The Passing of a Year

It's been almost a year since I have posted on this blog. I'm not sure anyone reads this but me because I haven't had any comments about not blogging. I have been retired now for ten months and I love it. I have been very busy with the "honey-do-list" that seems to grow longer every day. Recently, I have installed a pre-finished hardwood floor in our livingroom. It looks great and I am very proud of my work. It took about three thousand nails to complete the floor and eleven boxes of flooring.

I have recently had cataracts removed and lens implants. It is so great to be able to see at a distance without any glasses. I have worn eyeglasses since the fourth grade. Before the operations, I was near sighted and now I am far sighted. I only need glasses for reading. I can even work on the laptop, like I am doing now, without any glasses. It is great. I have to thank Dr. Hageman with Kernersville Eye Surgeons for his talented work and the staff at the new Kernersville Medical Center for their friendly and professional service. I would recommend both for any eye surgery needed.

Today, the Dixie Classic Fair begins in Winston Salem, NC, at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds. My family and I plan to go tomorrow to enjoy all the exhibits and animals and especially the food. Even ordinary food seems to taste better at the Fair. Can't wait.

Til next time....

Good News

In reference to my previous blog, I saw Dr. Marks on Friday, 11-19-2010. He read my test results and decided to do a deeper biopsy, leaving me with three stitches. The biopsy was OK but the numbing was horrible. He went ahead and scheduled me to have the mole removed on Wednesday, 11-24-2010. He stated he would be surprised if the melanoma had gone any deeper than a millimeter. If it had, he would reschedule me for surgery in the OR and they would check my lymph nodes. On Tuesday, 11-23-2010, the appointment scheduler called and said she had good news. My most recent biopsy showed the cancer had not grown down past one millimeter and I could have it removed on Wednesday at 10:00. Praise God for his infinite grace and mercy. On Wednesday, Dr. Marks removed the mole and melonoma with a "wide" incision as to not miss any of the melonoma. He stated this melanoma was discovered early and for me not to worry about it any longer. My back has been sore since, but I will take soreness over cancer anytime. I'm not supposed to lift anything heavy or do anything strenuously for about 3 to 4 weeks according to the Doc as to not open my wound. I had some extensive Christmas decorating planned, but I guess I will scale back on that. Maybe my grandson Dylan can help me do most of it. He is 14 and all muscle. He is as tall as me, now. My wife, Brenda, said she wasn't worried about the decorating and that she would rather have me than all the decorating I could do. She loves me more than life itself.

Today, my family and I celebrated Thanksgiving with a huge meal. Everyone pitched in and brought part of the meal. My oldest daughter, Jennifer, brought sweet potato casserole and deviled eggs. My youngest daughter, Missy, brought corn pudding, a pumpkin roll and a pumpkin pie(my favorite). My wife, Brenda, and I supplied the turkey, candied yams, green beans with whole potatoes, yeast rolls, cranberry salad, jellied cranberry sauce (for me and my son-by-law Zach), and watergate salad. Oh and don't forget Brenda's wonderful dressing. We all ate until we were past full, cleaned up the kitchen and then sat back down for pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll. Wow, were we all stuffed. My grandchildren, Ayden(1 year) and Alyson (6 years) also ate with us. Little Ayden will eat about anything and is such a good eater. He even liked the cranberry sauce and especially the marshmallows from the candied yams that his Aunt Jenn fed him. Alyson is a picky eater and ended up eating sandwich slices of honey ham and yeast rolls. Go fiqure. My oldest grandson, Dylan (14 years) decided to spend the weekend with his best friend, Seth, and his family at Seth's grandmother's house. He enjoys going there and they are his second family. He spent all day yesterday with us and helped us fix some things aroung the house. We all missed him, but we knew he was having a good time with his "brother" Seth and his family.

Only two more work days, Monday and Tuesday, until retirement. I don't plan on doing much work those two days, but I will be there. The people I work with are throwing me a party on Tuesday afternoon. I hope to see all my coworkers there and many that I have worked with in the past. I'm going to miss most of the people I work with now, but I won't miss the job. Too many stresses and too much to remember to do my job. It will be really strange being retired. I've had a job since I was 15 1/2 and I just turned 58. I don't think I will ever get bored. I can think of a hundred things I need to do around the house and yard. I'm sure Brenda has a list of her own for me and that's OK.

Better go. Have a wonderful Thankgiving weekend and a wonderful Christmas season.

