I’m right there with you shoe. I’m having difficulty getting motivated to do anything. I think I got PPP funding for my company, won’t know for sure until later this week. But it’s very hard to be thrilled to do things with no guarantee that it will make any difference.
On a positive note, the snow is finally melting. The dog (Cinnamon, aka Cin, aka Dude) made it past the rhubarb patch for the first time in weeks yesterday. Note, the rhubarb patch is about 10 feet from the back of the house.
Stay safe, all.
The only logical explanation is that your house is haunted and nothing less than a full-blown exorcism will do. I hope your homeowner’s policy has a reasonable exorcism deductible.
Icky day outside. FCD has decided to nap. I need to put the sheets back on the guest bed… eventually. Mostly, I don’t feel like doing anything. Maybe I’ll find something to read.
Moooom, Roxie is totes adorbs.
I’m having a Reuben sandwich for lunch and it is tasty. Fortunately it on the cafe’s menu for the entire week. I may be corned beefed out by Friday.
Hello Jim. I don’t remember you, but that’s not surprising. Of course, you could have come and gone while I was AWOL a few years ago. Anyway, welcome back, and glad you survived the plague.
Welcome back Kai.
As is my wont, I read last week’s MMP before this one and a certain post generated a snarky reply in my brain, so I thought I’d share it with you:
That happens when you get older. Ask your doctor if ViagaraTM is right for you.
Sorry about that.
It’s 47f and sunny here today, supposedly heading for 57f. I can live with that.
The city is planning to clean the street in front of our house starting tonight and continuing through Wednesday. (Funny, it doesn’t look that dirty) So we’ve parked the car around back where the bird feeders are. I suspect we’ll be having a car washing party on Thorsday.
That’s it for me.
And it is of such stuff that Mumper life is made, regardless of time zone or continent.
Welcome back all.
Welcome back Jim!
I am celebrating my sister’s continued recovery. 
Having made this extensive post, I must put on my going about the public clothes and head out to the pharmacy.
Happy Moanday everyone!
We went to the St. Louis zoo. I’m a huge, huge fan of the place - first off, it’s free! Second, they have a great layout and it’s just generally fantastic to walk through, especially in the spring and the fall.
I was so glad we went. I was tempted to stay home and let everyone vegetate, but they do that frequently enough anyway.
Howdy ya’ll, thank you you for the hearty welcome back and the ::tacklehugs::
I have tried twice to make a long post about my Covid-19 experience and somehow keep erasing it.
So here we go again.
For those of you who do not know me a little background is in order. I was a healthy 50 year old man(49 when I got sick). I have worked in the Concert and Event industry for 25 years. I was strong from moving heavy gear and the job in general. No real health issues at all, my knees hurt sometimes but that comes with the job. I weighed about 165-170 pounds.
Firstly, I know exactly where I got it. February 27,28 and 29 2020, I was working in a large air conditioned tent for BBQ cookoff in the run up and part of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, HLSR for short. This is a huge deal here in Houston. The tent is not open to the public, committee members and Judges only, a couple hundred people. We had hear about this new virus but it wasn’t a big deal at this point. This is a fun and easy gig, food, drinks(not for me, I am working) and an all around good time. We have bands and other assorted entertainment. Did I mention the Blackberry cobbler? Nom. It is a perfect breeding ground for Corona virus. Long and short, death toll at least three including a guy a have worked with for many years George L. I wasn’t allowed to go to his Funeral and wasn’t capable of it anyway.
Monday March 7th(or 8th, things start to get hazy). I am at the shop prepping for our other gigs. I had some mild “allergy” trouble the previous weekend but felt pretty good. I went to lunch but wasn’t particularly hungry, odd. About one pm it hits me like a ton of bricks, I have the “flu”. I drive home and almost don’t make it. I live about a quarter of a mile away. I am sick, really sick. Normal flu stuff but a bit heavy. I will spare you the details. I start to lose my sense of time and start sleeping really odd hours and I am having really weird dreams. A day or two later Tammera R. our safety and OSHA compliance officer stops by with a parcel, masks, gloves, flu meds and a thermometer. That day I am about 100F(38C). Things go rapidly downhill from there. Taste and smell gone. I start seeing stuff that probably is not there. Weirder dreams. I start posting strange stuff on FB that I have little memory of doing. My temp hits 104F(40C). I go outside to smoke and my neighbor sees me and calls the paramedics. I wake up to a guy at my door dressed in full PPE who tries to get me to the hospital, I stupidly refuse. At this point I have mostly lost my sense of balance and have to use both handrails on the stairs and move slowly. The dog is less than happy about this arrangement but tries his best to take care of me. That night I wake up unable to breathe, I sorta force the issue and don’t die. This goes on for two weeks and I start to feel better, I believe. I am wrong, I look like hell.
I decide to pop by work(what was I thinking?) fortunately I am promptly thrown out. Turns out out of one hundred or so employees and contractors, I was the only one to get sick.
