curt1950

11:46 am: new year almost here
I'm still off work for the knee, getting better but never fast enough! I went by work last week to drop off cookies and see what is going on, they seem to miss me. The plant is working much over time and lots have been breaking down. Sounds stupid but I miss being there.

went to see the Dr, he seemed to think that I'll be out for another 2 months, I need to go back sooner! I'll just have to push it and see if I can get back sooner.

Christmas was good, every one was here and no problems were had other than the wife and I were both sick with a cold. Caught from baby sitting the youngest grandson no doubt. Everyone seemed to like what we got for them, lots of food was had and the beer was flowing. (nobody got drunk)Even the youngest step daughter seemed happy! I bought the son a .22 rifle for target shooting turns out that it is very old and in super good shape.
We are still trying to find out how old it is, maybe as old as the 1930's. We went to the range yesterday and did a couple of rounds of trap then went to the bench area and shot the .22. Turns out that its a realy accurate rifle once sighted in. The son did several groups under 3/4 of an inch @ 50' I think that that's the best group he's ever had.

I started to go and buy stuff to primer the wall in the kitchen, about that time the son calls and tells me not to do anything yet he still has stuff to do to it, I'm bored! I guess that i'll just clean the guns from yesterday and read some. As a side note I'm still looking for an orginal peep sight for my old marlin .22 rifle, I found some parts for it from a couple of venders that will fit, one I ordered and the other I put on a watch list because it still has 6 days to go... Dang! I hate waiting, it would be nice if could fix it right.

Tags: knee, work

07:18 am: Just dragon
The weeks just seem to drag by! I know that the knee is getting better but not fast enough for me. I guess that I'm just tired of sitting around , daytime tv is for the most part a waste. The son has been around working on the kitchen and the PT lady has been here, lots going on but not what I want to do. Speaking of the kitchen, the cabinets my son made and put in look good. He said he'll be back to hook them up monday and to run the vent line. There are still a couple of doors to make and mount, some hinges to buy, other than that its done. It would be nice if I had the money to finish the rest of the kitchen.... maybe some day.

I finaly got the scope for the AR-15, went down yesterday and found the carry handle adapter that mounted it the way I wanted it to. I like it !! we got into the pickup yesterday to go test it out and the pickup was running so bad I had us turn around and go home. Now What! I'll try to look at it today to see whats up. I need the damn thing for monday and wed. When it rains it pours!! speaking of rain, its been raining for the last couple of days and they say it will for a couple of more. We need the rain but would be nice if i could fix the pickup when its dry.

08:51 pm: Two weeks on
Sometimes it never seems to end! The knee is better and the PT lady seem impressed with my recovery but to me time just seems to be standing still. I guess that I just want everything to get back to normal and to be able to get up and go to work, come home and just be able to do my thing. A couple months ago I saw that the wall next to the washer and drier had the paint bubbling up on it and there was a little bit of water on the floor under them. I found a hose that was leaking a little bit and replaced it but the paint bothered me. To make a long story short my son is rebuilding it for us. He removed a half wall between the kitchen and the laundry finding that the dry wall wasn't. Then the floor cover was pulled up to find that there was mold underneath and the wood was rotten (some). He then cut the floor out. We had been talking about what to do about all this while he was doing the demo. Again to make a long story short, we (son) built a full wall with a door to now have a mud room/clothes washing room hoping that it will cut the noise down when we are doing the wash. With that change the drain had to be replaced new water lines put in and new gas lines run and three new electric outlets installed. The stove was moved from what is now the center of the door to the wall. He installed some tile over the floor, tomorrow the grout will be put in. The fan has been removed and we will have to pick a hood and install it in the new position against the wall. It's mostly new stuff to me but the son seems to take it all in stride and things seem to move smoothly. He started the tear down on monday and by friday all that is left to do is grout, install hood and finish the mud on the wall for the paint and of course trim everything.

The plumbing in the back house plugged up again, hope that with this clean-out it will last long enough for my knee to get better. and of course Christmas is on its way.

move along.... nothing to see , nothing going on....

