tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50668491057422383622024-03-06T12:02:54.175-08:00Our HomeA new story begins hereKen and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.comBlogger226125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-90110226194773546112017-08-26T09:18:00.001-07:002017-08-26T09:18:24.111-07:00Blog Update 08/26/2017<div class="MsoNormal">
I saw my oncologist, Dr Ganti, last Tuesday and had a CT
scan from the head to the hips. Received good and bad news from Dr Ganti. The
bad news is the cancer is growing, I have had a lot more pain in my abdomen
than usual, he said this was the lymph nodes getting bigger, so the current
cancer medicine isn’t doing the job anymore. The good news is he has two other
treatments he wants to try. So, we will see how that all pans out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tuesday, I still am having surgery on my right arm. It was
schedule for a 5:30 am check in and surgery at 7:30 but for now has been
changed to a 10:00 am check in and surgery at 11:30, all subject to change. I
will be glad to get the surgery done and eventually use my arm again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe God will show Dr Ganti the right treatment to use
and that the surgery will be a success but I can use all the prayers I can get.
So please pray for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s all for now <o:p></o:p></div>
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God’s Blessing to all.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-84233821063271719322017-08-09T10:03:00.004-07:002017-08-09T10:03:53.205-07:00<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a great weekend, Carl & Merilee came down from
Mitchell, SD Friday night and stayed through Monday. Sunday Jim & Jo
AuBuchon, Jim and I were roommates when we were stationed at Dyess AFB in Abilene,
TX. He & Jo were on a two-week sojourn of the Midwest and stopped by to say
hi. It was great visiting with them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While Carl & Merilee were here we played Canasta and
Rummikub. I remember playing Canasta with my grandmother and my brothers and
sisters. We had a ball playing then and we still enjoy it today. It was great
having them visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I went to the orthopedic doctor last Thursday and after looking
at the x-rays he said the bone wasn’t healing as it should. I have two choices,
continue the way we are going now, that is do nothing, or he can surgically put
a plate over the fracture and screw it into place. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I called the oncology case manager and asked her to ask my
oncologist if he thought surgery would be ok. I didn’t want to do anything
detrimental to my treatment regimen. She called back a day later and said we
could go with the surgery, she has started the ball rolling, the surgery would
be done outside the VA and so she will get everything set up and then all I
have to do is show up for the appointments she set up for me. I probably should
have done this from day one but hind sight is always better than foresight.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This weekend we are going to Wisconsin to watch some
baseball and visit with the kids and on our way home we will stop in Ames to
see Tiffany and family.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What a great weekend we had in Wisconsin, the weather was
beautiful and we saw great ballgames. Grandson Mason was playing in a wooden
bat tournament. (That’s all we had was wooden bats) It was a good tournament, a
bit warm on Sunday but overall very nice. Mason caught all three games on
Sunday minus two innings. He was a tired kid by the end of the day. Madyson
helped me by getting me some refreshments. All in all, it was a fabulous
weekend. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Monday morning, we get up and my back is killing me, muscle
spasms from left shoulder blade to the right shoulder blade. I was prepared
though I got some medicine a week or two before to help alleviate the pain and
it did the job by lessoning it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We left Wisconsin for Ames IA to see Tiffany and family. We
stayed at the GrandStay Hotel & Suites, it was a nice place. We had a
living room with kitchenette and a bedroom with king size bed. There must be
different sizes for a king size bed because the one at the GrandStay and the
Hampton Inn are different in width. We got to visit with Tiffany and family and
had dinner with them. We went to Old Chicago, it was right next door, the food
was pretty good, the service was very good, we had a good time visiting with
them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Headed home the next day, Sarah did all the driving coming
home and I will say she did a great job.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I received a call, on our way home, from the orthopedic
nurse saying that I am set for surgery on my arm on Aug 29. I want to get it
done as quickly as possible and probably should have had it done when we came
back from Arizona. I waited because I didn’t want to surgery if we didn’t have
to but the arm is not healing and so I will now have a plate screwed onto the
humerus so the bone does not move and with therapy hopefully I will be able to
use it again. Also, the bone may heal itself over time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The bad thing about this is Sarah’s 50<sup>th</sup> class
reunion will be Labor Day weekend and my 55<sup>th</sup> is the following
weekend. We had to cancel all our reservations. <o:p></o:p></div>
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That is about all that has been happening around.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until later.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-60401572052526566322017-07-12T20:50:00.001-07:002017-07-12T20:50:36.282-07:00Blog update 07/12/17<div class="MsoNormal">
We left right on time Friday morning the 23<sup>rd</sup> of June. We got to our first stop about 45 minutes east of Omaha on I80. This is my first stop of any eastbound trip, as I was heading into the restroom I checked for my billfold and it wasn’t there. I had left home without it, now we had no choice but to go back and get it because we planned on being gone for about three weeks. So, we back tracked, got the billfold and headed out again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our plans were to meet up with Robert, Sarah and the kids for dinner. I was a bit worried we wouldn’t make it but we did. My dad had a saying he used a lot, “I never pass up a water fountain”. My saying is “I never pass up a restroom”, the problem is my saying always adds more time to our trips.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We had a great dinner at a restaurant called <a href="https://www.bing.com/local?lid=YN873x15076690544591222280&id=YN873x15076690544591222280&q=The+Rock+Bar+%26+Grill+Beloit+WI&name=The+Rock+Bar+%26+Grill&cp=42.51989~-89.03841&qpvt=the+rock+in+beloit+wisconsin"><span lang="EN">The Rock Bar & Grill</span></a><span lang="EN">, very good restaurant but they don’t have a website.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Saturday night we saw granddaughter Madyson perform at her dance recital. She was great. Her solo was fabulous. She does an aerial, that’s a cartwheel without touching the floor, scares me every time she does it. The recital was great, I am not much in sitting and watching all these different performances but I did enjoy the whole recital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Sunday, we saw grandson Mason play two baseball games. It is fun to see the growth of the kids in their particular sport and interest. Mason had come a long way in his skills as a baseball player and I know he will continue to grow in the sport. Madyson is phenomenal in her solo, she puts more expression in her face and body and it just takes the dance to a higher level. Love watching both of them play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Madyson and family are on their way to the Nation Dance Competitions in Myrtle Beach, NC, I know she will do well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">We left Beloit on Monday the 26<sup>th</sup> and headed for Thibodaux, LA for Sarah’s brother Bill’s 60<sup>th</sup> wedding anniversary. We overnighted in Cape Girardeau, MO and the following night at Canton, MS. Since we were going to get to Thibodaux a day earlier than I planned I thought I better call ahead make sure we could get in a day early. We could and we did.</span> </div>
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We booked in at the Hampton Inn.Out first night was not very memorable, we stay at the Hampton Inns a lot and this was the first one where we have had a problem. The room was very humid and just didn’t feel good, I didn’t sleep very well, but then again, I don’t sleep that well anymore anyway. The next morning Sarah went to take a shower and the gizmo on the spout wouldn’t come up for the shower. She calls down to the front desk and the lady says try twisting it. Now I don’t every remembering I had to twist gizmo to make the shower work, twisting didn’t do the job. Sarah calls back down the front desk and the lady asks if we wanted to take a shower in another room. Now wouldn’t you think if they had another room for us to take a shower in, why wouldn’t they just offer us that room. We said no, then the lady says do we need two beds, we said no, so she said we could move to another room with a king bed, fine with me, she said she’d bring up the new key, Sarah asked her to bring a cart.</div>
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<span lang="EN">Our new room was a king whirlpool room, it was two rooms, very nice. Since we were going to be here for a week it was a nice upgrade. We had a great time, we got to see folks we haven’t seen for a long time or in my case ever. Sarah thoroughly enjoyed going through old pictures with her brother and others from Mable’s side of the family. Bill’s kids, Teresa, Brenda and Chuck and their spouses did a great job on hosting the anniversary party on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Of course, we went to eat at Bubba’s, it wouldn’t be a successful trip if we didn’t eat their. They have a fantastic shrimp/oyster po’boy sandwich, however I opted for the shrimp/oyster platter, delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">I got to play Rummikub with some of the great nieces and nephews and cousins, I got beat more than I won. I loved every minute of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">The week went by too fast, before we knew it we had to pack to continue our road trip. On July 5, we bade Thibodaux a fond adieu (as the French would say, I think) and headed the car west to Houston.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">We had road construction in Lake Charles, LA which delayed us over an hour. We arrived at our hotel a little after 4:30pm. We stayed at the Hilton Houston Westchase, this is the first time in many years we have stayed in a hotel with a bellhop, it was great Sarah didn’t have to handle any of the luggage. We had a very nice room with breakfast included. I chose this location because it was only a mile from our friends Jose and Emma. Plus, we had plans to visit with Sylvester and Joyce on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Emma had prepared dinner for us that night so we went to their house a bit after six. Dinner was delicious and I ate too much. For desert, she had Island Way Sorbet, I loved them. She bought them at Costco so I will have to see if they have them here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">On Friday Sarah and I went over to Sylvester and Joyce’s house, we went to lunch and had a great visit with them. Sylvester and I served together in Vietnam. He was asking me if I remember certain people and I couldn’t. I can remember a few names but not many.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Jose had done some research on the painted churches, </span><a href="https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=20+painted+churches+of+texas&qpvt=20+painted+churches+of+texas&qpvt=20+painted+churches+of+texas&qpvt=20+painted+churches+of+texas&FORM=IGRE"><span lang="EN">https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=20+painted+churches+of+texas&qpvt=20+painted+churches+of+texas&qpvt=20+painted+churches+of+texas&qpvt=20+painted+churches+of+texas&FORM=IGRE</span></a><span lang="EN">. I wanted to see them but I wasn’t feeling very well so we didn’t go, maybe next time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">I met Jose at St Ambrose College, that’s before it became a University. Anyway, Jose and I grilled the steaks for Saturday night dinner, we worked in the kitchen for our room and board. After I came back from Thanksgiving with my family I asked Jose where he went, he said he stayed on campus, he had come over from Cuba and his family was still there. I told my mother this and she said to invite him home at Christmas, I did, he came and had Christmas with us. It went so well, in fact, when I went into the military he took my place and the holidays. It was great, Jose is a terrific person and married a beautiful person Emma. We were at their house every day, most days we went back to the hotel so I could take a nap which I evidently needed because one day I slept and hour and a half. Over the course of our visit we played 40+ games of Rummikub and I was reintroduced to canasta. I had not played canasta since I was ten or twelve and we kids would play with my mom’s mother. Thank you for a great time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Saturday night Sarah’s cousin Becky and husband Ken came to the Rio Ranch restaurant next to the hotel and we had dinner with them. Becky is and anesthesiologist and Ken is a retired Air Force officer, I don’t remember his rank but I know if was up their close to a general or something. He is a great photographer and freelances now. He has some great pictures, </span><a href="https://www.mach3photography.com/"><span lang="EN">https://www.mach3photography.com/</span></a><span lang="EN">, check out his website. It was great seeing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">We left Houston Monday morning and went through some of the heaviest rain I have seen in a while. To make matters worse the spray off the road was blinding at times, but we made it out of town without any mishaps. I had hoped to get through Dallas without any trouble so we took the Dallas tollway. I wanted to miss all the construction on I35, well we didn’t quite get out of Dallas event free. We were slowed down considerably by a wreck, when we reached the site of the wreck it looked like someone had side swiped this car and vanished because there was only one vehicle there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">I had decided we were going to stay in either Norman OK or Guthrie OK depending on what time we got out of Dallas. We weren’t too late so I go us reservations for Guthrie. Now in our car we have a service, I pay for it, called Destination Assist, I click on the screen and we get a live person asking where we want to go. I said the Hampton Inn in Guthrie OK, she said ok and downloaded the directions to the navigation system in the car. Now I just clicked on OK without verifying the address of the location that was downloaded. That is an important item, since it was the wrong destination although we didn’t figure that out until we got to Oklahoma City. Now I knew Guthrie was on I35 so I wasn’t too concerned when the navigation said to take I235 through Oklahoma City, but I became a bit concerned when it had us going west off I235. Sarah kept telling me we were going the wrong way but I got to the point where I wanted to see where this was taking us. Well, it took us to Cushion OK, I’d never heard of the place. We came into town and it said turn right, I did, and that is when it got interesting. I saw a police car sitting on the opposite of the road and thought nothing of it until I saw the pretty red and blue lights on this car behind us, I thought we were in a parade or he was going somewhere. The somewhere was us, as soon as I pulled over so did he. I thought “wow a welcoming party, how did he know I’d never been here before”. I now know someone in Cushion OK, Sgt Henderson. He was very nice and said I was doing 44 in a 35 zone. He asked where we were going and I flat told him I was lost. He laughed and I told him about the navigation system and the Destination Assist. He told me I should have stayed on I35 and I wouldn’t be lost. He was a very nice officer and gave us directions to the Hampton Inn, we were eighteen miles from it. He said to drive safe and keep the speed down, no ticket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">We did finally get to the hotel about six thirty, I was hungry and tired, so we went for pizza. I know it wasn’t anything very glamorous but filling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">The next day we headed for Omaha and got home about four thirty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">We were gone nineteen days, stayed in six different hotels, and put 3,048 miles on the car and we had a great time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN">Thanks to everyone for helping this to be a great trip.</span></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-77573119165375765882017-04-03T11:36:00.000-07:002017-04-03T11:36:09.308-07:00Update 04/3/2017<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">A few days
before we were scheduled to fly out of Omaha for our cruise, the airline sent
me an email saying the departure time of our return flight out of San Juan had
changed. So, I called the airline and sure enough the change gave us
approximately fifteen minutes to change planes in Atlanta. Since I don’t walk
very fast anymore, so we changed to a later flight at 8pm. This would give us a
three-hour layover, which was fine with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">So, Sunday the
26 of March, Daniel came over and picked us up at 4am and took us to the
airport. We had a bit of a wait but I don’t like to have to rush in the
airport. It was a good thing too, I had to be stripped searched because I set
off the scanner. I couldn’t go through the big x-ray because I can’t raise my
right arm over my head. My belt and suspenders caused the scanner to beep. The
TSA guy asked me if I could take off my belt and suspenders. I said I could but
then my pants would fall down. He didn’t think that was good so he took me off
to the side. He asked if I wanted to go to a room or have him do his thing out
in front of God and everyone. I told him, I don’t have much modesty left after
what I have been through so do it here. After he was done he said I could go.
It didn’t take very long so Sarah and I headed to the gate area. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Now, I am not a
very good flier anymore because I have to go to the bathroom a lot so I tend to
visit the restroom by the waiting area a lot before we board the plane. The
first leg of the trip was to Minneapolis so it wasn’t too bad, no trips to the
restroom. In Minneapolis, we hooked up with brother Larry and his wife Kathy.
We would be meeting sister Tara and husband Paul, sister Colleen and husband
Darrius in San Juan, Puerto. Anyway, we got on the plane and got settled in our
seats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> After a discussion with our son Daniel, he had recently flown to
Thailand on business, he told me to fly first class because it would give me
more room. I am still wearing the brace and so I sprung for the extra expense,
I am very happy I did that. Now either I have gotten bigger since I last flew
or the seats have gone through a shrink machine, it is most likely the former.
