75! It was over the top, very bothersome, and we had quite a few times we asked for a soda, and we never saw that particular person again. It also wasn't very easy for me to get the drinks, they were only in the bars and eating areas, so unless I was tethered to the bar, no soda.




I'd be interested to see how the other cruise lines handle things, it was great leaving out of the Port of Baltimore, we left this morning and were home in 20 minutes! I would go again without hesitation, but I think I would give one of the other lines a try, I wasn't overly impressed with Royal C! I spent most of my free time alone up on the top deck looking at the water, searching for dolphins and Arial, never saw either, but had a blast, must have taken 50 pictures for other couples up the very top. We had a ball, including watching the kids parasail, worth every penny, and made the trip!

MS Medicine, Cruise Clothes, and Vacation Almost Here

Had a fun day today trying on all my dress clothes to remind me of how fat I've gotten, good times! With the cruise being this Saturday, I needed to make sure I had clothes to wear to dinner, no shorts allowed in the one dining room that we are reserved for, no problem. You know it's bad when your "fat" clothes are too small! I broke down and went to Goodwill and bought a pair of dress pants, didn't want to spend too much, after all, I'm taking this weight off, right?

I have to admit, I don't keep up with the latest MS news as much as I probably should, but every once in a while things do catch my eye. I got an email today from a friend, asking if I had ever heard of a MS drug called dirucotide, and I of course said no. I later went on my blog stroll, that's what I call it when I read blogs, don't know why, but I do, and I saw it again on a comment on Lazy Julies site, and it has me wondering what the guff is with this medicine. There are clinical trials going, the drug is for Secondary Progressive, so I'm interested to see about it.

Cruise on Saturday, can't wait! I told the kids I didn't know Bermuda was an island, when did that happen? I don't get much of a rise out of them anymore, they kind of just shake their heads when I talk. Trying to figure out our final game plan, what it is we are going to do. We opted for no land excursions, we want to do a little shopping, a little swimming, and a lot of relaxing. I made everyone promise that they wouldn't miss out on anything because of me. Give me a shady spot to sit, a cool drink, a nearby bathroom, and a crowd of people to watch, and I am set! I hope they have food on this tub, I don't want to go hungry!

Cruise Time Approaching, Babysitting, and To the Dump, To the Dump, To the Dump, Dump, Dump

Took the boy to the dump to get rid of some yard trash, he did great, once I threatened to throw his cell phone out the window! Actually, we don't have that problem, anymore. Try to imagine this. He was about 13, he had done something to get on my bad side and I was telling him about it, calmly, but sternly. Right in the middle of it his phone rang, and told me to hold on a minute! We don't have a that problem anymore, or many other problems for that matter, both were good kids, and appear to be the same kind of young adults.

12 days to the cruise! We are all registered, are penciled in, ready to go. We have opted to not buy any of the shore excursions. We aren't big sightseers, like this is a house that Burt Reynolds stayed in once kind of thing. My snorkeling days are behind me, plus I almost drown in the pool when I try to breath through that thingy. We are going to go into Hamilton one day, and to the beach the second, and want to try the tandem para-sailing too. I hope they have food on this tub, I have a delicate makeup! I can not wait to get away.

The girl babysits on Mondays, 6 hours and gets $50. These kids are 10 or so years old, they slept late, ate, and played video games. I think I'd pay her for actual time she spent sitting on the kids, not watching TV, but I was never allowed to figure out how much things were worth. It makes me cringe to think how much people must be spending for daycare. We opted not to do daycare, one of us was always home. It made it tough sometimes money wise, but we would do it again the same way if given a do over. The home the girl was sitting in today is a friend of ours, and by the way, nice job with the parental block on the movie channels!

Multiple Sclerosis, Key Monster, Exotic Bites, and No More Doctors

Somebody stole my keys, I'm sure of it, because I can't find them! I always put them in the same place, in the house. Sure I may put them on top of the fridge one time, or on my dresser the next, but I always put them where I can find them. I think my parents may have stolen them this time, I was just down there, and my father remembers "seeing" them, nice try! They will turn up sooner or later, when whomever has them gets tired of playing games, they always do, and everyone expects me to believe they are "found".

I think I have gout? I'd be more confident in my diagnosis if I knew what it was. My grandfather had it once, he got rid of it by eating cherry pie. Does gout hurt, because this doesn't. I hate the thought of having to go in for more tests, seems like that's what I do for a day out, go to doctor's offices. I have some kind of bites all over my ankles, either flea bites, or some kind of rare spider I would think. The wife has them too, but not the kids, and we don't have any pets, so I have no idea. I guess I'm going to have to call the doctor in the morning, you all have been no help at all!

Raindrop went well tonight, I have to find out if it raises your blood pressure, or if it's just me. I have that slight bit of a headache I feel when my pressure is playing games, the mother yelled at me because she offered to take it and I said, what are you a nurse! SMACK! I am so tired of things medical, I just want to have a few days where the only thing I have to worry about is what should I wear whilst in Bermuda? Oh yeah, that's coming up, and I can't wait! The ship leaves from the port of Baltimore, about 20 minutes drive from here, I'm getting psyched!

Multiple Sclerosis, Leg Swelling, and Spending Time With Family, Some Of Them At Least

I'm home again, a quick jaunt down the Eastern shore, then home again as quick as you please thank you! It's always good to see the family, even if it's just a weekend quickie. I got to see the baby, she was sick with an ear ache, probably from cutting teeth. You forget what it's like to hold a sick baby, how they just mold to your body, becoming part of it. Sorry she was sick, but it brought back memories of being a daddy, not of a father, it was nice.