Tags: construction, knee, pain, plumbing

08:36 am: knee opperation
I finlay had the knee operation last wed. the 18th. We went in at 11am and they took my clothes and made me sign a bunch of forms (maybe they took my clothes so i wouldn't run off) After about 1 1/2 hrs of this stuff they wheeled me back to the surgery dept. for a nerve block. They taped a probe on my thigh with the other end of the wire on a needle then stuck it in my crotch, looking for the nerve that gos to the knee. Lots of fun, the needle went in and they moved it this way and that way, watching for my leg to jump in the right spot. When they had the leg jumping just the way they wanted it they injected it with the nerve block. What a wonderful time! After about 10 minuets they took me in and put me on the operating table and strapped me down, arms off to the side, then asked me if I was comfortable (you got to be kidding me!) The next thing I knew was that I was waking up in my hosp. bed, Elva by my side. They must have given me some heavy duty stuff, normally I wake up quickly and stay awake, this time I was in and out for a long time. Finally Elva went home and I quit trying to stay awake. I woke up about 5am and watched tv or at least tried to, what a crappy tv! the programs were all over the place none of which I ever watch anyway. The hosp. staff was good to me, the ladies on nights were the best but all tried to make me comfortable. on friday (the 20th) there was a new crew for the night shift, about 7:30 the nurse come in and introduced herself, we talked for a few minuets then she left, not 5min later I heard someone calling for help, seems that she had a hart attach in the hall 3 doors down. She was in a great place to have a hart attach, not 30 ft away was the ER room, they zoomed her right in. As far as I'm concerned the only affect on me was that they were down to 2 nurses to 12 post opp patients, those were some busy girls about then. A new nurse was called in (same lady as the first 2 nights) So after about 2am things smoothed out. They let me go home on Sat. morning, left the hosp. about 11am and was home about12:20

The knee still hurts, lots more than the first surgery, but they say that it will take a couple of weeks to get the swelling down to where its comfortable. Mean while there will be PT coming in 3 times a week to work me out, they say that it has to be worked out hard so that i will be able to walk without a limp after it heals. I guess that I'll just have to Waite and see what happens.

Tags: hosp., knees, opperation

08:56 pm: the Knee
I finaly had enough and went to the Dr and they said that I need a new knee. I had a phisical last week, some tests tomorrow and then get cut on wed. I don't like the idea of having another opperation but have been walking on bare bones in my left knee for quite a while now. It's been 30 yrs now sense the accident that tore it up so bad, it's funny that it feels like i'm giving in and having it fixed. I have to admit that it would be nice to be without pain again for the first time in a very long time.

I picked up my ar-15 on tuesday, nice piece. My son picked up his ar-15 on thursday, hes had some problems with his and has been working on it to get it to eject the spent shells the way it should. Seems like the guy that put it together put in the gas block and tube in wrong, he'll try it out again this week. I haven't fired mine yet, maybe in a couple of weeks when I start to move around again. Son had bought some trigger parts for my 10-22 ruger, he keeps saying that it jams a lot. I put the parts in on sat but found some other things wrong with it. I ordered the parts today and they will be here in about a week, we'll see it it makes a differance.

Tags: 10-22 ruger, ar-15, opperation

12:02 pm: general stuff
I finaly broke down and went to the dr. about my knee again. To make a long story short there is no cartlege left in the inside of the left knee. I get to have a new knee put in next month! I'm not looking forward to this, I'm worred about my job but it has to be done.

Mom's house is almost done, its taken a little longer than he planed but there was a lot of work to be done, not just the roof. He said that he's going to clean the yards up before he leaves, trims the trees and power washes the siding because its really dirty. It almost looks like a differant house now.
Mom fell down a couple of weeks ago, broke her left hand and had 5 stiches put in her head. We have been trying to help her but she dosen't make it easy for us to. Finaly the wife went up to her house and make her come down for a bath, by the looks of things she hasen't taken a bath for a long time! The wife gave her a good scrubing from head to foot and mom said she felt much better. After mom left the wife had to clean the tub, said she was so dirty that she left a ring around the tub! also the wife removed the stiches from her head, Mom went to the dr, office and they wouldn't touch them, told us to go back to the Other dr and have them removed. Makes you wonder what the world is coming to.

In a week or two I'll have the son fix the plumbing and build a new wall in the wash room at my house. Right now the washer is leaking I think from a cracked hose, while he's there we'll get the hose bibs changed to ball valves. We've been talking about changing that part of the kitchen anyway. When the washer and dryer are on its hard to hear the TV.

I've been looking to buy a new ar-15 it will be my first automatic feeding rifle. I figure its best to get it now before "they" outlaw them. The son and I have been going to the gun shows and looking for a couple of months now and the prices are starting to drop a little bit. With all the money "they" are printing I won't be able to afford it next year.