The seat was comfortable the tray you use for lunch comes out of the armrest
between seats and it does not give at all, it was very close quarters. I would
have had enough problems without the brace but with the brace it was trying to
put a blow-up bed back in the box it came it. It can be done but it takes some work
at it. All in all, we had a good flight and was just happy we got to San Juan
safely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We also
received an email a week before the cruise was to leave that because the ship
had a propulsion problem our cruise would be cut short by a day. We were all bummed
out but when life gives you apples you make apple pie. I know that isn’t the
saying but I like apple pie more than lemonade. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We spent Monday
seeing things in San Juan. Larry, Tara and I rented a cab to take us and
spouses on a two-hour tour of San Juan. Our cabbie Chris was great, we started
with Old San Juan and then the newer places and the beaches and ended with some
places he said not to go to at night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">We stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan, a very nice hotel and within walking distance of some very nice restaurants.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We had some great food, we ate at the same restaurant La Cueva del it was great. Marissa was our server and she was a lot of fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">There is a lot
more history in San Juan than I ever knew, so it was time well spent. One of the
two forts we saw was, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm">https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm</a>,
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Castillo San Cristóbal Castillo and Castillo de San Cristobal, what I found
interesting was the two forts were connected by underground tunnels, these
forts were a couple miles apart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We boarded the ship at eleven, that was the earliest we
could get on and since we had a day and a half cut from the cruise I wanted to
get as much use as I could out of the ship. Now those of you who have been on
cruises know that it is a feeding frenzy, food everywhere and I got as much of
it as I could. We were in Aqua Spa class, we had a suite with a deck so we
could sit on the deck and watch the world go by. My brother was next to us so
we could talk without much problem, but there was a cabin between Tara and
Colleen and I so we just yelled at each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Our breakfast and dinners were taken in the Blu room,
very nice setting. Our server was Wilmer and he made each meal a delight. He
was from Columbia and had been working cruises for five years. All the people
on the boat were great, even the captain. I had my picture taken with her but I
can’t find it so you will just have to take my word for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">We returned to San Juan Saturday morning and was off the
boat and to the airport by 10:30. Again I went through the strip search
procedure and they found nothing that concerned them. We got on the plane and
arrived in Atlanta about 4:30. Now as I said earlier I had changed our flight
because we wouldn’t have enough time to get to our connection, as it turned out
we could have made it, but to change flights it cost a couple hundred dollars,
I wasn’t going to do that. So, we waited for our 8:00 flight, with an arrival
time in Omaha at 9:35pm. Well let me tell you, due to a maintenance paperwork screw
up at La Guardia airport we didn’t get home until midnight. We boarded the
plane on time, deboarded an hour later and reboarded an hour after that. They
finally got it all straighten out and we arrived back in Omaha at midnight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">It was a long day but we had a great time on the cruise.
The best part of it was being with family, the food etc. was also very good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I hope we can get together sometime this winter for a few
days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN;">That’s all for now.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-42218665886937353502017-03-14T14:54:00.000-07:002017-03-14T14:54:06.566-07:00Update 3/14/17<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been remiss in getting this out, so I decided today
was the day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We stayed the last weekend of our time in AZ with my sister
and her husband, Darrius & Colleen. They have sold their home and have
bought a townhouse which is still being built. We saw the model of their new
place and I figured I could stay there for a month or so but I was told no by
Sarah. I would not stay that long a week at the most</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday, February 26, we headed for Sierra Vista, AZ. I didn’t
get to see the Buffalo Soldiers Museum at Ft Huachuca on our way to Mesa because
it was closed. That was a holiday weekend so I figured the 27<sup>th</sup> of February
would not be a problem. WRONG!!! The museum is closed on Sunday and Monday. We
wanted to head out the next day so we went out at nine when they opened and did
get to see some of it. Sarah saw more than me because part of the exhibits were
upstairs and I wasn’t feeling up to negotiating any steps. We left after a
couple hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our plan was to get to Alamogordo, NM and stay there for the
night. A few miles after we got on I-10 eastbound the neon sign across the
interstate showed we had to get off and follow a detour because the road was
closed due to dust storms. The detour was up to Safford, AZ and then followed
Hwy 70 back to the interstate. We arrived in Alamogordo around six, so the detour
took about two hours. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From Alamogordo, we went to Liberal, KS, spent the night
there and left the next morning for home arriving about 5 pm. It was sure nice
to get home even with the cold weather.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did bring a cold home with me so I went to my primary care
doctor and got some medicine for it. I seem to be getting better. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today I went to see my oncologist and he said all looked
good and I will see you in three months, good news.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next week, Wed, I go to the eye doctor for an annual
checkup, might need a new prescription. On Thurs I see the orthopedic doctor
and hopefully my fractured humorous will be healing nicely.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This weekend we are going to WI to see the kids there and I
am sure it will cost me for their report cards. Then it is a stop in Ames, IA
on our way back to see Tiffany and family. That will cost me also as Alexa is
getting A’s and on the honor roll. I don’t mind because I want the kids to do
well in school so they can do whatever they want when they get to college.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
March 26, we fly to Minneapolis and then to San Juan, PR. My
brother Larry and his wife Kathy will meet us in Minneapolis and we’ll all be
on the same flight. My sister Tara and her husband Paul will arrive in San Juan
an hour or so after we do. My other sister, Colleen and husband Darrius, are
flying there on Saturday to determine which restaurant we are going to eat at
Sunday night. On Monday, 27<sup>th</sup>, we board Celebrity Cruise Lines ship
the Summit for a cruise of the Caribbean. We are going to have a ball, I am
looking forward to this trip like none I have been on before.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing else going on so I will close for now.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-22309680896270836812017-02-17T16:38:00.001-08:002017-02-17T16:38:43.164-08:00Blog Update 02/17/17
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our time here in Mesa is coming to an end. We arrived at the
Goodlife RV Resort on January 1 and have for the most part enjoyed every minute
of our stay.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now we are down to the last two weeks. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me catch you up on what has been going on. I fell in the
bathroom of our hotel room on January 1 and ended up going to the ER at the
Phoenix VA. After x-rays and an orthopedic consult, they put me in a <span style="margin: 0px;"><v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f">
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<o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit">
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<v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:/Users/Ken/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg">
</v:imagedata></v:shape></span>brace to immobilize my arm.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukMyQJDQnvpliZCDpWn_8PgXI7WEs6EFarzoaekH0fuS_NmChyn9eo3elc4844GjjVVi9IM-BOOUnmQo7csGTfSRmVPVzEeZssu702nBF3KWucSEkMIXZVcrG6Dl8S8mkpSOwP-Syo7bR/s1600/IMG_2297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhukMyQJDQnvpliZCDpWn_8PgXI7WEs6EFarzoaekH0fuS_NmChyn9eo3elc4844GjjVVi9IM-BOOUnmQo7csGTfSRmVPVzEeZssu702nBF3KWucSEkMIXZVcrG6Dl8S8mkpSOwP-Syo7bR/s320/IMG_2297.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (In case I didn’t say before, I
fractured the right humorous. I go back to the VA tomorrow for x-rays to see
how the fracture is healing, hoping for the best. (I am writing this after my
Dr. visit and I received very good news.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Dr. said the bone is still healing, per the x-rays, and that I
should continue wearing the brace until I visit with the orthopedic Dr. In
normal.)</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We haven’t done all the things we wanted to do while here
but we have kept plenty busy. We had the pleasure of having dinner with Gordon
& Cheryl, friends we met at the VA in Omaha. Steve & Teresa, we worked
at Cal-AM with them, we went to dinner and had a great visit. We met Rick &
Jana, coworkers from Cal-AM, at the RV Café, a restaurant started by Cal-AM.
Had a great visit with them and enjoy their tales of traveling. We were able to
get together with Nikki, Jack & Meredith, I worked with Nikki at Ruan. She
is a massage therapist and teacher of same here in the Phoenix area. It was
great seeing them again and catching up on their lives.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have not done a lot of sightseeing except for the Mesa
Flea Market, South Mountain Park, Wrigley Mansion and the Heard Museum. Also, a
ride on the lite rail system. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Flea Market is, in my opinion, a bunch of stuff you
don’t need that is displayed two or three times in each of four long tents a
quarter to a third mile long at least. You can find anything and everything in
these tents, even things you didn’t know existed. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">South Mountain Park is a great place to view the valley from
2,000 feet plus. The road is narrow and winding go up the mountain but a very
pretty drive. Coming down there were two guys in front of us on skate boards,
they had to hit speeds of 40+ mph, very dangerous. I hope they made it to the
bottom safely.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Wrigley Mansion is an interesting place, </span><a href="http://www.wrigleymansion.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.wrigleymansion.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, the
view is phenomenal and the food is great. I enjoy visiting this place.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Heard Museum is very interesting, </span><a href="http://heard.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://heard.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">,</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">was interesting. I will admit I didn’t pay to go through the museum but
I looked at everything else. There were a couple of sculptures on the grounds
pertaining to Native Americans being in the military, I found those and the
writings to go with them to be very enlightening.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tests today February 17 we went to canyon lake and took a
boat ride on the lake on the boat the Dolly, https://dollysteamboat.com.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Canyon lake is one of 4 or 5 lakes in the
area and have 20 some miles of shoreline, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyon_Lake_(Arizona)"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyon_Lake_(Arizona)</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But at a small ride is a very seek a ride
through one of the canyons on this lake.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the boat ride, we went into tortilla flats and had lunch.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of those things on my bucket list was to
have prickly pear ice cream and I accomplish that today.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is supposed to rain this weekend so I doubt that we will
do much of anything. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In fact, we are in
the process of planning our route home for when we leave a week from
tomorrow.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems, the Omaha and the
entire Midwest has had as good as or some day’s better weather men we have had
here in Arizona.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do have one more bucket list item I want to take care of
the four we get home and that is visiting the buffalo soldier’s museum at Fort
Huachuca, AZ. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, we are leaving here a week from tomorrow with a couple
stops here and there on our way home.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
should be back in a law by March 6 orbit four.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have terrible WIFI here in this park and so I hope I will
build a sendup this blog, will try.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If
it doesn’t work, I’ll wait until I have better WIFI a service and send about
them.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hope all is well with everyone and we will continue this
when we get home.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<br /></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-85744384260372172612016-12-17T10:53:00.003-08:002016-12-18T08:03:43.886-08:00Update 12/17/2016<div class="MsoNormal">
I am dictating this blog so please forgive any errors the
time this</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went to Ames Iowa two visit with Tiffany and your family,
Matt, Alexa and Bryon. We stayed at the
Hampton inn in Ames and the kids came to the hotel and we had Christmas with
them there. As always, I asked Alexa
where she would like to go eat for dinner.
Her choice was Applebee’s, which is always a good choice. We had a great meal and a fun time visiting
with Tiffany and family.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next day, Sunday, we went to church at 8:30 AM and was
on the road to Beloit Wisconsin by 930.
The weather forecast for the day was some snow and maybe sleet. As we left aims it was snowing but not that
bad until we get to Iowa City and the snow became heavier and more abundant. From Iowa City to Beloit the roads were
slushy but very passable. We arrived in
Beloit at approximately 3:30 PM, which was about an hour later than I thought
we would get there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Beloit, we stayed at the Hampton inn, my favorite place
to stay there. We went over to Robert
and Sarah’s. Madyson was a girl scouts
but Mason was home and we visit with everyone until Madyson got home. When Madyson got home we opened presents, the
kids received a book of Guinness World Records for 2017, they had told their
parents they wanted this book, but it was what they wanted. They each received another gift are two and
as in years past we gave the parents some money. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went to Beloit for two reasons, to have Christmas with the kids
and to attend Mason’s band concert.
Since the band concert wasn’t until Tuesday night we filled the day is
doing various things.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Monday, we had
lunch with Robert and a restaurant called Hhffrrrggh Inn, don’t ask me where they came up with that name I’m not
even sure how to pronounce it. We had a
great visit with Robert and the food was delicious. We gone to eat Sunday night at a restaurant
called lucky Lucy seven, or some like sent.
Next door was a sushi restaurant that Roberts said was very good, Sarah
said it was good when she didn’t eat raw fish.
So, on Tuesday we decided to give it a try. It was very good, I really enjoyed it, and
Sarah even bought some of their Tea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday night was the band concert, Mason
plays the saxophone. The auditorium in
the middle school is very nice. We sat
stage left and was able to see Mason as the played his instrument. I always sit at the end of a row, or if it’s
church in the back pew, because since I’m an old man I sometimes, most likely
often, have to get up and go to the restroom.
The concert consisted of the sixth grade, seventh grade and eighth grade
bands and each band performed 2 to 4 songs.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all of them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we entered the auditorium though the
band boosters were having a bake sale.
Now I cannot pass up any type bake sale, I always purchase
something. And this time was no exception,
I bought some chocolate chip cookies, actually it was a donation you still paid
for the cookies. After the concert, we
went to Culver’s for ice cream. Since we
were leaving the next morning and the kids had school we said our goodbyes at
this time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The trip home was a lot better in that
there was no show on the roads and we made good time getting back to Omaha.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On December 8 I had an appointment with
the orthopedic oncologist. He took new
x-rays and the x-ray showed the bone fracture healing on its own. In fact, the new bone growth was more than
double from the previous x-ray. The Dr.
said we would continue with the same treatment, that being I wear a sling and
that I get another x-ray in the middle of January. I was very happy with the results of the
visit because as of now I do not need surgery.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will attempt to get this new x-ray
done at the veteran’s hospital in Phoenix Arizona.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our plan is to leave for Phoenix on or
about December 28. We have a park model
rented at good life RV resort and in Mesa, we have rented it was Sarah’s sister
Cynthia. We hope to arrive in Mesa on or
about January 1.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
On December 11 we headed for Burlington to visit my brother Larry and his wife Kathy. The have a very nice home located in the Village Coop of Burlington. They have a third floor corner or end unit, I love it because it has a great view. Sarah and Kathy went to concerts of Jill's kids, Matthew and Emily. Jill is Larry & Kathy's daughter. Tuesday Sarah and I visited with my aunt's, mom's side of the family, they live in a townhouse, very nice. We had a great visit.<br />
<br />
Later that day we went to Caleb's basketball game. Caleb is a great nephew, the son of Brad and Jenny, Larry & Kathy's oldest. Caleb plays for the West Burlington Falcons, they were playing against my alma mater Notre Dame, but family won out and I rooted for the Falcons. It was a good game with the Falcons winning. We came home on Wednesday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That about does it for now, and for
those folks who are in the south the current temperature here is 7°.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until later stay warm, drive safe.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-44940223660167148652016-11-17T11:44:00.000-08:002016-11-17T11:44:32.893-08:00Othopedic Consultation<div class="MsoNormal">
OK we’re going to try this again; I will try dictating my
blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the past couple of months, I have had a pain in my right
arm which I attributed to the radiation by hand for the bone cancer in the
arm. Two weeks ago, I went and saw my
oncologist because of the pain, he took in x-ray been discovered I had
fractured my humerus. They gave me a
sling to use until I could see an orthopedic oncologist. Now I didn’t even know there was such a person
as Orthopedic oncologist. My oncologist
put in a request for a consultation with the Orthopedic oncologist, who is
located at the University of Nebraska medical center.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, the request for the consultation was submitted on a
Tuesday November 1. On about the 7<sup>th</sup>
of November I received a call from an individual at the VA telling me that I
was going to be turned over to the choice care plan people and they would be
handling my orthopedic oncologist appointment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the 8<sup>th</sup> of November five received a call from an
individual with the choice care plan, they asked me a bunch of questions and
said that they would get a hold of the orthopedic oncologist, Dr. McGarry,
since the request for the consultation was marked urgent the orthopedic
oncologist would have to see me within two days of the request. The following day I received another call
from the choice care plan people, a different person from the one I talked to
before. This individual said
approximately the same thing as the first individual, but this person asked me
if I would be willing to have an appointment with someone other than Dr. McGarry. I said that would be OK with me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t hear from anyone for a day or two so on the 10<sup>th</sup>
of November I called Dr. McGarry’s office myself and was able to talk to his
nurse. She indicated the Dr. McGarry
could see me on November 14 so I took the appointment. Now on the 11<sup>th</sup> of November the
person from the VA who I initially talked to call me back. He told me that I was being taken away from
the choice care plan people and would be handled by the provider of agreement
people. So, on November 14 we were on
our way to my orthopedic oncologist appointment and I received a call from a
Dr. Coffee’s office stating that I had an appointment with him on November 16. Needless
to say, I kept the appointment with Dr. McGarry and canceled the appointment
with Dr. Coffee.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The x-ray that was taken on the 1<sup>st</sup> of November
showed a fracture of the right humerus, but the good news is it also showed the
bone healing itself. Dr. McGarry said
that everything looked good as of that x-ray and because I told him I wanted to
go south January 1 he scheduled another appointment for December 8 at which
time another x-ray will be taken to determine if the healing process is
proceeding the way he wants and if it isn’t then we will talk about
surgery. So, in the meantime I am using
a regular sling, the doctor’s office called the VA to get me a different type
of sling. Bottom line is I feel good, my
arm hurts if I use it for almost anything, but the good news is that it is
healing itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the meantime, I’m sitting here at home and I received a
message on my phone from my youngest sister, Tara, stating that she wants to go
somewhere and would like the rest of us siblings to bill also. I figured because she just retired a weaker
so ago she is getting cabin fever already and needed to get out of the
house. So, we are all going on a cruise
to the Caribbean next march. I spent the
last couple of days getting our reservation in for the cruise, researching and
finding the least expensive plane tickets out of Omaha and booking a hotel
reservation for the day before the cruise.