My parents house has always felt warm and welcoming, and I suppose it always will, at least I hope it does. Saw the sister and other niece for a few minutes, I guess it was a nice visit, it was over so quickly I'm not sure? Again, you take anything you can get, it was longer than I've seen my brother, and he lives up the street. I suppose it's me, I can be a colossal pain in the ass, but ya gotta love me, I'm me. It's going to be lonely when the folks are gone, so I better tell, and more importantly show them how much I love and appreciate the family aspect, seems to be all there is for me any more.

I also came home to a swelling in my right ankle, don't know what to make of that? Is swelling in the lower extremities a MS thing, or is it a I'm getting old thing? I didn't start any new meds, or change my eating patterns, I ate like a pig all week end! I did some extra walking, the mother took me on a cruise shopping spree, worried her little scnookum wouldn't have anything to wear on the ship. Shorts, shirts, new shoes for the stim, even offered to buy me all new drawers and socks! I guess I will keep an eye on my ankles, if it doesn't happen again I'll blame it something I ate, if it does happen again, I'll let the doc blame it on something.

Multiple Sclerosis, Yardwork, Pool Opening, and Vegas Here We Come

What a great day here in Maryland, they should all be this nice. I got a lot of things done outside, I felt particularly good, so that helped. I trimmed most of the bushes, transplanted a bush I have been wanting to move, and cooked lunch out on the grill! Now it took forever to do it all, and I didn't finish, but I don't want the boy using the electric trimmer, and I can't expect my father do things all the time when he's here, it's times like this I wish I had a brother! I enjoy it anyway, but we shall see if I'm still diggin it tomorrow!

We will be opening the pool in a couple of days, that's always an exciting time. This year we have to check and see where the leak is in the liner, I'm almost positive we have one. The family is going to learn how to do the pool this year, I love to swim, and I enjoy taking care of it, but it's getting to be a little much for me to handle. I also want to get a different type of ladder, one that is more like steps, hopefully that will make it easier getting out. I wish I could find a 1890's bathing suit, save the neighbors the pain of catching that show!

The boy did qualify for the bowling tournament in Las Vegas. We got an email yesterday, reminding us send in out information packet for the tournament. OK, we will be there! He is going to have quite a summer, a cruise, youth national Junior Gold championship in Indy, Teen Masters championship in Vegas, and he cuts the grass! We know where our vacation time will be used for, well the wife's, I'm on permanent vacation. We don't mind, we love it, and this too will pass, so we enjoy it while we can, I just hope I'm able to participate.

Multiple Sclerosis, Pass Ports in Place, and Final Stimulator Calibration

We got our passports today, turned the forms in anyway, we should get them in a few weeks. Game on, where going on this cruise, not turning back. I need to find some of those cruise sweaters like the Marx brothers wore while they were on their cruise. I need a striped polo shirt and the right hat. The hat is a must, should I go for Sherlock Holmes, pith helmet, or something bold? I also need the right length scarf to wear while I'm sitting on deck. It should be fun, I just hope I don't eat too much, one of my specialties. I want to go paragliding, bungee jumping, and maybe swimming with sharks? My I'll just stick to shuffle board and girl watching, yeah, that's the ticket. I just need someone to water my idiot garden when I away!

I went out of the house today with the stimulator on. We went to a couple of stores, a bit of walking here and there, felt pretty good. Only got a few, hey maw look at that thing on his leg, it's flashing! It's definitely my knee that's causing the problem. It's still hyper extending, causing the whole foot to lag behind. I'm also having problems with hitting the right spot when I put it on. If it is at the top of the tibial, it kind of just sends vibrations down the leg, and gently tries to blow the top of my foot off. So, I'd like to stop that from happening. We will recalibrate, one more time, and if they can't hit the spot, I think it's time to go to Kernan's Hospital to have them give it a shot at it. This is a lot money to go back 3 times, so we shall see. I'm trying to convince myself it's getting better, so when you see me at the Pantry Pride, lie and say I'm ambulating at a stellar pace!

Multiple Sclerosis, Too Much Wii is a Bad Thing, and Bermuda Here I come

I think I overWiied yesterday? If I Wiied until I died, would that be Wiiuicide? My legs are rebelling, my hands asked for a divorce, and my entire body has the jumps, but other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play? The main problem in my right leg is in my hip and knee, I mean besides the part where the ankle doesn't work with the foot drop. Everything is so weak, I need to build up the knee and hip so the stimulator has the opportunity to do its thing, right now the stim is firing, but the upper leg is fighting the process. I will get there, if not with my Wiiercise, it will be something!

We are going on a cruise in June to the Bermuda. I am looking forward to it, never been on a cruise, never been to Bermuda either. I actually have been to very few places now that I think about it. In the ancient past I didn't go because I didn't want to. In the recent past I wasn't sure if I should, not sure if I can fly, that feeling of falling and all. I'm really looking forward to the trip, not so much for the trip itself, but because I want to get away from home. When I was still working, I looked forward to being off work, and getting away. Now I have a better appreciation for why my mother didn't like going camping when I was a kid. I need to get away from this house, from dinner at 6, from doing laundry, I need to get away from here! I'm practicing lounge chairing right now, doing well!