Tags: ar-15, house, knees, mom, son

05:07 am: I just haven't felt like typing, its hot and my body hurts. I'm still working full time but its tough sometimes. The knee hurts, a lot! matter of fact they both hurt, the lower back hurts, sometimes a lot! both my shoulders and my neck, getting older sucks! a lot!!!!

Just my whine for the month I guess. I have a dr's appt. in Nov. sometime should be interesting to see what he says.

My son is re-roofing Moms house, doing a good job, I can't even think about how proud I am of him. He started it last week and has made great progress on it.

A week later....

The roof at moms house is still going on, the roof pitch is changed over the back room and the sun porch. Lots of repair on the front porch, Moms room and water heater. Will get to tearing down the back cover soon. The back room is wonderfull and almost done, will do the paint today, the sofit is starting to go up and looks good. its starting to come together and looks good!

Other than that it looks like the oldest step daughter is going to get divorced again, she/they are talking about her moving in here, we'll see i guess. the wife has been sick this week, cold or something, getting better slowly. Tomorrow son and I will go down to a gun show in L.A. we both want to pick up a fal rifle in .308 if the price is right.

other than that life go's on.

Tags: building, gunshow, house, mom

09:51 pm: Sisters visit
The Kathy was here for the weekend and all gathered here saturday to revel. Honestly it was a good time, son & family were here and daughter/husband made it. The suprise was that my nephew and family made it up to see her. We ended up having company for most of the day and of course sister stayed here in the spair bedroom last night. We were up late last night so I slept in to 8:30, can't beleave I was sleeping that late.

It's late , I'm going to bed!!

07:42 am: Hot stuff
The weather is all, it's been well over 90 here every day this week and I'm melting! I wish it was October already, nice days and cool nights. We bought a new cooler for the window in the bedroom, the fan is noisy but keeps it cool in there and the air moving. I'm not looking forward to the electric bill this month (or the water)

thinking about buying a new motorcycle, probably won't, I have two now and don't need another. But a B-king would be nice.

not much other than that just trying to live out the hot part of summer, getting to the end of september is the goal for now.

01:28 pm: how time flies,,,, again
Work is going well, still slow but nobody is talking lay-off as of now. I rode the little bike in for two days, first time in 3 months. Man! its a quick little thing and just sips at the gas.

We went out to lunch with step-daughter yesterday for her 24th (of course we paid for all 9 of us) things were ok. I'm still nervious around her, she still can't say sorry for anything she did.

I started to clean the garage up to set up the reloading station. good thing that we bought lots of reloading supplies a couple of years ago, still quite a bit left. The cost of everything has gone up more than double, looking at the price on the old boxes leaves me amazed. I still need to send my old 44 mag out for some work, I hate to send any firearm in the mail never know if some one will steal it. I'll reload every thing I have anyway I can always use it in the carbine.

Hot here, over 100 today by 11am. worked 3 hrs this am. and will go out after 6 pm again when it cools off, need to water some.

Tags: birthday, reloading, work

09:53 am: Time marches on
It's been a couple of weeks already, just life going on, nothing major. Fathers day came and went, went out to early lunch with the kids and mom, it was nice. wife gave me a leatherman like multi-tool, I promptly cut myself with it. My son gave me a new Lee reloading machine, very nice! Of course there were several nice cards as well. Daughter Sarah was there at lunch, everything was polite, she even gave me a card that said that she loved me. I'm still uncomfortable with her for all the old reasons. Speaking of that, we were going up to lompoc today to a flower festable, wife told daughter about it and she wanted to go and see the kids and her sister. I decided to stay at home and work around the house, they get along better when i'm not there anyway.

Things to do today; mow the yard, find out why the driving lights on the bike don't work and see if i can get the wireless modem working so both of us can get online at the same time. I bought the modem last week and put it in, it see's the DSL but won't connect to it. I called netgear and they told me that it was a problem with AT&T. I called AT&T and they told me that "they" don't support equipment that they don't sell. I'm screwed!! $160 and the software won't set it up automatically. I took it out and put in the old hard wired modem and we have been using that all week. I'll try to set it up again today when I finish outside.

I love my job! sounds silly, I just like going in and building things every day! I even like the problems that crop up, its like doing battle and winning only with no one getting killed. There was a problem with a custom made filter housing this week, the engineer came out and asked a couple of us if we had any ideas on how to fix it. After about an hour or so I came up with a new valving system to get rid of any drips when they change the filter, I think that they are going to use most of it. I think that its really fun to work together like that.