Further Countdown to Retirement

After today, I have only 6 more work days until retirement. I would have 7, but I am off tomorrow for a doctor's appointment. It seems a couple of weeks ago, my dermitoligist finally biopsied a mole on my back that he had been watching for about a year. Yep, you guessed it--melanoma. I went last week to have it removed at a skin surgery center. I was there and ready for the in office surgery. The nurse even described the football shaped incision that the doctor would do to make it easier to close. He came in and sat down, Dr. Leshin, who had begun the skin surgery center. He said he had looked at the biopsy results and the lab technician who did the analysis reported that there were cancer cells at the bottom of the biopsy. My doctor said he did not feel good about doing the surgery, not knowing how deep the melanoma was. He said he would get me an appointment with a doctor friend of his at WFU Baptist Medical Center. He stated his doctor friend is head of the department. My doctor proposed his friend check my lymph nodes and then remove the melanoma. I go tomorrow for a consultation with Dr. Malcolm Marks, head of dermatology at Baptist Hospital. I feel really good about all this. I may be more nervous than I realize, but I know it is in God's hands and he has always looked after me in the good times and the bad times. He will not place anything on us that is too much to bear. He has always been faithful. I will trust Him.

Countdown to Retirement

I have about 32 working days until my retirement. The guys at work say I'm too happy about retiring. I think they are wrong. Eventhough it is a little scary, I am so excited about this new chapter in my life. I'll be able to be at home everyday with the love of my life, my wife of 37 years. No more waiting til Saturday to get the yard work done, wash the car and truck, painting, woodworking, setting up my workshop.....When will I have time for it all. Answer: EVERYDAY. Sure we will have to watch our budget closely, but we can do that and some expenses will no longer be there, like gas money for driving to work everyday, lunch money, etc. I'm not wishing my life away, but I really can't wait.

On another note, my grandson, Ayden, has started walking. He will be a year old on the 20th of the month and he is doing well just learning to walk. He is such a joy and a good natured baby. We call him the little man. His sister is 6 1/2 years old and she is also a joy when she wants to be. Today was one of those days. She has started cheerleading for her school football(flag) team. She really enjoys it. While I'm talking about my grandchildren, my oldest is Dylan, age 14. He is a great soccer player and an all out athlete. He recently ran a 6:24 mile and 3 miles in 24 minutes. Soccer is the only sport he will play organized. He is great at throwing, hitting and catching a baseball and has a real strong sidearm pitch, but he is just not interested in playing on a team.

That's all for now. I am about out of battery and too lazy to go get the cord.

Here I am. It has been months since I posted on this blog. A lot of things have happened since that time. Recently, I filed my papers for retirement. Thirty-seven years working for a government agency is enough, don't you think. It is amazing what stress can do to your body and how the lack of it can heal. I went to give platelets at the Red Cross near the first of September, which I do once a month. My blood pressure was 132/ 62, the lowest it has been in years.
Since I filed my retirement, my supervisor has taken me off the on-call list and other activities. Boy, it feels good. I'm looking forward to December 1st, my first day of retirement and my wife's birthday. She says this is the best birthday ever. She is also looking forward to my being home with her everyday and so am I. She is the love of my life. We seem to love each other more and more each day. I guess being newly weds of 37 years is the reason. I miss her everyday when I am at work. We argue over who loves the other the most. I don't know how I could love her more or she love me more.
Retiement is going to be different to say the least. I have had a job since I was 15 1/2 years old. But guess what? They are going to pay me to stay home. What a deal!
I will try to post more often, especially after Dec. 1st....

Losing A Close Friend

Last week, I lost a very close friend, John Woodward. I miss him greatly already and will continue through the years. John was my prayer and accountabilty partner and kept me on the straight and narrow way, God's way. I have never seen anyone who was concerned over the salvation of everyone he met. He was eager to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and how He saves us from our sins and separation from God, to anyone who would listen.
John was riding his bike around the trail of Salem Lake here in Winston Salem when he had some kind of accident and ended up in the water. A jogger saw him and got him out of the water. The medical examiner said he did not drown. They are perplexed at the cause of death. There were no signs of trauma from a fall. Maybe God just took him home to be with Him.
John will be missed by many, illustrated by the number of people who took time to attend his memorial service. I know John is in heaven with the Father and is asking all the questions he could not answer from reading his Bible. We all miss you, John, and we will meet again someday in the Love of the Father God.

These are pictures of Ayden Craig, my new grandson. The bottom photo is of him only 11 minutes old. The other is a little later in the nursery. He was born Tuesday, October 20, 2010, at 3:12 PM. He is doing well and so is Mom and Dad.