The cruise departs from San Juan Puerto Rico and returns to send one
five days later. Now I have never been
to the Caribbean so there should be a very interesting trip, and it is one that
I’m looking forward to going on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, you might ask what am I going to be doing and for the
next 120 days. Well here it is, next week
we are going too Dallas Texas for thanksgiving, Sarah’s and niece Theresa and
husband Ben are graciously hosting the family for thanksgiving dinner. Carl and Marilee are coming down to our place
with their motor home and we’re all going to Texas together. Cynthia is writing was Sarah and I and we
will be returning to Omaha on November 27.
Carl and Merilee will be leaving from Dallas and going to Arizona for
the winter. Our plan is to go to Beloit
Wisconsin the first week and of December to have Christmas with the kids up
there. Than either on the way up or the way
back from the Beloit Wisconsin we will stop and see Tiffany and family in Boone
Iowa.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On December 8, I see Dr. McGarry and a decision will be made
at that time as to whether I need to have surgery. If I must have surgery hopefully it can be
completed in time for me to go to Arizona January 1. Our plan is to spend January and February at
Good Life RV resort in Mesa Arizona.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We will leave Mesa on March 1 and proceed to visit John and
Cindi, who will be camped south of Benson, AZ.
From Benson, I want to go to Roswell New Mexico so I can see where the
aliens landed and check out all the information I can find on area 51. That probably will take too long to do all
that that I’ve never been there and I would like to see the place. I also hope to go to Abilene TX to visit
Dyess AFB where I was stationed for two years in the Air Force, I probably will
recognize anything about the base but I was still like to visit it. We would also like to go see Dave and Shari
who will be camping in the hill country itself or west of Austin, TX. From there it’s back to Omaha and filing are
income tax and getting ready to go on our cruise.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, as you can see I haven’t been up to much but I’m always
tired, I guess that might be a sign of getting old because some days when I’m
tired I fall asleep in my chair.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There isn’t much more to tell so I will sign off for now and
update this 000Blog after my Dr. Appointment on the eighth of December.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope everyone has a very happy, safe, enjoyable
thanksgiving.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-65866835692618933132016-11-01T18:21:00.001-07:002016-11-01T18:21:33.371-07:00Update 11/1/2016<div class="MsoNormal">
I am going to try dictating as a message and about my
experience today. We will see how it
goes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to let you know all about my visit with my oncologist
Dr. Ganti. And I have been having pain
in my right arm and I thought I would see if we could get an x-ray done
today. I was told to go to the VA this
afternoon for an x-ray. After the x-ray,
I met with the Dr. He said, I fractured the humerus and in my right arm. He believes this was the result of the
radiation treatment that I received this summer. The Dr. is setting up an Orthopedic
consultation for next week. We will see
what they have to say about a treatment.
In the meantime, I am using an arm sling to immobilize the arm as much
as possible</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We did get to go to Wisconsin to see Mason and Madyson play
ball. Mason had a football game on
Saturday the 22<sup>nd</sup>. It was the
championship game for their league.
Mason’s team and all the team members received a trophy. Madyson had a baseball game on Sunday. They
have a double header they won both games. Mason had a single ballgame on Sunday
but they unfortunately lost by one run.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Sunday Mason had an accident with a hedge
trimmer. He accidentally cut his middle finger and broke the end of the
bone. It took 14 stitches to close up
the wound, he will have to see an orthopedic surgeon to determine if he will
be surgery to repair the bone. Hopefully
he will not need the surgery.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are still planning on doing some traveling over the next
few weeks. This Friday we are going to
Kansas City and hope to see my newest great-great nephew and his brother and
sister. Then we are having dinner with
Steve and Lynne and possibly with Zach and Olivia. (Cynthia is going with for us also.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have reservations, Jan-Feb, for a park model in Mesa Arizona at Good
Life RV resort. We are also planning on
traveling in Texas in the month of March.
We plan on being home by the last week of March.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well this dictating thing didn’t go to badly. I am not the
greatest grammatically enhanced person, please overlook although grammatical
errors.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-57206421186240077712016-09-24T09:17:00.000-07:002016-09-24T09:17:14.230-07:00Long Update 09/23/2016<div class="MsoNormal">
It
has been quite some time since I wrote a blog, to be honest I just haven’t
taken the time and I didn’t feel like there was much to say, but today I will
remedy that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
believe the last time I wrote anything was the last of July. So here goes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah
and I had lunch with John and Cindi, we worked with these folks our first year
in Mesa. It is always great seeing them, Cindi is great and John is ornery. We
always have a good time with them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah’s
brother Bill and his wife Mable came to visit for a couple of days. They flew
into Omaha on their way to the Cain reunion in Mitchell, SD. Amy, Sarah’s
niece, put together the reunion, not many came but a great time was had by all.
Cynthia drove Bill and Mable to the reunion and then to a couple of Mable’s
family members. They all returned to Omaha and Bill and Mable flew home from
here. It was great visiting with them. Bill, also, introduced me to a new wine
I had never heard of, I believe it was called Reid, it is a Merlot and very
good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
August
fifth Sarah and I headed to Beloit, WI to visit Robert, Sarah, Mason and
Madyson. Mason had baseball games on Saturday and Sunday, I wanted to see them
all. There were four games, two each day, and they were all good games. Mason’s
team came in third out of six teams and the teams they played were the
twelve-year-old group, Mason is on the eleven-year-old team. It was a great
weekend.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
August
9 we started with a Cancer Support Group at the VA. There are only five of us
in the group, two of us have our spouses with us. It is interesting from the
stand point that I haven’t heard some of the things they are talking about and
other topics I am familiar with but this reinforces the ideas with me. We went
around the room and told our story. In my narrative I said that in Vietnam I
drove an ambulance, we would take the wounded off of a plane and transport them
to the Navy hospital or the Marine hospital. One of our members is a retired
Navy corpsman and got on me about calling the Marine base hospital a Marine
hospital, she said there are no such thing as a Marine hospital it is a Navy
hospital. Technically she is correct, but we called it the Marine hospital for
clarification of where the wounded were going. She understands but still
insists we should have called a Navy hospital.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Met
with my new primary care provider, PCP, Dr Berry. Nice young man, most everyone
is younger than me anymore, we had a nice visit. He is the fourth or fifth PCP
I have had since going to the Omaha VA. Only two have left the VA and the
others have taken other positions within the Omaha VA. As one of the ER nurses
told me, once you start at the VA you don’t leave.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Speaking
of the ER, these are the nicest folks ever. They will do whatever it takes to
make your visit as hassle free as possible. I have yet to meet a person at the
VA here who doesn’t have your best interests at heart. I have yet to have a bad
experience. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carl
and Merilee had to bring their new motorhome to Camping World in Council Bluffs
for some warranty work. They stayed with us for a few days until it was done.
We always enjoy their company.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
August
31 I got my monthly treatment of Zometa, this for my bone cancer, and a couple
liters of fluids. It seems I need fluids about every 10 to 14 days, I am told I
get dehydrated from the cancer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
September
1 we headed out for Burlington with a lunch stop at Mt Pleasant to see Dave and
Shari. I don’t remember the name of the place we had lunch, it is on the Skunk
river south of Mt Pleasant. Anyway the food is fabulous and very reasonable. I
had a tenderloin, one of my favorites, who am I trying to kid, food is one of
my favorites. Dave and I had pie for dessert and it was great, of course we had
ice cream on it. It was good to see Dave and Shari. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
were headed to Burlington for my aunt Marcella’s 90 birthday party on Sunday.
The event was held in the community room of the village cooperative of
Burlington my brother and wife live in. It was the perfect place to have the
party, plenty of room and lots of parking outside. There were approximately fifty
people who came to see me aunt in addition to relatives. In fact, there were a
couple people who showed up that I had not seen in 40 plus years. It was a
great time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My
doctor has always told me if I felt good go do something. So Sarah and I took
off on the 9<sup>th</sup> for Carl and Merilee’s in Mitchell, SD for a trip to
Door County, for you that don’t know Door County is in Wisconsin. We left
Saturday morning in their new motorhome and were gone for ten days. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
spent the first night in West Salem, WI at a campground, I don’t remember the
name, a nice campground but a bit pricey. We were going to go to church at 7 pm
but when we go there no one was there, I guess they haven’t updated their
website. So we decided to get something to eat. As we were driving through
Bangor, where the church was, we spotted the Village Inn, a local bar and
restaurant. I had prime rib, not too bad, I have had better but still this was
good. I always ask for REAL horseradish not this creamy stuff they normally
serve, usually I get it. I have had one restaurant where I couldn’t get the
real stuff because they didn’t have any. For shame on them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday
we went to church and then headed out for Oshkosh, WI and the EAA Museum. We
stayed two nights at the Hickory Oaks campground in Oshkosh. We ate at the
Dockside restaurant that night and you can skip this one if you are ever in
Oshkosh, not very good.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If
you have never been to the EAA Museum, it is a must see. (A side note. We lived
in Wisconsin for twelve years and didn’t go to the museum. Our boys accuse us
of never taking them anywhere when we lived there. My response is, I didn’t
want to deprive them of the pleasure of seeing all this with their own kids.
That didn’t go over too good with them.) We spent several hours in the museum,
if you want to read all the descriptions of all the items it would take a
couple days to get through all of it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
had a late lunch at Friar Tuck’s, this is a great restaurant we all liked the
food here.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Merilee
and I like lighthouses. In fact, back in 2001 we all went to Hawaii for our
twenty fifth anniversaries. While on the big island of Hawaii we had a rental
car and were going to go see a macadamia nut factory but when we got there it
was closed, it was January 1, 2001, New Year’s Day, I didn’t even give it a
thought the place would be closed. So we saw on the map that there was
lighthouse a few miles away. We headed toward it not knowing we were going to
go through an area where the local volcano had erupted a few years ago and the
lava flow went right through this area. But we were determined to see the
lighthouse so we continue on not worrying about the road condition because we
had a rental car. When we finally got to the light house it was a big
disappointment. It was nothing but a steel structure like the windmill towers
you see on farms in the Midwest, except instead of blades on top this one had a
light, bummer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway,
Oshkosh had two lighthouses listed on their map, we headed off to find them.
The first one, Bray’s Point Lighthouse, we found, it wasn’t very big and was
nothing to speak of and it was located in someone’s yard, with no good way to
get to it. Merilee got a picture of it, I never did. The second one, Asylum
Point Lighthouse, we also found but never go to see it. It seems it is on the
grounds of the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. We tried to drive back to the
lighthouse but couldn’t find any road that led to it. So we gave up on trying
to see it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday
morning, we were up and headed for Door County. Our first stomp was at the
Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, WI, <a href="https://www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/" target="_blank">https://www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/</a>,
and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Good_Help" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Good_Help</a>.
Instead of trying to explain what this site is and the history of it I will let
you go to the two links above. You will want to click on the Peshtigo fire
link, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_Fire" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo_Fire</a>
in the Wikipedia article to get the total story behind the shrine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After
a couple hours at the shrine we continue our journey to Bailey’s Harbor
campground in Bailey’s Harbor, WI. We got the camper set up, I wasn’t much help
but I did help where I could and stayed out of the way otherwise. For lunch we
went to Bailey’s Cornerstone Pub I believe that is the name. I had their clam
chowder which was very good. Merilee had some walleye and it didn’t sit very
well with her. So we didn’t go back there again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That
afternoon we drove up to Northport, WI, I wanted to show everyone the ferry, <a href="http://www.doorcounty.com/business-directory/washington-island-ferry-line/" target="_blank">http://www.doorcounty.com/business-directory/washington-island-ferry-line/</a>,
that takes people to Washington Island, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Island_(Wisconsin)" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Island_(Wisconsin)</a>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday
we were looking for some place for breakfast and one of the Workamper at the
campground, who Carl knew from Whirlpool, it is a small world, said to go to
the Sandpiper restaurant, <a href="http://www.maxweltonbraes.com/" target="_blank">http://www.maxweltonbraes.com/</a>. Great food and plenty of
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then
it was off to find the Bailey’s Harbor Lighthouse, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baileys_Harbor_Light" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baileys_Harbor_Light</a>,
not a very good one.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
second one, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cana_Island_Light" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cana_Island_Light</a>, was much
better. There were 97 steps to get to the top of the lighthouse, I didn’t even
attempt it but Sarah, Carl and Merilee did as shown in this picture. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz759rb3KuRZ4p2FdL9oamRUfItEVvjc3tZ-8cAzEXphCfT4g7kG2TafSWkOxRTKvjwNpEzMFTYd78iiGWvSCtfcmg7NbGMJlJGvw63-IRQcUusg6GlDeHf_mvcp0Dop6u7hQZv16-lOii/s1600/IMG_1693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz759rb3KuRZ4p2FdL9oamRUfItEVvjc3tZ-8cAzEXphCfT4g7kG2TafSWkOxRTKvjwNpEzMFTYd78iiGWvSCtfcmg7NbGMJlJGvw63-IRQcUusg6GlDeHf_mvcp0Dop6u7hQZv16-lOii/s320/IMG_1693.JPG" width="240" /></a>I
bought a book so I could say I was there. An interesting tidbit, I read the
lighthouse keeper was paid $600 per year and the assistant was paid $300, this
wage was unchanged for 30 years, I hope they didn’t have to buy their own food.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That
afternoon we took a boat ride on Lake Michigan to see some more lighthouses and
a sunken ship, <a href="http://shorelinecharters.net/gillsrock.html" target="_blank">http://shorelinecharters.net/gillsrock.html</a>. As far as the
lighthouses go it was a bust, we weren’t able to tour any of them but it was
neat to see the different types and the sunken ship was a ship that sank just
after the civil war, so there wasn’t much left of it. I enjoyed the boat ride
but I really enjoyed the narrative by the captain. The boat was not very big
twelve passengers and I was sitting up front so I could hear his explanations
and ask questions. It was a good experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One
of the interesting things the captain said was the state of Wisconsin won’t
approve any more permits to build boat docks. So if you buy or build with water
access you won’t be able to build a boat dock. I looked it up and here is the
story on it, <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/html/stories/2000/jun00/pier.htm" target="_blank">http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/html/stories/2000/jun00/pier.htm</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That
night we wanted pizza and someone told us about Joe Jo’s Pizza and Gelato, <a href="http://www.doorcountypizza.com/" target="_blank">http://www.doorcountypizza.com/</a>,
so off we went in search of this place. Now something happened there that I
have never experienced before. I wear a Vietnam Veterans hat a lot and I had it
on that day. When we went into the restaurant I had it on, but I took it off
when we sat down at the table. We had been there for fifteen minutes or so and
the couple sitting behind us got up to leave and the one lady came over and
asked if I was a Vietnam Veteran, I said yes, and she gave me money to buy a
Gelato. I said that wasn’t necessary but she insisted and so I said thank you.