It's still hard to get through the day, the neck still hurts but getting better. The knee is killing me, I'm back to wearing the brace every day, all day long. The shots didn't work! From what I gather the only thing left is to get it replaced, not looking forward to that at all. I ride the big bike every other day, still haven't ridden the little one yet. It's still hard to lift my head up to see. Little bike hasn't started for 3 months now, I keep a battery saver on it and the oil is fresh, the bike is clean and kept covered, I'm just going to have to make up my mind on what to do with it.

Tags: fathers day, health, motorcycle, work

07:11 am: 7 weeks
The surgery was 7 weeks ago and the neck is still sore. It's hard to turn side to side, easy to look down but hard to look up. The neck is still swollen on the left side with a lump where they cut me.
The knee is still sore and swollen, I've had 4 shots so far and it doesn't seem to be doing any better one more shot to go on monday.
I went to work on 6/1 and have been really tired all week. I'm sill wearing the leg brace, there is no other way I could get through the day without it (ok drugs too) I've been thinking that an office job is in my future, not now but soon. Maybe I need to back to school and update some skills. I hate to think that way because I love what i am doing now but need to get real sometime.
I did ride the big bike one day, it was like home-sweet-home getting back into the saddle but the neck hurt a lot that nite.
I have a lot of land here that i'm not using, been thinking about putting in a garden. The price of veggies is up and maybe could make some money that way. The price of water is also way up, I'll have to find a way around that as well.
Son and I went to the gun show yesterday, the price of everything is way up, we can get ammo cheaper on line. curt went on line and bought what he needed to reload for his rifle, the stuff will be here next week. I guess that I need to clean the garage so we can get to it again.

Tags: gunshow, knees, land, neck, sugery, work

07:25 am: The mazda quit running a couple of weeks ago. I was driving the wife to work and back twice a day in the pick-up. The pick-up is 12 yrs old now and its not a good idea to make it a daily driver, it needs a little work here and there due mostly to sitting. We had to replace the tires already and new shocks are on order.... To make a long story short we bought a new Honda Civic. Finaly they called, the mazda was ready, how nice, after only 2 1/2 weeks. We picked it up and drove it stright to Ventura Honda to turn it in. We could have gotten more money for it but didn't want to mess with it. They gave us 5k for it and the manager told us what nice shape it was in. The only thing left to do now is to have the windows tinted, the back three is all, it will keep the inside cooler.

I have gotten 2 injections in my knee, they do seem to help with the pain, 3 more to go. My neck continues to improve, the dr says that I can go back to work on 6/1 but wrote me a note saying no lifting over 25 lbs. Work wants no limits inorder to return. Wife going to talk to them tuesday.

Tags: honda, injection, pick-up, work

02:31 pm: ojaiimportssuck!!!
The Mazda 3 had to towed in last week, now 7 days later the repair place says they can't fix it. I'm having it towed in to the dealer to be fixed, DANG IT! Why couldn't they have told me this a week ago? Anyway its set up and should be on the road now for repair, looks like I will have a couple of more days of getting up at 4am to take the wife to work instead of sleeping in. I'm not even suposed to be driving yet let alone two trips to Santa Barbara every day. Its been ok, the neck is a little sore, but I shouldn't have to do this.

Had the injection for the knee last monday, I think that it helps. its not as sore to walk around on, only 4 more weeks of shots to go.

Gotta go pick up the wife...

Tags: injection, mazda 3, tow

07:38 pm: busy weekend
the Mazda 3 is broken, wed the wife calls, she is stranded 10 mi from home. The car quit running and she had just enough time to pull it into some shade. To make a long story short, called AAA for the tow and I picked her up. First time I drove the pick-up sense the operation,. from her description it sounds like the computer died. Anyway we had it towed into town and the car place confirmed what I thought it was but damn it cost a lot more than I thought it would. The puter is $1035 !!! I called around and found that I couldn't beat the price from the factory. Again to make a long story short they found a rebuilt puter for $350 less. With the relay and a thermostat it will bring the cost up to about $1000. I think that I'll bite the bullet and have them service the transmission as well, may as well get it done all at once.

Today we took the ranger down and had the front end aligned , tires rotated and a nail pulled out (or so we thought) also the tires ballanced. It took a couple of hrs but it steers better. when we parked it at the store we found a nail still in the tire, guess I'll take it back next week.

tomorrow we are going to the step son-in-law's graduation , Its up in Santa Maria,, with BBQ afterwords, gonna be a long day!

Sunday Its mothers day, Were taking everyone out for lunch, its gonna be an expensive day....