I have a short reprieve of sorts, mind you I am still very sick just a bit less than I was. Then comes two more weeks of hell. My fingers and feet are not really working. I need both hands to drink out of a cup. I keep burning my mouth with salsa, trying to taste something. My digestive system is a wreck. I can barely walk. My memory is garbled and I cannot remember names of people I have known for years.
Middle of April. I improve greatly. After five weeks there is light at the end of the tunnel. Balance is still a problem. I have no sense of taste or smell. GI track is iffy at best but I almost feel human.
I have bad falls in mid May, June and December the last of which broke my nose and face. That was 10 days in the level 1 trauma center. That one was my fault I had a few drinks knowing my balance was iffy. Three trips to the hospital, two traumatic brain injuries and somewhere in there I had a mini stroke. I lost 35-40 pounds, that I am just starting to get back.
I am much better now, about 90% of my regular self. Still use one handrail on the steps. My fingers are good enough to play piano and my feet are good enough for long walks with the dog. I can eat most of the time. All in all not too bad. The docs told me I have some minor organ damage and one told me my life was likely shortened by a year or two. I will go back to work soon but the Concert biz is gone so I will have a new career.
Anyhoo, I am glad to be alive. That was a close run race.
I have other stories from my time away, they are generally less grim.
D*mn glad to be back
Cheers
Jim(not my real name)
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Argh! Mumpers, how many of you have wills? Did you do them yourselves? If so, HOW? I called my bank today. They notarize, but not wills, so referred me to the UPS place. UPS notarizes wills, but I have to bring in two witnesses. Crud. I live alone. I’d have to round up 2 friends and get them both to the UPS place at the same time, a difficult feat. It shouldn’t be this complicated.
shoe, I can tell you that when I burst into tears over something minor, it’s never just about the minor event. The minor thing either triggers some memory of big trauma from the past, or my reservoir of Good Stuff hath run dry, so I have little left to cope with little stuff. Don’t be hard on yourself. And your friends like you for all kinds of reasons, so a meltdown now and then won’t scare them off.
sunny, so glad your sister is doing well.
Bumba, you crack me up.
FCM, Roxie’s a cutie-pie, and I’m glad you got home safely. Bet it feels great that it’s just you and FCD again.
We did our will through our Credit Union. Your place of business may have a legal services benefit.
The UPS employees should be able to act as witnesses at any rate.
Damn, Jim! You are either very unlucky for getting the plague or lucky that you survived. Glad you’re back.
magic, a Nashville Dopefest again would be fun. I went to two of them back when I was more active on the board. I still have contact with a couple of area dopers, but neither of them are particularly active anymore, as am I (the MMP is usually the only place I read / post).
{{{shoe}}}
I called out today. I woke up after a restless night with a head that felt the size of a basketball (didn’t even have fun last night to cause it), a stuffed up head and the inability to get warm. I’m beginning to feel better. Several cups of tea, some oatmeal, turning up the heat and a little warm dog on my lap have helped.
To answer the OP, I guess that I’m celebrating feeling a little better.
Stay safe and healthy y’all!
Any of these within walking distance of you? The list can be dropped down for more choices
I’d call ahead and ask if there would be two more people there to witness. Many businesses don’t want to witness wills in particular so that if/when a testy family member decides to sue, one of their employees doesn’t get drug in to testify that is really was you signing and you weren’t unduly influenced or coerced. I don’t think that is a reasonable fear, more of an urban legend, but it constrains many. I was a notary years ago and 20+years later I’ve yet to be asked to verify a single signature.
Where I am, often nursing homes or assisted living facilities have a notary in their business office, in case that is a possibility for you. They would be used to wills and DNRs, release of information, etc. Any hospital or surgery center is likely to have a notary among the M-F 8-5pm staff too, for similar reasons.
Dang, Jim, if I recall, you didn’t have 35-40# to spare! You must have been positively skeletal! Glad you’re still among the living!
wet one - I know I’m biased, but I believe her to be the most adorable of granddaughters. I understand the adorableness gene skips a generation in the maternal line. 
Supper will be ribeyes with sauteed onions, instant smashed spuds (judge ye not!), and sugar snap peas. I wish I had a grill to fire up for the steaks - I guess the broiler will have to do.
I watched the 2014 version of Annie - it was a cute interpretation of the Little Orphan Annie story, and the lead actress was cute as can be! Good way to kill a couple of hours. But now it’s time to start prepping supper. To the kitchen!!
So Mumpers, how about a happier story.
My old boss who works for a very large Concert promoter was transferred to Nashville. She called me and asked me to come up and help her as none of her team had any technical production experience. Not throwing shade on them, they did their jobs well but that was number crunching and keeping tours happy etc. There had been a few times that the ball had been dropped in tech world, through no fault of their own . So off to Nashville I go. Loved it and wanted to stay but the money just didn’t work. No problem, my time there was awesome.