I admit one of the reasons I wear the hat is so people won’t forget the Vietnam
Veterans, a lot of them didn’t get a very nice welcome when they returned to
the states, I don’t wear it so people buy me meals or deserts. However, when
that happens, if it happens again, I will politely say it isn’t necessary but I
will not argue with the person either. I do get a thank you for your service
now and then and I find it is mostly people under fifty who say that.
Regardless of the reason or circumstances the acknowledgment is greatly appreciated
and I say that for ALL veterans.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday
Sarah Ann’s, Robert’s wife’s, parents, Dick and Terry, met us in Egg Harbor for
lunch and then we went shopping. After a bit we headed for Fish Harbor for more
shopping. Fish Harbor has a main street that is maybe two or three blocks long
with nothing but shops all of which are unique to the area. Dick and Terry left
a little after five, they had to pick up their dog by six or so.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For
dinner we went to PC Junction, Bailey’s Harbor, WI, <a href="http://www.pcjunctiondoorcounty.com/" target="_blank">http://www.pcjunctiondoorcounty.com/</a>.
This place has a train that delivers your meal, if you are seated at the bar. I
understand in the summer time it is near impossible to get a seat at the bar.
The food was good and I did buy a shirt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
next day Friday it was time to pack up and move on. We were headed to Beloit.
Our original plans had us being in Manitowoc, WI to see the Maritime Museum in
Manitowoc, <a href="http://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/index.php" target="_blank">http://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/index.php</a>.
They have a WWII submarine there which you can take a tour of, but we decided
to stay another day in Bailey’s Harbor and skip the museum, it turned out to be
a good decision.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
were able to get into Pearl Lake campground, <a href="http://www.pearllake.com/" target="_blank">http://www.pearllake.com/</a>. This campground does not allow
visitors; I don’t understand that but that is their rule. If you are a scuba
diver or want to be this is the place to go, the lake has an airplane and other
various items in it for divers to dive on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That
night Mason’s football team was running onto the field at the varsity football
game. We went to watch and I was surprised the varsity team let the younger
ones run onto the field in front of them. The cost to get in to the game was
$1.00 for old people like me and $3.00 for others. They had a pretty good crowd
but I understand the home team lost.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday
we went to watch Mason plan football, he is the center and defensive guard. It
was fun to watch him and to see how much better he is from a couple years ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After
lunch with the kids at Noodle and Company, <a href="http://order.noodles.com/menu/noodles-beloit" target="_blank">http://order.noodles.com/menu/noodles-beloit</a>.
Not a lot of variety, noodles and different toppings etc. but good. We headed
for Spring Green, WI.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We
couldn’t get into the only full hookup campground I could find in Spring Green
so we went to Lone Rock, WI and the Fireside Campground, <a href="http://firesidecampground.com/index.html" target="_blank">http://firesidecampground.com/index.html</a>.
Not a bad campground, the owners are new. The campground is over two hundred
acres and there looks to be a lot of potential.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Went
to church that night in Avoca, WI, at St Joseph Catholic Church. After church
we were hungry so on our way back to the campground we found The Woods, a
bar/restaurant in Lone Rock, WI, <a href="http://www.woods-bar-grill-the.hub.biz/" target="_blank">http://www.woods-bar-grill-the.hub.biz/</a>.
I had prime rib and it was good, but not the best I have ever had.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our
reason for being in the area was to see The House on the Rock, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_on_the_Rock" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_on_the_Rock</a>.
I had been there in the 1970’s but no one else had been there so we went to see
it. It has expanded greatly since I last saw it and they have added a couple
new features to the house. It took us over five house to tour the place, I was
beat by the end of the day. I did buy two books, one is a picture book of what
you see throughout the place and the other is about the original owner and how
the house built and the collection of items you see. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After
walking all day, I was beat. I said I wanted two drinks with my dinner. We
stopped at Arthur’s Supper Club, <a href="http://www.woods-bar-grill-the.hub.biz/" target="_blank">http://www.woods-bar-grill-the.hub.biz/</a>.
I had the special, a Turkey dinner with the trimmings. I also ordered a whiskey
old fashion, it was very good. So I ordered another one. The server brought the
second drink and a few minutes later a third drink. She said they made two by
mistake, I got three for the price of two, not a bad ending to a tiring day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday
we got up and headed for Mitchell. We got there around seven, unloaded the
camper, ordered pizza for dinner and went to bed. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday,
Amy and son Jasper came to the house and we all loaded into her van to go to
breakfast. We went to the American Legion. They have a big building, with dart
tournaments and bingo, looks to be a very active group. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank
you Merilee and Carl for the great time traveling with you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah
and I headed for Omaha about ten and got home by two thirty. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday
was Eli’s sixth birthday so we went to lunch with them at the Red Robyn, it was
a good time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Without
going into a lot of detail we are going to Mesa, AZ for January and February
2017. I have a few things to work out with the VA here and in Phoenix but the
oncology case manager said it is all doable, so we are going for it. We have
rented a place at Good Life RV Resort in Mesa and we hope to see a lot of the
people we knew when we were there before.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
guess I have rambled on for too long, that is what happens when I don’t write
for such a long time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One
commercial, please ask you friends and acquaintances to donate to my GoFundMe
account so we can buy some more t-shirts for the veterans undergoing
chemotherapy here at the Omaha VA, <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/db7q945h" target="_blank">https://www.gofundme.com/db7q945h</a>. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank
you for all the prayers and support you have given me in the past and I ask for
your continued prayers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until
later, take care and safe travels.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-15404245726190970512016-07-27T13:34:00.001-07:002016-07-27T13:34:36.951-07:00Bone CancerIt has been a while since I have posted so I thought I would try to get one out today. I feel better than I have in a long time.<br />
<br />
Here's what has been going on in my world. As stated in my last blog the doctor wants me to start getting an infusion of Zometa once a month. So that we have the least amount of chance for bone infection in the future the oncologist wanted an oral surgeon to assess my teeth for future dental work. The dentist did x-rays and examined my teeth and said I would need to have six teeth removed.Three upper and lower in the back and three lower front. So I had all six removed on June 9th, then I had to wait for 2-4 weeks for the gums to heal. The surgery wasn't too bad, the dentist was very good and kept the gums numb so I didn't feel any pain or not much anyway.<br />
<br />
June 17th I started radiation for cancer in my right humerus, the cancer caused so much pain in my right arm I could not use it for anything. The radiologist said the pain would begin to diminish almost immediately and should all be gone with a month or so. I went through ten treatments, every day for ten days minus weekends. I have about 85% of arm usage back and it keeps getting a little better everyday.<br />
<br />
I haven't traveled at all since April and I was wanting to go somewhere. So we went to Coralville where Carl & Merilee were camping and spent a couple of days with them. It was great my arm felt good and I was able to use it quite a bit, still a bit of a ways to go but getting there.<br />
<br />
I saw the oncologist on Monday and he said all looked good, lab work looked pretty good and instead of seeing me in a month we are going two months. That was good news.<br />
<br />
I still need to go to get fluids, it seems once a week or ten days, but I have no problem doing that. The folks at the VA are great, very accommodating and helpful.<br />
<br />
Not much else going on so I will cut this short and say again, Thank you for all the prayers and support.<br />
<br />
Until later.Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-64779541248204838142016-05-25T14:55:00.001-07:002016-05-25T14:55:12.314-07:0005/25/2016<div class="MsoNormal">
This may be a short post; it depends on my energy level. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the past few weeks I haven’t been feeling the best I
blamed it on the pain I was having in my back. I have a history of low back
pain. Well it all came to a head Monday night. Last Thursday I stopped taking a
pain pill because I was having some bad side effects food didn’t taste good, so
cold turkey I quit taking the drug, gabapentin and tramadol. I think that is
how they are spelled. I thought I was having withdrawals, the same effect as if
I was using some street drug. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For some reason I always wait until nighttime to seek help,
so nine thirty pm with Daniel driving, Sarah in the back and me in the
passenger seat mourning like I was going to die. We get to the VA ER and they
get me right in. In the course of events we find out the evening shift only has
two nurses and one doctor on duty. I had full blood workup done, then a chest CT
scan to rule the possibility of a blood clot. Finally, the doctor said they
couldn’t find anything wrong so he gave me something for the pain and we came
home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had an appointment set up with the oncologist on Tuesday,
yesterday, I wanted to get to day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday morning my primary care doctor called me, her day off
but she took the time to call. We talked, I told her what was going on and she
said the problems I was having wasn’t due to the drugs, she said there is
something else going on, so she set me an appointment for Tuesday at noon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Monday night I was going to the bathroom to get ready for
bed and my lower abdomen bowled me over with pain, I thought I was going to
pass out. I have never had pain like that before, well maybe the kidney stone I
had many years back was close. Sarah calls 911, I could not move I hurt so bad.
The Paramedics finally found our house and came in the house. The one PM was
really good, actually they were all good, I was in so much pain I didn’t care
if they were good or not. They asked me which hospital I wanted to go to and I
said the VA. The PM said the VA is closed. I said the ER is closed when did
this happen? No she said they are closed to any more ambulances for the night.
So I ended up going to a hospital about eight miles from the house. I want to
say the ride in the ambulance was one of the roughest I have ever been on. By
time we got to the hospital my back hurt as much as my abdomen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Again I went through a series of test, blood work and CT
scan. They didn’t find anything other than enlarged lympnodes because of the
cancer but they made a disc of the scan so I could give that to the VA the next
day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So yesterday we go down to the VA and I am to have a CT scan
at 10 am. I told Sarah, before we left home, to bring some plastic bags because
with food and drink not tasting good I probably would throw up. We get to the
VA and I am so weak I can’t walk very far so we get a wheelchair for me. Sarah
does a pretty good job of wheeling me around unless there is a bump she has
some trouble getting over it. So anyway we get to the infusion clinic to get my
port accessed, blood drawn and then I would go to x-ray for the scan. I tell
the nurse about the last few days and she says you can’t have another scan so soon;
the dye they put through the system can damage the kidneys. This dye, for those
of you who have never had a scan makes you feel flush, warm and tingly and when
it reaches the nether world you feel like you have wet your pants, I don’t know
if anyone ever has, I know I haven’t. The nurse gets the scan canceled and
pages my oncologists and she talks to him. He said he would come over and see
me in the infusion clinic otherwise I would have to wait until 2:30pm. He comes
in and says that all the trouble I have been having was due to the cancer, it
is flaring up and doesn’t want to play the same game we have been playing up
till now. (That is my take on what he said)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The doctor is changing the treatment I will be getting from
now on. One of the drugs is a monthly infusion of Zometa, this is to curtail
the growth of the bone cancer. But before I can start this treatment I have to
be cleared by a dentist because of my tooth implant the dentist has to check my
gums for any possibility of bone infection, I guess you don’t want an infection
in the bone while taking this drug. The other drug is called Zytiga, I will
have to take four tablets a day forever, it is to hold the growth of the
prostate cancer. I will still have pain in the abdomen and elsewhere so I have
morphine tablets for the pain. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This isn’t the way I had envisioned retirement but it is
what it is, so Sarah and I will deal with it. These last few days has just
reinforced what a wonderful friend, companion and spouse I have. I could not go
through this without her help and strength, I thank God for her every day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please continue sending me the positive vibes and thoughts
and most especially your prayers, I know they are there and it is a tremendous
help to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-58940498257227974012016-03-30T14:20:00.000-07:002016-03-30T14:20:20.447-07:00March 30, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
What a month, we have had a high of 78 degrees and today, March
24, a high of 37 degrees, I guess winter
isn’t done with us yet, no matter that it is spring.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went to Beloit, WI for Madyson’s birthday party. Robert
& Sarah had the party at the local roller rink. I hadn’t been in a roller
rink for ages, it brought back a lot of memories of roller skating. I use to be
pretty good at roller skating and ice skating, well at least I enjoyed it. We
had a great time with the kids and Madyson cleaned up on presents, the majority
of them appealed to the creative side.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have some trouble with getting dehydrated, I drink plenty
of water, most days between 60 and 80 oz. of water a day. Evidently this isn’t
enough because I still become dehydrated and have to go to the VA to get
fluids. Sometimes I will go weeks without needing more fluids and sometimes
just days, but the VA folks are very nice and accommodating and take care of me
immediately. So I was getting fluids on Mar 12 and 18, hopefully this will last
for quite a while. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the 16<sup>th</sup> I went to the dentist for more work
on my tooth implant. The dentist did some scraping of the implant and said it
looked good, so she screwed in a gold screw, I wonder if I am going to get a
gold tooth, anyway she said all looked good for now. I go back at the end of
the month to have an impression taken for a crown and then a couple more weeks
and they will put the crown in and I will have my new tooth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last Tuesday we went to Ames, IA to see Tiffany, Matt and
Alexa, Alexa’s birthday was on Monday so we got to see them and went out to
dinner. Alexa is taller than Sarah and is becoming a nice young lady. We gave
her some money for her birthday, she said she was going to buy some books at a
book fair at school. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She loves to read and so I am glad to give her some money to
help her get the books she wants. We had a great time with them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday we went to Des Moines, staying in a Hampton Inn.
We have several people we wanted to see while we are here, we try to see
everyone but we usually don’t get it accomplished. This time we did pretty
good. We had lunch yesterday with Sarah’s cousin Betty and husband Bob at
Panera’s. I like Panera’s they have good food and great pastries. Last night we
met Dick & Judi and John & Kathy at Smoky D’s for dinner. These were
the first folks we met when we moved into our RV back in 2010. They are great
people and we have a great time visiting with them. For various reasons we
hadn’t seen them since 2014, so we had some catching up to do. Hope we can get
together with them again before winter.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We met with our accountant and had great news, we didn’t owe
any taxes. People ask me why we have an accountant, Greg Dahm in West Des
Moines. I use to do our taxes until ten years ago or so I screwed up our taxes
royally. I was referred to Greg and he was able to get it all straighten out
for me and we have used him since. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday we had a meeting with our financial advisor and
found out we still a small amount of money to spend before the kids get it.
