The shoes on the other foot...

Fred and I were busy today trying to get the Pagoda, or whatever you want to call it, finished up at the pool. Tonight while he was trying to figure out how to manipulate his tractor and the bucket so he could screw in the bracket supports I climbed up on the beams and started doing it. Times a wasting and it was getting dark and I'm not one for sitting around, lets get this done! While I was up high somebody grabbed my camera and started taking photos, argh!

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 We can obviously see why he isn't the photographer in the family...Wrong lens to begin with and auto settings just don't work great when it's almost dark...

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What are you doing? You do know there are two drills and this would go much faster if there was two of us up here? LOL...enough! Put the Camera up! Sheesh! Now I suppose I know how he feels when he's working and I'm taking photos, lol...

Needless to say we did not finish up, hopefully we will get most of it done tomorrow!



Unstoppable...digital scrapbook layout

It's International Scrapbook Day/weekend not that most of you have a clue about that, but there are a lot of sales and freebies to do with digital scrapbooking and I've been having fun.

I picked up a cute digital scrapbook kit called unstoppable by Kimeric Kreations and played around with it for a bit using photos from last weekend of Michael and his friends on the mule! I thought it was the perfect kit for those photos...definitely a "Hang on Tight" kind of thing...

Hope y'all are having a wonderful weekend...



This evening in photos...

A little water gun fun...

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 ~Splash~

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 What are you doing? Why taking your photo of course!

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 Monkey in a cage?

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 Just caught

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 Kerplunk!

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 Da Moon again...

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Red eyed Monster

Pool water temp is up to 86 degrees F. and perfect, we are loving it!



Yesterdays Nature Photos...

I totally forgot about these photos I took yesterday and found them tonight...

 This little spot of blue caught my eye amongst the red of the Indian blankets.

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 One very large and ugly fly

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 Caterpillar moving quick.

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 Sunflowers

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 Dragonfly hanging on

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 3 amigos - Mexican hats aka Cone flowers

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 Little Wren singing his heart out.

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Red Red Cardinal in a Green Green Tree



Howdy...

Mr Jack Rabbit!! So good to see you this morning!



Something to think about...

SOON TO BE GONE

By Capt. Steven Ellison, MD

A MILITARY DOCTOR

This should be required reading in every school and college in our country. This Captain, an Army doctor, deserves a medal himself for putting this together. If you choose not to pass it on, fine, but I think you will want to, after you read it.

 

I am a doctor specializing in the Emergency Departments of the only two military Level One-Trauma Centers, both in San Antonio , TX and they care for civilian Emergencies as well as military personnel. San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in the world living here. As a military doctor, I work long hours and the pay is less than glamorous. One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep, food, family contact and the endless parade of human suffering passing before you. The arrival of another ambulance does not mean more pay, only more work. Most often, it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash.

                 

Often it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or stabbed. With our large military retiree population, it is often a nursing home patient. Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience in Panama , I have caught myself groaning when the ambulance brought in yet another sick, elderly person from one of the local retirement centers that cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of what citizens of this age group represented.

I saw 'Saving Private Ryan.' I was touched deeply. Not so much by the carnage, but by the sacrifices of so many. I was touched most by the scene of the elderly survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if he'd been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same men and women coming through my Emergency Dept.. And had not realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless.

Situation permitting, I now try to ask my patients about their experiences. They would never bring up the subject without the inquiry. I have been privileged to an amazing array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed in an Emergency Dept encounter. These experiences have revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission to the hospital.

There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young enlisted medic, trying to start an IV line in her arm. She remained calm and poised, despite her illness and the multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what we call a 'hard stick.' As the medic made another attempt, I noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said, ' Auschwitz ...' Many of later generations would have loudly and openly berated the young medic in his many attempts. How different was the response from this person who'd seen unspeakable suffering.

Also, there was this long retired Colonel, who as a young officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a Pacific Island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, he had a minor cut on his head from a fall at his home where he lived alone. His CT scan and suturing had been delayed until after midnight by the usual parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take him home, then he realized his ambulance had brought him without his wallet. He asked if he could use the phone to make a long distance call to his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With great pride we told him that he could not, as he'd done enough for his country and the least we could do was get him a taxi home, even if we had to pay for it ourselves. My only regret was that my shift wouldn't end for several hours, and I couldn't drive him myself.

I was there the night M/Sgt Roy Benavidez came through the Emergency Dept. For the last time. He was very sick. I was not the doctor taking care of him, but I walked to his bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of Honor citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few days later.

The gentleman who served with Merrill's Marauders,

the survivor of the Bataan Death March,

the survivor of Omaha Beach ,

the 101 year old World War I veteran,

the former POW held in frozen North Korea,

the former Special Forces medic - now with non-operable liver cancer,

the former Viet Nam Corps Commander..

I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but now I am much more aware of what an honor it is to serve these particular men and women.

 

I have seen a Congress who would turn their back on these individuals who've sacrificed so much to protect our liberty. I see later generations that seem to be totally engrossed in abusing these same liberties, won with such sacrifice

It has become my personal endeavor to make the nurses and young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when I encounter them in our Emergency Dept. Their response to these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all is not lost in the next generation.

 

My experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing an incredible generation, and this nation knows not what it is losing. We should all remember that we must 'Earn this.'

Written By CAPT. Stephen R. Ellison, M.D. US Army

My own personal note: If it were not for these faithful, loyal, strong persons, there would not be a United States of America ..

I ask that you pray for these aging and dying service members. I also think every American citizen should read this. So, if you agree, send it on.

Good Morning...

Straight out of the Camera this morning a glorious sunrise in South Texas!