Walking into the Ryman Auditorium is about as close as I will ever get to touching the hand of God. I almost fell to my knees and wept. If you love music, take a tour. I had a bit better deal, I stood on that stage where the three Hanks played (Williams, Snow and Thompson) plus some many hundreds of other greats. The memorabilia collection, I have no words.
The Boss calls me into her office and says “do you want to work Beyonce with me?”. Well of course I am in. Little did I know we were doing a giant stadium show where the Titans play. Two days and seven overnights this took. Hard but very satisfying. Incredibly professional and talented crew, staff, band, dancers and of course the Lady-B herself. Effing awesome. Go see her if you can, even if you are not into the music, you will be blown away.
Day one, we tear out the grass. The stadium guys who are responsible for said grass are watching this happen and are trying not to cry.
Day two. Floor and basic stage start, this is my last day. Overnight from here on out
I now move to being the sole rep for aforementioned giant concert promoter. I don’t touch a single piece of gear, I am just responsible for making sure it happens and putting fires out(not literal fires). This entails me wearing three radio sets. One for the tour, with a cop style hand set, a promoter one with a secret service style earpiece and a stadium radio.
All in all we get 56 semi trailers and flatbeds unloaded to a four truck dock on time. I peak out with about 125 stage hands and riggers. 3 large cranes, a bunch of fork lifts and other assorted goodies. We start on Monday, full dress rehearsal on Saturday night and show on Sunday. The stage, video and lighting were incredible. I came in for part of the show that night , wow just wow.
,
We began load out that night. We finish Tuesday morning, wait that is only eight days. It was a fantastic time.
Hope you enjoyed that little tale.
Cheers
Jim
PS Mooom I want to come over for dinner. Also when you met me IRL I weighed more than it looked like I did. I have a small frame but was pretty dense.
Lessee: this morning was French toast with orange zest. Then I made a pot of red beans & rice for dinner (the rice is cooking now). But the big move was to make a dental appointment for after dose two. It’s been nearly two years since my last appointment. 
Also took a walk today: 60F in March!
Jim, I’m with you on the awe for the Ryman. The acoustics there are exquisite. Come back and see us sometime.
I puttered around in the studio some this afternoon. I’m feeling quite a bit better. A pot of mango tea and some soup has helped.
Howdy Y’all! Cleanin’ lady spiffed da cave (really, no regrets hirin’ a house cleaner, her specifically, as she gets in, gets it done, and is a hoot!), I got my drugs from the pharmacy, nappage was achieved, and sup got cooked and et. Been a dreary, rainy day as well. All in all, not too shabby of a Moanday.
Jim Dang! Glad you survived all that and seem relatively OK. Glad you had such a good time with the gig in Nashville. I would love the Ryman. Beyonce, probably not so much, but glad you had a blast.
{{{shoe}}} we love you here. Just know that. Sorry your date fell through. Hopefully you’ll be feelin’ a little more up soon.
Wordy glad the offspring enjoyed the zoo.
Magic I think maybe I got your nickname right. Or not. ICK! Glad you got it all situated, but, still, ICK!
Evening all. Have made up 8 soccer teams that I hope are fairly even (half the boys haven’t played soccer before and they are all 5-6 years old, so who knows what will happen when they go out on the field). Did my best guessing. Tomorrow I’ll review it and see what needs to be changed (for one thing, got another new coach so need to make sure his kid is on his team…). Still need one more coach before I can go final. I wanted to do this at the library, someplace quiet and without distractions, but when I got there I found they have removed all the tables that used to be scattered around the facility; guess they don’t want you sitting around the place any longer than necessary.
Let Mickey D’s feed me tonight, I swear their large fry order is getting larger, could almost skip the sammich. Starting to rain again outside, it’s beginning to become a habit here and more is expected tomorrow night.
Jim, quite a tale to be told, both the bad and the good. Be well.
shoe, just cheer yourself up by remembering you still have a booty worth calling…
Wizard, that’s one mell of a hess you had; glad it didn’t get any worse.
OK, need to so some typing and am awaiting the Amtrak Southwest Chief at LaPlata on Virtual Railfan. One of these days I’ll be riding that train again…
Jim, that sounds horrific. The fact that you survived, albeit not unscathed, despite the severity of your case and your (delirious) refusal to be hospitalized seems nothing short of miraculous. And I’m sorry about the loss of your friend.
Thank you. The bank said they’re legally not allowed to notarize wills or trusts. Apparently some kind of state law? I have no place of business: retired/disabled.
I can get almost anywhere via bus or my own two feet. But the UPS place in that list is where I called this morning, and they said–before I even asked–that they do NOT supply witnesses. Same thing for the Package Express place. I’m guessing they get asked that question often.
I didn’t get much accomplished today: cleaned out a drawer, got Insta-Cart stuff put away, took out trash, cleaned blood off my shoe (minor abrasion–new shoes I was breaking in), dug up some documents. No walk.
MetalMouse, this Virtual Railfan intrigues me. I love trains.