Mike Canney, Morgan Stanley, is a great advisor and has done well with our
investments, but more than that he has become a good friend and we cherish our
friendship a lot. Ashley, Mike’s daughter, works with him and we can call her
with questions and she is very knowledgeable about investments and is a great
resource to get questions answered. We value this relationship and thank the
Good Lord for it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We met Laurie, Marci and Marie for lunch at the Chicken
Coop. This place is right down the street from Marsh where these ladies all
worked. We had a great time visiting with them. Without going into details it
was fun to see them and getting caught up on all the news and goings on at
Marsh. Thank you ladies for taking the time out of your busy day to have lunch
with us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tonight we were to have dinner with Orren & Norma. Orren
had developed a cough and a visit to the doctor said he had more than a cough
so he stayed home.; Norma came out to the hotel and we visited a bit, then we
went to dinner. Monterey Mexican restaurant was our choice and it proved to be
a good choice. The restaurant was busy but the service was excellent and the
food was hot and good. We had a very nice visit with Norma and hope the next
time we are in town Orren will be able to join us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
March 30, 2016 (cont’d)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Friday we headed for Burlington to visit with my brother
Larry and his wife Kathy. We even got to see Jill and Brad, two of their
children. We had a great time with them. We also saw my aunts, Millie &
Marcella. Marcella will be 90 in August I believe, we took them to Mass on Sunday
at St John’s, the church I grew up going to. I lived across the street from the
school and church. The school and nun’s house are gone but I have some great
memories of growing up there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We left for home after lunch on Sunday. We stopped at the
Iowa Veteran’s Cemetery just west of Des Moines, so Sarah could pick up some
Vietnam Veteran Memorial pins from Candi a member of the DAR in Des Moines. The
DAR, Sarah is a member, is giving these pins out to all Vietnam veterans. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Daniel called and said he didn’t get the turkey on the grill
as soon as he intended and it wouldn’t be done until six. This worked out well
for us because we arrived at his house a bit before six and was able to join
them for Easter dinner. I was great and we even brought some home with us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a great trip and planning more to come this summer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until later stay safe and healthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-2304830699869662032016-03-03T08:54:00.001-08:002016-03-03T08:54:33.184-08:00March 3, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
A couple of weeks ago I woke up with a bite of some sort. My
thought was it was a spider bite. Later that day I wasn’t doing too well so we
went to the ER at the VA and I was dehydrated so I’m talking with the nurse practitioner
and I showed her the bite, she didn’t know what it was from either. She
suggested I see my PCP, primary care person. In the mean time I put Neosporin and
a bandage on the bite. On Wednesday of the same week I had an eye appointment
and when I was done I called my PCP to see if I could get in to see her. I got
in to see her that same afternoon. She didn’t know what it was from nor did
another doctor, they suggested I go to the cancer center and see if it was
something related to my chemo. I went and asked my oncology case manager, she
is a nurse, she didn’t know and neither did one of the oncologist. Crystal, the
clerk, said it looks like a spider bite, she said her grandmother would get
them once in a while, I said I agree. My biggest concern was getting an
infection, so the oncologist ordered an antibiotic for me and within a week the
bite was disappearing and is now gone. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This has been a great week so far. I had a CT scan on
Tuesday, lab work also and then saw the oncologist. All looked good and the
doctor said “I will see you in three months”. Praise the Lord. Thank you to all
who have been praying for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So we have a busy couple months coming up, with trips to WI,
IA and MO. Granddaughters Madyson and Alexa have birthdays this month so we are
going to go see them. It should be fun and it will keep us busy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope all is well with each person who reads this blog. Our
weather has been interesting, one day it is 60 and the next it is 30, sometimes
in the same day. I do know it is March and it will continue to warm up and the
weather will change from possibility of snow to thunderstorms and tornadoes,
but this is the Midwest and we expect to have changes in the weather, you never
know what to expect. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hopefully I will get my new front tooth later this month. It
is a strange feeling having a front tooth missing. Ice slips right through the
opening, going or coming, it doesn’t make any difference. I have dribbled down
the front of me more times than I care to count. My one concern is the dentist
told me to be careful because my teeth are somewhat brittle. I said you mean I
am old and she just laughed. So we will see how it all goes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is all I have for now. Till Later, stay healthy and
safe. <o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-69932471684402131592016-02-09T13:59:00.003-08:002016-02-09T13:59:42.278-08:00Update February 9, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had my
sixth chemo session last Friday, now we wait until I get a CT scan on March 1
and see the doctor the same day to see what the next step will be. I pray the
doctor will say “I’ll see you in three months”. The chemo will have done its
job and I will be good to do a couple of trips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This last
series of chemo had their moments of making me feel lousy, but I always felt I
would come out of it and overcome the side effects. The one side effect that is
difficult to get rid of is the tiredness, the feeling of weakness. My legs feel
weak, I attribute the feeling to not walking enough, I don’t like the cold and
if it is windy forget it I don’t go out. Now we have a treadmill and I have
forced myself to walk on it, it is in the garage, so the temps are in the
forties, no matter the temp outside. I had the garage insulated when the house
was built, best money I spent. So I just have to force myself to get out and
walk. One more side effect is the effects of prednisone, I feel and look like
the statue of Buddha, my face has never been this round, I don’t believe. But
again, it is partially due to lack of exercise, so I am going to make a push to
walk more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I received a
Microsoft Band 2 for my birthday, it has quite a few features, <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/All-Microsoft-Band/categoryID.69889600?icid=en_US_Store_UH_devices_Msband">http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/All-Microsoft-Band/categoryID.69889600?icid=en_US_Store_UH_devices_Msband</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll let you
read about it if you want. The interesting thing about it to me is it tracks
how well I sleep and then compares the results with others of my age group, if
they can find someone still alive. I use a CPAP and it is supposed to put you
into deep sleep, this device is indicating I am not getting to that point. Of
course the fact that I am up three to four times at night to go to the bathroom
just might be a factor in all of this. But then the consequences of not getting
up to go to the bathroom are more unappealing to me than the lack of some
sleep. Besides I can fall asleep in my chair during the day if I want too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When my
grandmother was still alive I remember going to her house and it would be 100+
degrees in there, or so it seemed, and she would be wearing a sweater and have
a blanket on her. I always thought it was strange, not any more. I don’t have
the house at 100+ degrees but I do wear a sweater and at times put a blanket
over my legs. As I have mentioned before a side effect of one of the drugs I
take are hot flashes and when I get one of those I take off the sweater but as
soon as the sensation stops I get cold and put the sweater back on. I had a
friend tell me once the best relief she found from the hot flashes was a cold
shower, I haven’t tried that yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tomorrow is
Ash Wednesday already, where does the time go. I know a lot of people will be
walking around tomorrow with a black spot on their foreheads, to remind us “</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Remember that you are dust, and to dust you
shall return</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.</span>”. <span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here is a great explanation for the day, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I had a phone call yesterday from a
social worker at the VA. She said the oncology clinic had given my name to her
as a cancer survivor and she wanted to know if I would be interested in taking
part in a cancer survivor support group. I told her sure and she will be
sending me information on the meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This got me to thinking, when does a
person become a cancer survivor? Is it after you have X number of treatments
and you are still here or is it a certain number of days or years. For me I
know I will never be free of cancer unless the Good Lord cures me of it. I will
always live with the cancer, I accept that, and believe if I am ever free of it
then I will have witnessed a miracle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We were at
our son Daniel’s for my birthday last Sunday and to eat smoked ribs, they were
very good. We also watched Super Bowl 50. We had a great time and thank you
Daniel for cooking the ribs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A few years
ago Sarah and I were in Green Bay, Wisconsin for a wedding. The only camp
ground we could find was about thirty minutes south of Green Bay. One day we
were looking for something to do and I came across a notice about a Shrine
dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. Well being raised Catholic I thought we
should go see it. I put the address into the GPS and we headed out, the
location is out in the middle of nowhere and without the GPS I would have been
hard pressed to find it, but it was worth the trip. Even if you don’t believe
in miracles the story surrounding the events of October 8, 1871 make
interesting reading. There were two events that are interrelated the Peshtigo
fire and the survival of individuals who took refuge in a church while the fire
surrounded them. Here are two links to offer more information: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Good_Help">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine_of_Our_Lady_of_Good_Help</a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo,_Wisconsin">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtigo,_Wisconsin</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reading
about fire and talking about hot flashes makes me drink more water than I have
ever drank in my lifetime. I haven’t had the problem of dehydration lately and
I always wondered how I ended up with it to begin with. I have switched over to
just bottled water now because I can measure how much I drink. Some days I feel
like if you poked me in the gut I would spray water at the point of the poke. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We have
quite a bit of snow on the ground right now but next week is supposed to be
warmer so with any luck we will get rid of ALL the snow and not get anymore. Ha-ha,
I know we will get more snow and have been known to get it all the way into
April, don’t remember any in May but I wouldn’t doubt that it could happened. I
just keep telling myself I don’t have to go out in the cold weather and the
snow unless it is absolutely necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have been
reading a lot </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> of books these past few months. Sarah got me started on a series
of books where one of the main “characters” is a cat. They are mysteries, not
difficult reading and usually I haven’t figured out the killer until the author
reveals it at the end. The books are an enjoyable read, the authors are Sofie
Ryan and Sofie Kelly, interesting enough the same person writes under both
names. The other is Miranda James.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am also
playing the stupid Candy Crush Saga, Soda and Jelly, I have to quite playing
them because they are so frustrating. However, my sister is ahead of me in
Jelly and I am trying to catch up with her. She plays it a lot more than me so I
don’t know if that will ever happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well that is
enough for now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-53785319159144950462016-01-21T09:39:00.003-08:002016-01-21T09:39:48.162-08:00Update 01/21/2016<div class="MsoNormal">
My last three days of chemo ended Jan 8 and it seems like
the recovery time keeps getting longer. I don’t think it does but it seems that
way. During this last batch of chemo, I watched a BBC television show called <i>The Vicar of Darby</i>. It was about a female
vicar for the church in the small town of Darby, UK. I enjoyed watching it, the
British have a bit of a different sense of humor than we have but it was still
fun watching the show. During one chemo session one of the nurses came in and
wanted to know what I was laughing at, I told her. I felt a bit guilty because
I didn’t want to upset any other patients but then I thought maybe by my
laughing someone might feel a bit better knowing life needs to be enjoyed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We haven’t been doing much, it has been too cold and I
haven’t felt like getting out in it. I have read a lot; I have five or six
books in various stages of being read. I get magazines on my IPad through the
library, that is a great service. The Omaha Public Library has a little over a
hundred magazines available for download to read. Most of them I don’t read, I
have no interest in their subject matter, but it is still a great service.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am waiting for the new Bond movie, <i>Spectre</i>, to be released. I don’t go to the theater to see movies
anymore because I end up missing too much of the movie with my frequent trips
to the restroom. I wait for them to go to DVD sales and then I either rent or
buy. I have found renting the movie is a lot cheaper than go to the theater,
although there is a theater here in town where seniors pay only $5 and then if
you want popcorn etc. it will cost another $20+. Movie going isn’t cheap
anymore, actually hasn’t been for some time now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are being buried in political ads. I know most of you
think you are also, but we are getting hit with the national ads and the Iowa caucus
ads. Only two more weeks and it will
calm down a bit, hopefully. I don’t mind politics; I just don’t like the meanness
of it. I don’t believe half of what any of them say and whatever they claim
they will do if elected has to be taken with a grain of salt because once
elected their job becomes the job of getting reelected. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I think this is very true:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the
legislature is in session.” – <i>Mark Twain</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have always enjoyed Mark Twain’s humor, I have been to his
home in Hannibal, MO, he wasn’t there at the time but it was still nice to
visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We all need to have laughter in our lives, I have known too
many people in my life who took everything too seriously or maybe I didn’t take
things serious enough, I don’t know, I just know you have to have laughter in
this life or it will get you down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The internet has its place in our lives and probably takes
up more of our lives than it should but I have found it to be a great place to
find humor. You Tube is a great place, I love to go there and watch all the
comedy, old comedy, that I want. I read somewhere everyone should have a good
deep down belly laugh at least once a day. I try, I don’t always succeed but I
try.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I subscribe to <i>The
Joyful Noiseletter</i>, it is a publication of great humor, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.joyfulnoiseletter.com/">https://www.joyfulnoiseletter.com/</a>.