Tags: car problems, mothers day, tired, truck

01:46 pm: two weeks
Its been two weeks sense surgery and i'm going stir crazy. TV is a total loss , the daytime programing leaves a little to be desired. Progress for the neck is ok, still swollen, and tender, one area under the left side is still numb but better each day. I went to bed last night for the first time, it was ok, a little sore and kinda strange laying flat for the first time in two weeks. I got up and the lower back was hurting, my left leg hurt, I think that its the mattress, they never hurt when I slept in the recliner. We might start looking for a new bed after I go back to work. I talk to my son everyday, hes staying home with the new baby while the wife works. I don't know how he can do that, it would drive me nuts. Still wesley is a good kid and that makes it better.

07:33 am: week 1
Its been one week now, the neck is still sore and i'm black and blue but I haven't had my left shoulder and arm go to sleep at all! Not sure but I also think that i'm getting some of the strength back on the left side. The next thing going on is to have my knee injected with some kind of lube, it will provide some padding so the bones (or cartilage)don't rub together. That will be on the 11th.

the step son was over last night, the wife told him we'll give him some money to help keep the yard picked up and mowed, that made him a little bit happier. I guess that my son and and step son have been talking , ty wants to have some pictures taken while riding trials so curt jr will be here tomorrow to film him riding his bike. he says that they will be by for a visit after. Funny , none of the kids have been over to see how I'm doing, curt jr has called several times and sara did the text thing to her mom a couple of times but that's all.

09:37 pm: This sucks
I can't imagine sitting around like this for another 7 weeks! The operation went ok I guess, they tell me that it took over 3 hrs to get it done but they sent me home the same day. I have to wear a brace on the neck, its sore as all hell! but sitting around isn't feeling too good right now. Sleeping in a chair and not with my wife sucks but its better that I sleep semi-sitting up. I guess that I'm just not happy, life seems all mixed up right now. The only good thing is that I haven't had my shoulder and arm go to sleep at all in the last 2 days.

Worked on the puter for a little while today. I'm trying to find pictures that are on the old floppy disc's and put them in some order on this hard drive. I'm not finding as many as I thought I would, they must be on the old computer that is in the garage. Tomorrow I'll try to take the hard drive out of the old dead puter and hook it up here via a USB cable, I'll see if I can get anything out of it.

Ordered new belts for the lawn tractor , should be here in a couple of weeks, no hurry, I can't put them on yet anyway.

Tags: opperation, puter, tractor

07:09 am: The day before
Tomorrow, I get to go in and have my neck operated on! I'm not looking forward to it at all. I don't think that there is much of a chance of the operation going bad but i'm not looking forward to sitting around for a month or two. And of course i'm worried about work, things are slow and I hope that they won't fire me when I try to go back to work. Like I've said before, It's a great job and I'd like to keep it until I retire. The other thing going on is my knee is still a pain! I still have to take pain killers every day just to get by. I went to the Dr's again to talk to them about it and they want to inject it with something (I don't remember the name) but it will take 5 visits then physical therapy, for another month or two. I have to do all this before anything else is done.

Today I need to change the oil and filter on the bikes, clean and cover them. Its like putting them to sleep for a month or six weeks, sad to see this but I can't ride them. I've tried to arrange things so that the yard will be taken care of, the step son will help out in the yard (for a price of course) and I found a lawn tractor on Craig's list. I should have bought a lawn tractor long ago!! I took it out back and cut the grass, I spent less an hr out there and did more than I could have done in 8 hrs with a push mower. So the weeds are down and the bills are paid the talking is done.... tomorrow they cut.

Tags: knees, neck, opperation, tractor, work

09:16 pm: Old age aint easy
I had surgery in dec on my knee, It looks like now I have to get another one on my neck. It started by my shoulder going to sleep and spread to the back of the upper arm and the front of the lower arm. It was at first a couple of times a week and now is several time an hour. also my left side is really week, it used to be my strong side but now I can't hardly pick it up over my head. I have to go in for a pre opp on the 17th and then get cut on the 20th. It's not how I want to spend my old age!! They say that they will just clean out the arthritis and put in some stuff to keep the bones from rubbing together, not a fusion.

My knee is still giving me fits!! I started taking meds for pain again just to get through the work day. Cool!! taking pain meds and running machine tools.... just what I what to do! I go in to marrow to see what the doc wants to do about the knee, Like I said.... Old age ain't easy!

Other than that life is good, money is enough and I love my job, the wife is a good lady and a great fuck!! I just wish that our health was better.

Tags: knees, life, neck, old age