It was founded so the clergy could have humorous stories and anecdotes to tell
from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. The contributors are from all denominations
and all the articles are a great read. It has never failed to make me laugh.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Took the car into get the thirty-thousand-mile service done
on it. I try to keep our vehicles serviced and I probably spend more than I
should but I take them to the dealer of the manufacturer of the vehicle. I have
done that for most of the vehicles we have owned. We just have the one car now,
haven’t come up with a reason for two yet. Since neither one of us works and I
don’t seem to get out much these days it just seems a waste of money to have
two vehicles. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Speaking of money, I wonder what the actual price of a
gallon of gasoline should be today, with the price of oil being so low, based
on the value of the dollar versus when we were younger. I did see where a gas
station in Michigan, I believe, had regular for eighty-four cents per gallon
the other day. I am not sure I understand why the market is going down because
of the price of oil. It would seem to me the low price of oil would cut
transportation costs and most likely some costs elsewhere so this should
bolster the economy not hurt it. Oh well, I am not an economist so I really
don’t understand all that is involved in these numbers. I do wonder if I will
have to be looking for work anytime soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found a video of Johnny Cash singing this song so I looked
up the lyrics and I liked them so here they are:<o:p></o:p></div>
<h2>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ragged Old Flag<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">By
Johnny Cash<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">I walked through a
county courthouse square,<br />
On a park bench an old man was sitting there.<br />
I said, "Your old courthouse is kinda run down."<br />
He said, "Naw, it'll do for our little town."<br />
I said, "Your old flagpole has leaned a little bit,<br />
And that's a Ragged Old Flag you got hanging on it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">He said, "Have
a seat," and I sat down.<br />
"Is this the first time you've been to our little town?"<br />
I said, "I think it is." He said, "I don't like to brag,<br />
But we're kinda proud of that Ragged Old Flag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"You see, we
got a little hole in that flag there when <br />
Washington took it across the Delaware.<br />
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key<br />
Sat watching it writing Say Can You See.<br />
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans<br />
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"And it almost
fell at the Alamo<br />
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though.<br />
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville<br />
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill.<br />
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg,<br />
And the south wind blew hard on that Ragged Old Flag.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"On Flanders
Field in World War I<br />
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun.<br />
She turned blood red in World War II.<br />
She hung limp and low by the time it was through.<br />
She was in Korea and Vietnam.<br />
She was sent where she was by her Uncle Sam.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"She waved
from our ships upon the briny foam,<br />
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home.<br />
In her own good land here she's been abused --<br />
She's been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"And the
government for which she stands<br />
Is scandalized throughout the land.<br />
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin,<br />
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in.<br />
'Cause she's been through the fire before<br />
And I believe she can take a whole lot more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"So we raise
her up every morning, take her<br />
Down every night.<br />
We don't let her touch the ground and we fold<br />
Her up right.<br />
On second thought, I do like to brag,<br />
'Cause I'm mighty proud of the Ragged Old Flag."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="bparactl" style="line-height: 14.4pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Songwriters:
JOHNNY CASH<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">© BMG RIGHTS
MANAGEMENT US, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">For
non-commercial use only.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Data
from: </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><a href="http://www.lyricfind.com/">LyricFind</a></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #888888; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
Being a veteran this may have
more meaning than to someone who has never served, I hope not but it is
possible. Some say it is just a piece of cloth, but it is a piece of cloth many
have died to preserve the freedoms it represents. I believe it is time for all
of us, elected officials and the general public, to look at history and see
what it tells us. Whether the general public believes it or not history does
repeat itself and not always for the better. It seems to me the rhetoric in the
political commercials are getting out of hand more so than in the past. The
problem I see is a commercial says whatever they want without regard if it is
the truth, half-truth, or blatantly false. Which poses the problem of what to
believe or not to believe. I don’t believe a person should take at face value
what is said by their choice of candidate, I believe it is the duty of all
voters to research the truth and then decide who they want to vote for. Does
this happen, maybe in less than ten percent of the voters. Even with that said
this <i>Ragged Old Flag</i> gives everyone
the right to choose who they want as their candidate and I stand behind that
one hundred percent.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
It is now almost two weeks since
chemo and I am feeling a bit stronger. I hope I keep from getting dehydrated
which as I have found out before can happen anytime. Hopefully my immune system
is beginning to repair itself and the other systems are striving to get
stronger. One more chemo on Feb 3,4 and 5, then we are done until tests
indicate the need for another round of chemo. Our goal is still the same as
when we began this journey, keep the cancer under control for as long as we
can. God willing it will be for a few more years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
Thank you for all your positive
thoughts and prayers, they mean a lot to me and I know they help.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt;">
Till later, Stay safe and
healthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-27409923791710243232015-12-22T07:52:00.001-08:002015-12-22T07:52:05.586-08:00Update 12/22/2015<div class="MsoNormal">
The last couple weeks have been quite interesting to say the
least. I try to keep a record on my calendar of how I feel each day after chemo
so I can try to avoid the same side effects as before. Well this last chemo
sent me for a loop, I had the exact opposite problem from the first time. So as
the TV commercials claim I didn’t have bricks I thought I had solid cement in
my gut, but I was to eventually remove it with a couple magnesium sticks of
liquid dynamite. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As time went on I had the tired feeling almost every day
without any improvement. Finally I accepted that this must be what I should be
feeling. I had a bloody nose each time I blew my nose and it would get plugged
up especially at night when I used my CPAP I would get to the point I could
hardly breath. I couldn’t understand what was going on. Finally a week ago I
started feeling very tired and weak, I thought I was in the downside of my
chemo treatment. Friday I was so tired, I even let Sarah drive me to the
dentist. On Saturday Sarah and her sister Cynthia went shopping, I began
feeling better so I thought I was on the upswing of feeling better. Both days I
had a difficult time keeping my eyes open, all I wanted to do was close them
and not sleep but just keep them closed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday I got up, showered and dressed for church. By the
time I finished breakfast I didn’t feel lot going anywhere. After lunch I still
didn’t feel any better so Sarah took me to the ER and the VA and they said I
was dehydrated. I have never, to my knowledge, been dehydrated but it feels
terrible. They gave me two bags of fluid and after the first one I felt a
hundred percent better. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a lesson well learned, I now believe the stuffed up,
dry nose was a symptom of the dehydration.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So that brings us to today. We are in Beloit to see a
Veterans program put on by granddaughter Madyson’s class. I am really looking
forward to it. We will be here until Sunday and then head for Ames, IA to see granddaughter
Alexa and family. Heard from Tiffany today saying Alexa made the honor roll at
school. I am very proud of her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(I stopped writing here for a bit, will continue now.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
December 22, 2015<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know where this year went but it is only three days
until Christmas and I have all my shopping done. Thank you internet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I just about didn’t get my last chemo session because my
blood count was so low. For you medical types my WBC was 2.2, and RBC was 2.91,
both are supposed to be above 4.0. I hope the numbers will be better for the
next chemo, Jan 6, I will have gone 5 weeks between treatments and hopefully
the numbers will be higher. I have felt weaker this go around but this again is
due to the chemo and the low numbers. We have a treadmill now, it is in the
garage, and I have walked on it several times, it takes a lot out of me but I
know I have to do it. The garage is usually 50+ degrees when it is in the twenties
and thirties outside. So not too bad.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I took care of the bloody nose situation, we had a humidifier
installed on the furnace and it has made a huge difference. No more bloody nose
in the morning and the little cuts and splits on my fingers are not as
numerous. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last Wednesday I was trying to open a soda bottle, I have
stopped drinking soda for the most part, but every so often I crave it so I buy
the little 10oz bottles. Anyway, I was trying to open the bottle and my
shoulder popped, it hurt like the dickens. So we made a trip to the ER at the
VA, don’t you just love abbreviations. They took x-rays and didn’t see anything
but put in a request for physical therapy and orthopedic appointments. We’ll
see what happens from them. I took some hydrocodone when I got home and the
house could have burned down and I don’t think I would have cared. I took it
again the next morning and haven’t had any since. I know it can become
addictive but I have a problem with how it makes you feel; you have to really
be in pain to take too much of it. Anyway, I have been getting by with Naproxen
for inflammation and the shoulder still hurts depending on what I am doing but
it feels much better.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a moment of weakness, I bought an Xbox One because it had
this great racing game on it, also a game called Fallout 4. I get the Xbox and
load the Fallout game and I am lost I don’t understand the concept of the game
and what do you do. So a week later Carl & Merilee and Rusty come down for
a visit and Rusty gets on the Xbox and begins to show me how to play the game.
It seems you just go with the flow and sort of make up the game story as you go
along. We’ll see how this goes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I still have the WiiU and Eli can still best me on the
racing games on both the WiiU and the Xbox, he’s only five. Maybe I need more
practice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We didn’t make it to Wisconsin to see Mason & Madyson
perform in a skit at church, but their mother, Sarah Ann, sent us a video clip
of them doing their thing, we loved it. I have to admit I didn’t recognize
Mason right away until Sarah Ann told me which shepherd he was. I love the
internet, a week or so before this we were able to watch Madyson’s class
Christmas program. I would still rather be there in person.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday night we are going to go see Emily, Isabel and Eli
in their Christmas program at church. It should be fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I can get up early enough we are going to go to watch the
kids open their gifts Christmas morning and then we will go to church. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah and I want wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a
BLESSED NEW YEAR.<o:p></o:p></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-47402895047906603732015-12-01T17:03:00.006-08:002015-12-03T14:21:02.135-08:00Update 12/01/15<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Haven’t been
on here for a while so let’s get caught up, but first I want to remind you of
my: </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our Go Fund Me site; </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://link.email.dynect.net/link.php?H=fRSspyRTfXPA1bNH7n3imVZvebSdS9eyYyilh3rIdq/Ut8v0C66B7TJT6F2qfUFCSq9mg/7gMSNBZIdxRDCJ4HBSYQ9TNbhDeVaES6t1JlarlDcRbxBITg%3D%3D&G=21&R=https://www.gofundme.com/db7q945h&I=20151113143820.00000020bc49%40mail6-01-pao.dynback.net&X=MHw3NzY2NjI6VEVNUElEXzQ4OzF8Nzc2NjYzOlFVRVVFSURfMzI5NjA1OTgzOzJ8Nzc2NjY0OkRPTUFJTl9vdXRsb29rLmNvbTs%3D" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #6b8d1f; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">https://www.gofundme.com/db7q945h</span></a>.
Please send this to all of your friends or any social sites you might be on. We
want to raise enough money to supply all the vets with t-shirts. Thank you for
your help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since my
last post, we have been to Beloit to see the kids. Madyson’s class had a
veteran’s day program and so we went to see it. Carl & Merilee went with
us, we had a great time. The program was about forty minutes long and very well
done. What impressed me was the class, second graders, memorized the songs of
each of the five services. I wish I had a recording of the program. Excellent
performance for all of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On our way
home we stopped in Ames, IA and had a nice visit with Tiffany and her family. We
met at the Hilton Garden Inn and visited for a bit and then went to dinner at
the Texas Roadhouse. Great time and good to see the kids. Alexa surprised us by
telling us she had made the honor roll at school. Very good Alexa keep up the
good work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back home I
went in for another chemo and the doctor said the chemo I was on wasn’t doing
the job so they changed me back to the three day chemo treatment. I don’t have
much trouble with it so it didn’t bother me to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nephew Rusty
came for a visit. He is a traveling OR nurse and is in between jobs so he came
for a visit. It was great seeing him and he kept me company while Sarah and
Daniel went to Des Moines to move Cynthia to Omaha. Cynthia sold her house in
Des Moines and bought one here in Omaha, about six miles from us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanksgiving
was at Daniel’s house, he has a big house. My aunt and uncle, Shirley and Ernie
and their kids Mike & Dan and their kids plus Marie’s folks, Cynthia, Sarah
and I. Daniel smoked a turkey and grilled a turkey and we had a ham, plus all
the trimmings. It was quite a feast and very delicious. The weather was not
very good but everyone ate their fill and made it safely home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The weekend
before Thanksgiving I ended up in the emergency room dehydrated. I was feeling
well and I was tired plus I had forty-five minute episode of constant shaking I
couldn’t stop. So anyway we went to the VA ER and they took care of me. It was
interesting because when I got to the ER I couldn’t keep my eyes opened, it
wasn’t that I was tired I just wanted to close my eyes. After the first of two
bags of fluids my eyes popped right open and the feeling of wanting to close
them went away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had my doctor
visit today for my chemo tomorrow, but that isn’t going to happen. He is
putting me on the four week schedule of chemo so I will have it next Wednesday
and then the next one will be Jan 6, 2016 and then four weeks after that. I don’t
have a problem with this schedule, it worked well for the last treatments and I
pray it will work well this time also.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The schedule
changed does keep us from doing a couple of things we wanted to do but I don’t
worry about that I just do what the doctor tells me to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I bought an
Xbox One and am trying to learn how to use it, it has a great racing game and a
couple other games I will have to take some time to learn. I think I am going
to enjoy it a lot, just wish they had some flying games for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I finished a
great book, “Chickenhawk” by Robert Mason. It is a true story about the author’s
experience as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam in 1966. I recommend it, it is good
reading.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That is it
for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In case I
don’t get another post out, Sarah and I want to wish each and every one the
best of the Holiday Season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">MERRY
CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-13533694260106605592015-11-20T08:26:00.000-08:002015-11-20T08:26:45.126-08:00Veteran's CauseAs some or most of you know I am trying to raise money for t-shirts for veterans who complete chemo therapy. <br />
<br />
This is from an email I received from the VA nurse who ordered the last batch of shirts;<br />
<br />
"Just want to let you know I ordered 131 shirts today @ little over $9 a shirt! This company was terrific working with me. Free shipping and should arrive the first week of December. Ironically I had a flurry of emails today wondering why Lincoln and Grand Island didn't get any of the first 27 shirts we got. So I have already sent a message to them asking what their need is for shirts. I gave one to a patient today and he cried - I cried too!"<br />
<br />
These shirts mean a lot to these veterans, it fulfills a sense of accomplishment in a time of seemingly unaccomplshments. <br />
<br />
Please spread the word of our campaign so we can continue to buy more shirts and continue to help these veterans feel a good sense of accomplishment.<br />
<br />
Our Go Fund Me site; <a href="http://link.email.dynect.net/link.php?H=fRSspyRTfXPA1bNH7n3imVZvebSdS9eyYyilh3rIdq/Ut8v0C66B7TJT6F2qfUFCSq9mg/7gMSNBZIdxRDCJ4HBSYQ9TNbhDeVaES6t1JlarlDcRbxBITg%3D%3D&G=21&R=https://www.gofundme.com/db7q945h&I=20151113143820.00000020bc49%40mail6-01-pao.dynback.net&X=MHw3NzY2NjI6VEVNUElEXzQ4OzF8Nzc2NjYzOlFVRVVFSURfMzI5NjA1OTgzOzJ8Nzc2NjY0OkRPTUFJTl9vdXRsb29rLmNvbTs%3D" style="color: #6b8d1f; font-size: 16px;" target="_blank">https://www.gofundme.com/db7q945h</a><br />
<br />
Thank you for your support.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-84093130721835392522015-10-07T11:34:00.002-07:002015-10-07T11:34:26.441-07:00Blog Date 10/07/2015<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ok, it is official, Sarah and I are here for the better part of the winter. My guess is I will have chemo with the last session the day before Christmas. We are ok with that and if all goes well we hope to go to Mardi gras the first part of February. I would like to go over to Texas on the way home but we will have to see how it goes.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I haven’t had too many difficulties with this chemo, the usual, but with this one I get some sort of prednisone which is used to enhance the chemo, that is my understanding, and it has a side effect of not letting you sleep a lot at one time. So I am getting used to being up early and napping, sometimes, in the afternoon. I’ll adjust to the schedule, actually I get a lot done in the early morning. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I did make a startling discovery today, in fact while eating lunch. Somehow my mouth moved over night. Now I have had a problem lately of getting my food in my mouth and I didn’t think much of it, but today the problem became more noticeable. Now I look in the mirror and the mouth is in the same place, at least it looks like it, but it isn’t there when I go to put food in it. I may be on to a medical phenomenon but we’ll have to do some more study on the subject. Again this time a lot of the different foods don’t taste good or have no taste at all, I thought it would take longer to get to this point, but it is already having an effect on me. The one item which tasted good the last round of chemo and does this time also are the bags of noodles, they are a dollar at most stores, quick to fix and they are very satisfying. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have been doing a bit of reading lately. One book is about a cat and a murder, I know you may ask what am I doing reading a book about a cat, actually it is a five book series and I am trying to keep up with Sarah and besides my aunt says I need to try to understand cats better.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have a WWII book, a Bishop Sheen book of quotes, and God Never Blinks, a group of stories a lady put together, not real sure what they are yet but will find out in the next few days. I have plenty of books to read which is good because there isn’t anything on TV at two in the morning.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I saw today where the new Microsoft windows phone may be out in December, I want one, and Sarah says I don’t need one but we’ll see. I use Windows 10 on my pc and I like it so it should be good.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I bought a Wii U so the grand kids could have something to do when they come over. Ok, I bought it because I wanted the newer cool race games. So here I am using the old bar type controller and I think there has to be a better one, something like what I see everyone using when playing Xbox etc. So I go out to Amazon and what to my surprise I find what I am looking for, so I order it. I get an email saying it will be here Oct 3, I wait and I wait, no controller but I look up the tracking and it is out for delivery by 8 pm Oct 3. It is finally delivered Oct 5, ok at least I have it. I open it and I have never used one of these before so I really don’t know what all the buttons do. I get the pamphlet out to see if I can learn to use this thing and it is in Japanese. Now I spent a couple of weeks in Japan, eons ago but not enough to read this thing. Trial and error will be my teacher or I suppose I could invite the kids over and they could teach me to use it.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I need to stay away from people for the next few days, they say the immune system gets quite low, it did this before and I didn’t have any problem so I plan on following the same routine and I should be fine.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until later I wish you all God’s Blessings.</span></div>
<br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-45427618652426753572015-10-01T10:15:00.001-07:002015-10-01T10:15:14.801-07:00Update 10/1/2015<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yesterday I went to the dentist to get my teeth
cleaned. Now I don’t like going to the dentist and I don’t like getting my
teeth clean, but now it is a necessity of life for me. So I get to the office
and check in. The VA have kiosk where you check in and it gives you a printed
receipt for the visit, on mine it said STUDENT. Now I know I am no longer a
student, except of life, so I decided my dental person was a student. I ask,
she said she was and I figured my life was over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We get to the torture room, I mean, yeah torture room,
and I proceed to tell her how much I do not tolerate dental pain. I told her
since she was the only dental person in the room, she get hit if I have any
pain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So she says she will numb the area and sticks a cue
tip in the back of my mouth. I forget to tell you, I am having a deep cleaning
on the lower right quarter and IT IS BEING DONE BY A STUDENT, there is an
instructor who checks the work and is there for questions. Anyway this young
lady thinks she is going to fool me by hiding the syringe with Novocain in it
behind her back until the last minute but I saw it and it wasn’t pretty. She
actually did a pretty good job of giving the shot. It did deadened most of the
teeth she worked on, didn’t quite make it all the way to the front but I didn’t
hit anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today I had my first chemo of this go around. I take a
Dexamethasone pill, four actually, the day before, the day of and the day after
chemo. These are a steroid to keep the feet from swollen. Well let me tell you
they may keep my feet from swelling but you are wide awake because they won’t
let you sleep. I told the nurse that this morning at chemo and she said it
would be that way for the three nights I take the pills. I probably won’t wake
up until Tuesday when I go to sleep Sunday night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Chemo went well, no nausea yet but we’ll see. We were
there about two and a half hours, not bad. I did get breakfast, cheese omelet,
hash browns and bacon but not toast, don’t know what happened there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bit chilly here, 46 when we woke up, high of 61 or so,
I guess fall is here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Not much else is going on as you can see. Most
anything I do now for the next month or so will all be medical and I doubt many
of you want to hear about those exploits so I probably not write anything for a
while unless it is out of the ordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-49158708918176712712015-09-28T15:55:00.000-07:002015-09-28T15:55:00.734-07:00Update 09/28/2015<div class="MsoNormal">
I am doing well with the tooth situation. I haven’t had any
pain or other problems, went back last Friday and the dentist said it all
looked good. So other than a cleaning this Wednesday I don’t go back until
March and then they do something with the implant and we go from there.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last Tuesday I went in for my regular oncology visit. My PSA
has been rising but last week it was above eight so the doctor order a CT scan
and bone scan. I had been having pain in my back and he wants to rule out bone
cancer. Well today they called and he wanted to know if I could get down to see
him this afternoon. We had hoped the no news is good news adage would apply
here but no such luck. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two lymph nodes in my stomach had increased some in size and
he said we could wait for three months and see what they looked like then or we
could begin a chemo treatment right away, a different drug. So Thursday I begin
treatment, Thursday every three weeks, should take 2-3 hours. Side effects will
be similar to the last treatment and my hair was just beginning to look good.
According to the doctor the drug they are going to use Docetaxel has been very
effective in the treatment of prostate cancer. So we will see where it takes
us.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So our plans to go south in January are out the window, we’ll
see if we can make it somewhere in February or March.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel truly blessed to be given these chances at having
these treatments, I would rather not be going through any of it but I am very
thankful I am at this VA Hospital, they are very good at what they do. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So unless something earth shattering comes out of the bone
scan I probably won’t write for a while, I’ll wait to see if anything
interesting happens. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please keep me in your prayers and send me lots of positive
thoughts, I know they all help.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Later.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-17676390030026251092015-09-15T10:01:00.002-07:002015-09-15T10:01:36.621-07:00Not much going on
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is
interesting living in a stick built again. I find neighbors are still nice and
I enjoy the surroundings but when I get the urge to move on I find the house no
longer has wheels, so I am somewhat stuck where I am. I don’t find it
distressing but it was fun when we could pick up and go wherever we wanted.
More on this later.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">August was a
busy month. We returned from our train trip and immediately went to Wisconsin
to watch Mason play baseball. Sadly Madyson didn’t have any activities for us
to see but we did get to spend more time with her. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mason is
improving his game every time I see him. I believe he will be very good when he
gets to high school. The group of kids he plays with will all go to the same
high school, if that coach isn’t watching them now he better begin because he
is going to have a great core of players all trained and ready to hit the
diamond hard. I really enjoy watching these kids play.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Madyson,
even though she didn’t have any dances, she was showing us what she does in
gymnastics. She is trying to perfect the cartwheel without touching the ground.
She is good, I believe she will surpass her aunt Catherine before long. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We stopped
in Des Moines on our way home, we were able to have lunch with Tiffany, Matt
and Alexa, we don’t see them as often as I would like but it is always great to
see them. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We also had
a chance to visit with our friends Orren & Norma, Mike & Sheri and Russ
& Candi, and Cynthia as usual it was great to see them. We still have to
get back to Des Moines to visit a few others we haven’t seen for a while,
hopefully we can do that soon.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Back in
Omaha we were able to visit with Rick & Jana and John & Cindi. Rick
& Jana are still on the road and traveling this summer then will continue
with working somewhere this winter. John & Cindi are heading south this
winter to the Benson, AZ area, I don’t remember the name of the town. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We had some
doctor appointments and my urology visit wasn’t with the results I wanted. My
PSA is climbing, I know it isn’t supposed to do that, so we will see what can
be done about it when I see the oncologist in a couple weeks.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I broke a
front tooth last April and last Friday the dentist finally pulled it. Now I do
not like going to the dentist but I have to admit it wasn’t a bad time but not
pleasant. The dentist did everything she could to make it as painless as
possible and other than being put to sleep I think she did a good job of it,
except that during the procedure one of the dentist took a 20# sledge hammer
and was pounding on my face to help loosen the tooth, I guess, but I thought
they were trying to break open my face. I can’t imagine anyone going through
all that without Novocain. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last
Saturday Carl and Merilee came down and picked us up in there new motor home
and we headed for Kansas City to visit Steve & Lynne and kids. We had a
great time. We got to meet Zack’s girlfriend Olivia, very nice girl. Allison
and Nick are well, they both doing good and growing up to fast.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was fun
being in the camper again but it made me truly realize I wouldn’t be able to do
the job of seting up and tearing down the camper anymore, my strength is not
there to do it. The thought of washing the bugs off the windshield wears me
out. I did help with that job when we stopped for fuel and it was all I could
do to get my side of the windshield done. So it comes down to when we travel we
will stay in motels, which is ok because I still want to travel.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hopefully we
will get to see some of our friends this winter as we hopeful will be able to
go south. Our plans are to head to Florida for a few weeks if we can find a
place to stay.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until later
be safe.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-62972467976265568552015-07-29T08:39:00.001-07:002015-07-29T08:39:34.799-07:00Amtrak to Sacramento, CA, Portland, OR, Chicago, IL, and then home to Omaha. <div class="MsoTitle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I
apologize for the length of this post. I began typing and it just kept getting
bigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<br /></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A
big thanks to our son Daniel for taking us to the train depot last night,
Thursday July 16. Our train wasn’t due out until 11 PM but we didn’t want
Daniel to stay up to late so we got to the depot an hour early or so we
thought. The train was running late, an hour late, so we waited. Our train
arrived and we were able to get into our sleeper bedroom. We had way too much
in our suitcase because it about killed me carrying it up the stairs to our
room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A
little bit about our bedroom. Our bedroom is not as big as the bedroom we had
in our fifth wheel camper and this one has a toilet/shower combination with the
sink on the wall by the door. The toilet is very tight quarters and nearly
impossible for me but I manage. I did get some sleep last night but not enough.
Sarah says she didn’t sleep well but she also got some sleep. Now Sarah is
sleeping in the top bunk, me in the bottom one, she hasn’t quite mastered
getting in and out of the bunk but I being the great guy I am, I watch her
backside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVy0IQ8QqZQSzJugbI-7PD_5GSw2rCHWq-WriJW_mPG5ENRsqezzSE5xxfdn4qRlReaxlQdMGOPjhXd1Vu0c-0jGxyBg0HJnqlq5g5aD6_uMLX1zXdDsyPC_L14q0FoUrCwifyLl0FAIC/s1600/DSCN8420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUVy0IQ8QqZQSzJugbI-7PD_5GSw2rCHWq-WriJW_mPG5ENRsqezzSE5xxfdn4qRlReaxlQdMGOPjhXd1Vu0c-0jGxyBg0HJnqlq5g5aD6_uMLX1zXdDsyPC_L14q0FoUrCwifyLl0FAIC/s320/DSCN8420.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As
you can see the room isn’t very big. I am sitting on the lower bunk, the upper
bunk folds down from the ceiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3CWhC2LW6IEcJMjTMhNMlTTduOZd6HprsbJ7l5lXUw0FEJXUaAj8J0FfMtCXJHi5_uCZgvWqcuZiyrwhpNtvnpl6BKp9yPFRQgWTkmVFIm41UJR3vChJWuyOeOysh56bQWKlkRAbcBLQ/s1600/DSCN8424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG3CWhC2LW6IEcJMjTMhNMlTTduOZd6HprsbJ7l5lXUw0FEJXUaAj8J0FfMtCXJHi5_uCZgvWqcuZiyrwhpNtvnpl6BKp9yPFRQgWTkmVFIm41UJR3vChJWuyOeOysh56bQWKlkRAbcBLQ/s320/DSCN8424.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This
is the hallway outside of our compartments. Just like in the James Bond movies
they are narrow. I had to stay in our room until others would pass, to large
people had a great deal of intimacy when passing in the hallways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Larry
and Kathy are with us, they got on the train in Burlington, IA and had to sit
in the Omaha destination car until Omaha and then get their luggage and get off
the train and go to their sleeper car, which was behind our car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Larry
told me that in order to be sure we got breakfast we needed to be there by 6
AM. So I set my alarm for 5:30 AM, it should have been for Mountain Time not
central time. So when my alarm went off I called Larry as instructed, he told
me then Mountain Time not central time. I was a bit early but since I was up I
got up and since Sarah was awake she got up. So for our first night on the train
it wasn’t too bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Breakfast
was pretty good, I had an omelet with cheese and Sarah had scrambled eggs, both
had croissants. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After
breakfast we went to the observation car. This car has half of it with tables
and the other half has big windows with seats which face the windows so you are
looking outside all of the time. I took a lot of pictures there and will take
more as the trip goes on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Bob
& Jim were in the observation car, they are volunteers for Amtrak, and they
tell all about the tunnels, switchbacks and towns all the way to Grand
Junction, a very nice feature. One of the interesting things on the switchback,
the train cannot go up more than a 3% grade so the railroad uses a series of
switchbacks to get up a mountain. Outside of Denver going up the mountain there
is a certain location where the winds can be strong enough to blow a train off
the tracks. So to counter that the railroad has taken some old hopper cars and
filled them with sand and rock and welded them to a section of track to act as a
wind break. Here is a picture of what the cars look like,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu8TFoBmQ1QlgUAUzXYxDexSYDUaafeob_JAiP2slPxAaAl4WWxRgjRiJ7QcJVeibiIrPJi1pkLBjQfEpdU7yr_bHjTEI6Uiyk1oLSFlt1_LYUIduupBkHJ3fwBQH90wo-ojm4c7LSBQV/s1600/IMG_1849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilu8TFoBmQ1QlgUAUzXYxDexSYDUaafeob_JAiP2slPxAaAl4WWxRgjRiJ7QcJVeibiIrPJi1pkLBjQfEpdU7yr_bHjTEI6Uiyk1oLSFlt1_LYUIduupBkHJ3fwBQH90wo-ojm4c7LSBQV/s320/IMG_1849.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">You
can see the weeds growing in the cars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Lunch
was an Angus Steak Burger & chips, not a bad burger with it being nuked.
The food is good but, I believe, it is reheated type it was still good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Spent
the afternoon between the observation car and our room, this is the way to
travel if you have no time constraints and the train goes where you want to go.
It is probably the most expensive way to travel but you get to see some
beautiful country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Dinner
was Angus Steak, baked potato and vegetables with ice cream for dessert. Sarah
had salmon, baked potato and vegetables with ice cream for dessert.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Well
again we had a snafu with the alarm. I had set my phone alarm for 5:30 thinking
we would have crossed over to Pacific Time by 5:30 but that didn’t work out. My
alarm went off at 5:30 which was actually 4:30, so I went back to sleep. We did
get up in time for breakfast at 6:30. The reason we want to be there when the dining
room opens is after the car is full then you go on a wait list and we don’t
want to be on the wait list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So
far I have taken 2-300 pictures, a lot of them will be deleted but we have gone
through some fabulous country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When
we were traveling alongside the Colorado River we saw a lot of people rafting.
One of the nick names for this river, or at least this section of it, is Moon
River. I thought that was because Perry Como liked tubing the river and sang
about it, but boy was I wrong. It is called Moon River because the people
rafting on it like to moon the train as it passes them. We saw the biggest full
moon on a very small raft. Another guy almost upset the boat trying to get his
pants down before the train passed them. That was more an interesting type of
scenery than beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWV-CixwXNncceV30zWhoC5KA3gUdpeC-XK864XXH-K5jXZcovVu86S0wQZ94gNqOLtBlfBYsV-l-XXOMXfiai081tpNgTF2j0QmtN5H2AIIw_njduAznC8p6s3BeanwDFbC8t5J5HvbJe/s1600/IMG_1983.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWV-CixwXNncceV30zWhoC5KA3gUdpeC-XK864XXH-K5jXZcovVu86S0wQZ94gNqOLtBlfBYsV-l-XXOMXfiai081tpNgTF2j0QmtN5H2AIIw_njduAznC8p6s3BeanwDFbC8t5J5HvbJe/s320/IMG_1983.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">For
the sake of any youngsters I purposefully blurred the photo.(I wish I was that
good of a photographer)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
are almost to Reno, NV and the landscape is a desert type but one section of it
looked white, I wonder if it is just a type of sand or if it could be salt it
is most likely just the minerals in the ground. Don’t know, I guess I could try
to find out but will have to wait until I have Wifi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Saturday,
July 18<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
made it to Sacramento, CA. We got off the train and took a cab to our hotel the
Delta King. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsR0F5UsN-gpO0CvRbV26T0gmvIGslus6P-ispSS1KsZlSP5SpaYRyDNkJ_vyugNFhakvxaxcnAlIeX_8d4cMzCpfPyyTMrhgAGyUxipeH11ELH5DKs9VKoHX-11C8ntZNnphhnqPkGXf/s1600/DSC_0182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsR0F5UsN-gpO0CvRbV26T0gmvIGslus6P-ispSS1KsZlSP5SpaYRyDNkJ_vyugNFhakvxaxcnAlIeX_8d4cMzCpfPyyTMrhgAGyUxipeH11ELH5DKs9VKoHX-11C8ntZNnphhnqPkGXf/s320/DSC_0182.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF2BdOmPSwwKcHcGGWtdk_uOzNRgc6N0llJVrJlSb2IrUv-OBWGDYJebDcOAUwOOxkQ48ML8VK0Jli3PTYgQsE-AfdTTRvoWDuHMpsUhVTF5Q1JHBkzIR3rZiQLr3a01ki8U4kV3tZtha/s1600/DSC_0189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLF2BdOmPSwwKcHcGGWtdk_uOzNRgc6N0llJVrJlSb2IrUv-OBWGDYJebDcOAUwOOxkQ48ML8VK0Jli3PTYgQsE-AfdTTRvoWDuHMpsUhVTF5Q1JHBkzIR3rZiQLr3a01ki8U4kV3tZtha/s320/DSC_0189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpkhcK0ATgEkXqeBt71DH3LeoIclU_6nVnjXxxj06UMBCQI1QYS2Br4u62HeBmXXc2oWqoDfCEn86IiGWA2FkntF0oiKvyO6DbxFmy54pjgV6vJIBqWYOJxsCy8SGXavLfyyGY8tIm4pl/s1600/IMG_0948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpkhcK0ATgEkXqeBt71DH3LeoIclU_6nVnjXxxj06UMBCQI1QYS2Br4u62HeBmXXc2oWqoDfCEn86IiGWA2FkntF0oiKvyO6DbxFmy54pjgV6vJIBqWYOJxsCy8SGXavLfyyGY8tIm4pl/s320/IMG_0948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br /><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This
is an exact copy of the Delta Queen. The bedrooms were dated but ok, best part
is we got to shower. Now our bedroom on the train had a shower but there is no
way I could take a shower in it, way to small, my shoulders touched wall to
wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Here
is a history of the boat:</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_King"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_King</span></a><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I
did not know the Delta Queen had a twin, according what I found in the above
article and asking question of the personnel on the Delta King the two boats
did operate together in California.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rusty,
Sarah’s nephew, came to the boat, he is a traveling operating room nurse and is
working in Sacramento. We walked around for a bit and since we were all hungry
we went to Fat Bar and Café or something to that effect. The food was good with
good size portions. We were all tired, except for Rusty, so the old people went
back to the King and went to bed, Rusty went home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sunday,
July 19, Sarah and I got up early to go to church. I found one, Cathedral of
the Blessed Sacrament. It didn’t look to far from the King but we still took a
cab. It was less than a mile. This is a beautiful church, it is the home of the
bishop and therefore a bit bigger than most of the other churches in the
diocese. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After
mass we decided to walk back to the King and did so. We walked by a park with quite
a few homeless in it. We saw a line of people and figured it was most likely a
church ministry for the homeless and they were feeding them breakfast. What a
nice way to start a Sunday morning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
got back to the boat, called Rusty, and went for breakfast, it was free in the
restaurant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rusty
showed up about fifteen minutes after we finished eating. We drove over to the
State Capital building and looked around inside. A very nice building, took a
few pictures and bought a couple items.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">From
the capital we went searching for food for Rusty. He wanted to try a pizza
place he had heard about. The pizza was very good, I had a piece or two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Then
we drove back to Old Sacramento and parked the car, the car is Rusty’s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
went into a candy store that had every type of candy you would ever want. They
had a jaw breaker candy as big as a softball, it was $15. I didn’t buy
anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Then
we were looking for something to do and Larry suggested a boat tour on the
Sacramento River, we did this and it was very nice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Afterwards
it was time for ice cream, so we found a shop that sold ice cream, candy, and
brittle of many different flavors or types. Have you ever heard of bacon
brittle? Didn’t try it but I wish I had now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
walked around the area and had a drink at the Firehouse Restaurant, nice place
but dinner cost a bit more than we wanted to pay and we weren’t very hungry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
walked over to a park and parked ourselves on a couple of benches. There was a
singing group, kids from San Diego, performing under a big tent, they were
pretty good. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
decided to get something to eat before we had Rusty drop us at the Train Depot.
Joe’s Crab Shack was no more than 100 feet away so that is where we went. Sarah
and I split a meal, I wasn’t very hungry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rusty
dropped us at the train depot about 8:30, our train was scheduled to leave a
midnight. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rusty
thank you very much for spending the day with four old fogeys. We enjoyed being
with you sorry we couldn’t walk around as much as you wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSRyze91WCvC15hLBoGFwAAacoI649yHZPjzPueAqVtd6QDprGAblzJjT63cwdLhDcZiRrUTOvRTVs6AHkMBVq_VW9_xmNpmKjvUtqircTfjiqt5yHRtOD57wSbilzPD_mJC_ty5f8bOQ/s1600/DSC_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSRyze91WCvC15hLBoGFwAAacoI649yHZPjzPueAqVtd6QDprGAblzJjT63cwdLhDcZiRrUTOvRTVs6AHkMBVq_VW9_xmNpmKjvUtqircTfjiqt5yHRtOD57wSbilzPD_mJC_ty5f8bOQ/s320/DSC_0245.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Kathy,
Sarah and Rusty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
wait in the train depot wasn’t bad except it was hot. They are doing a
renovation to the depot and so no air conditioning. The train was thirty
minutes late, not too bad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
got on and our bedroom was all made up into sleeping quarters so we went to
bed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I
don’t know what time I finally went to sleep but I was awake at 5:30 and with
breakfast at 6:30 we got up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After
breakfast we went back to our rooms and relaxed. With luck we will be on time
into Portland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
arrived on time in Portland, very nice Amtrak station. They have several trains
in and out each day, all commuter type or short haul except for the once a day
Amtrak north to Vancouver or south to San Diego.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
called Enterprise to get our car, they came and picked us up and we headed to
Colleen & Darrius’ house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now
Colleen & Darrius have a two bedroom condo, so Sarah and I stayed with them
and Larry and Kathy stayed in the guest house. It is a one bedroom apartment,
very nice and plenty of room. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Had
a great dinner and walk down to the river. There is a very nice park by the
river. They have concerts there on Wednesday nights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It
turned into a late night, went to bed at 11:15.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Tuesday,
July 21<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Up
early, couldn’t sleep I had congestion so I couldn’t use my CPAP, so I got up
and did some reading and dozed on the couch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Darrius
grilled chicken breasts for lunch, it was excellent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Darrius,
Colleen, Sarah, me, Kathy and Larry<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
ladies did a bit of shopping this afternoon. Us guys did our own thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This
evening we met Brad & Suzanne for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. You
might remember them from our first winter in Mesa. Suzanne taught a class, I
don’t remember about what and Brad worked on the Décor team with us. Brad spent
most of that time working with John Cline and myself. John and I spent most of
our time eating ice cream and supervising. Brad took a lot of ribbing from us
but he was a good sport and at times gave back as good as or better than he
got. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway
we had a great visit with them and learned all about what they have been up to
for the last couple of years. They have gotten off the road and have returned
to Portland and their old jobs. Thank you for taking time out of your busy
schedule to visit with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me,
Sarah, Brad and Suzanne<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Wednesday,
July 22<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This
morning we were up fairly early, had a great breakfast got ready to go to visit
Brian, nephew, who works at Nike. (I tend to tease my sister Colleen a lot but
she has achieved a lot in her life and I admire her for that. Plus she is one
fabulous gourmet cook and Darrius is a master of the Weber grill. So all the
meals were great.) Enough of that, now on to Nike. This is the second time
Sarah and I had been there. Nike has a square mile campus and are building more
and adding to their current campus. While we were there the top 100 lacrosse
players in the country were there for training and learning more about their
sport. I would also think Nike is listening to them about the equipment the
players use to be able to develop a better product. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Brian
gave us a tour of the grounds and we had lunch in one of the several dining
rooms on the campus. We did get to the employee store and Sarah and I got new
shoes and she got a jacket. The one complaint I do have is the store cares
nothing in the FAT man category. In fact, now this is an unscientific
observation, but I believe I was the oldest and fattest person in the store the
whole time we were in there. But hey, I still enjoyed looking at all the stuff
in the store.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Later
Brian, his wife April, their kids Ethan and Amelia came over for a cook out.
Darrius cooked on his grill and we ate at the outdoor patio by the club house,
it was a mere fifty feet from their door. Again a great meal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">During
dinner Ethan sat next to me and he told me about his track camp he was
attending that week. He said they learn a new event each day, sometimes two, I
believe today he was learning the javelin. I had a great visit with him, he is
a very intelligent young man who will grow into a very intelligent adult.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After
dinner it was time for Ethan and Amelia to hit the hay so with hugs all around
we said goodbye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Later
the rest of us walked down to the river park to listen to a band I never heard
of and can’t remember the name but it was fun. It was amazing to see the number
of people attending the concert. They bring blankets, chairs and picnic baskets
full of food and wine. There are a few vendors there also. It is like a big
party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Brian,
April, Amelia and Ethan and Moxie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thursday,
July 23<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This
morning the ladies went shopping and Darrius, Larry and I went to the golf
driving range. Darrius bought some new golf clubs and wanted to give them a
swing. Larry wanted to try out the new clubs also, I went along to give
unwanted advice. The guys were hitting away at the balls when I noticed two
youngsters down the line from us. These boys must have been 6-8 years old and
they were hitting the ball straighter than I ever had in all my years of
playing golf. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Anyway,
the guys got to where they figured they hit enough balls so I gave it a try.
Even though I am not a good golfer I do miss getting out on the links and
whacking the ball around. I tried and I felt the hit in my right hand to the
point I don’t believe it would be worth the pain and frustration of trying to
golf again, let alone the pain in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our
time in Portland has come to an end way to soon. We had a great time with
Colleen and Darrius, wish it could have been longer but it was great visit. We
thank you both for being such gracious hosts and can’t wait to see you again.
Hopefully you can make it to Burlington this fall, Sarah and I will gladly come
over to see you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our
train was due out at 4:45 pm so we headed to the depot about 1:30, I dropped
everyone off at the depot and took the rental car back to Enterprise. A nice
young lady took me back to the depot and we planted ourselves in the
Metropolitan Lounge, this is a place for passengers with sleeper accommodations
on the train. It was nice in that it had cushioned chairs and free beverages.
They also provided red cap service to put our luggage on the train and in our
compartments, which really helped me in that the stairs in the train car are
very narrow and steep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As
per Amtrak’s reputation we were told the train would be late leaving Portland
because it had arrived late that day and the cleaners were still working on
cleaning the cars. The cleaners do okay, but they need to do a deep cleaning in
the cars and in the case of some of the cars Amtrak needs to either refurbish
or get new cars. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
did finally board about 5:30 and got under way shortly after that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Again
we had a sleeper with toilet and shower. A bit more on the toilet
accommodations, the toilet in our sleeper was smaller than that in an airplane,
I could stand in it and my shoulders just about touched the walls. Forget
sitting down, I tried and I couldn’t get back up without opening the door. You
had better like who you are traveling with because if you are an adult you
won’t be taking a shower in you compartment. I did find toilets and showers on
the lower level of the car that were a tad bit bigger. At least you don’t have
to open the door to stand up, which could be a bit embarrassing if there was a
line up outside the door to use the toilet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Enough
of that, we enjoyed the scenery as we headed to Spokane, WA. Now part of our
ticket price included meals on the train. I can, from memory, tell you every
item on the menu and the menu was the same on each train. I will tell you this,
in my opinion the French toast, omelet are the best for breakfast. Lunch would
be the hamburger and hotdog. Dinner the steak was the best, although I didn’t
try anything else for dinner. Sarah had salmon one night and I had a taste, it
wasn’t too bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">However
our train from Portland did not have a dining car, the train out of Seattle and
the Portland train merge in Spokane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Private
cars attached to our train in Spokane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So
Amtrak gave us a box dinner but nothing to drink with it, not sure what that is
all about but that is what they did. You could have chicken, beef or salmon, I
chose wisely, I chose beef. The other meals weren’t all that good and they ran
out of the beef so I would think there were a lot of half eaten dinners thrown
out that night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">With
a sleeper you don’t make up the bed at all the car attendant, or porters a name
they don’t use anymore, make up the bed for you. Our attendant, Courtney,
wanted to know if we wanted the top bunk made up, I said yes. Sarah and I
aren’t newlyweds anymore and for me at least I get closterphobic and would
probably keep Sarah awake all night, she slept on the top bunk. They do keep
the trains cool day and night, I had to get a second blanket a couple nights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Friday,
July 24<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
are headed across Montana and the scenery is breath taking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Here
is some mountain we saw, I believe as we were leaving Portland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">So
we didn’t do much but watch the scenery and sleep, did do some reading and of
course we ate all three meals, I won’t go into that again, suffice it to say
Amtrak should expand their menus and have less microwavable food but we all
know that probably won’t happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Saturday,
July 25<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I
slept all the way across North Dakota except the times I woke up either due to
a long wait in Williston or the roughness of the ride. This section of the
track had to be the worst ride we had been on since we began the journey. I
think I did get off the train in Fargo, not sure. My aunt who is from ND asked
me where the depot was in Fargo, I told her it was right next to the tracks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Once
we started across Minnesota and Wisconsin the landscape was not new to us, it
looked a lot like Iowa and Nebraska, so I read a lot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Somewhere
along the way we lost four hours and arrived in Chicago at eight thirty, Larry
had made reservations at the Hampton on Wacker, in fact they called him to see
if we were in fact going to be needing the rooms, he said yes but we were on
Amtrak and the guy said ok he understood. I guess Amtrak has the reputation of
being late everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our
rooms were nice but small, I thought maybe this was like a boutique hotel but
Larry said no this was the size of all hotel rooms downtown, unless you want to
pay out an arm and a leg for a bigger room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sunday,
July 26<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
were supposed to leave today at 2:00 pm but Larry and I both received calls and
text messages telling us the train was leaving early, noon, no other
explanation. I figured they knew they would lose time and figured this would
help them along the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
were at the depot by eleven and waited in a special area for seniors, military
or people who had children under ten with them. We had coach seats from Chicago
to Omaha and they were not too bad. They had two electrical outlets and they
reclined. I used the outlets but declined on the recliner idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
were on time in Burlington so Larry and Kathy got home before we did but we did
get home on time, 9 pm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
were in the second car from the engine so when the train stopped in Omaha it
seemed like a mile and a half walk to the depot. I went looking for a cab and
there were none outside so I called the first one to come up on the search on
my phone. I got the company’s voice mail box and the recording said it was
full, this was a company with four stars. I tried another and was told there
should be taxis there but they would send one down. Finally a yellow cab showed
up and we headed home. We arrived about ten and our journey was over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Post
Script:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We
all enjoyed the trip but will probably never ride the train for this length of
time again. I am glad we had the sleeper but you still don’t get much sleep, I
would imagine though you get more than if you are in coach. The meals leave a
lot to be desired, they aren’t that good, except for a couple of items. The
Amtrak personnel were all very nice and tried to do as much as humanly possible
to make sure you had a pleasant trip. We met a couple of interesting
individuals and overheard some very interesting conversations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A
big thanks to our traveling companions Larry and Kathy, it made the ride that
much nicer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As
I said we enjoyed the trip and don’t regret the train ride. But we all agreed
the next time we will fly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5066849105742238362.post-44641028663593421822015-07-11T11:44:00.002-07:002015-07-11T11:47:23.966-07:00<div class="MsoNormal">
Decided to post again, life isn't boring as I thought.<br />
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Last Saturday, July 3 was the dedication of the Mississippi
Valley Veterans Memorial in Burlington, IA. Sarah and I went to Burlington,
July 2, with a stop in Mt Pleasant to see Dave & Shari Frantz, then on to
Burlington where we stayed with my brother Larry and wife Kathy in their new
condo. (Sorry Colleen we were the first to stay there.) They have a very nice
place, except I had to climb to the third floor because the elevator was being
used for people moving in but I didn’t have a problem with that. The stairs are
not steep, more of a gradual incline which made it easier for an old man like
me. </div>
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Larry made blueberry pancakes Saturday morning, they were very good.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We went out to dinner that night with Mark & Sharon
Brueck and Larry & Kathy, went to Big Muddy’s, good place to eat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The dedication on Saturday was well attended, I thought the
ceremony was a tad bit to long but they did have a couple of tents set up to
sit under. Here is a picture of the site, it really looks good in person,</div>
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They have over two thousand names on the memorial and room
to add several thousand more. It is a memorial to all who have served in any of
the armed forces including the Merchant Marine. The names are of the living and
dead. Here is a link to their website, <a href="http://www.mvvets.org/">http://www.mvvets.org/</a>.
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Took aunts, Millie and Marcella, to church Saturday
afternoon and then Millie went to dinner with us. We met Larry & Kathy and
their daughter Jill and her daughter Emily at Gator’s restaurant. I don’t know
if I have ever put up their website, <a href="http://www.gatorsgrillandspirits.com/">http://www.gatorsgrillandspirits.com/</a>.
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Sunday we didn’t do much we went back out to the memorial
and took some pictures, I can’t find all of the ones I took, then went to
Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. Unbeknownst to me the women’s world cup was on
so we got to watch some of it. I don’t understand the rules of soccer but I do
enjoy watching the matches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Monday we headed home after having breakfast at Perkins. I
did get to see Ray Siefken at Perkins, I haven’t seen Ray for a lot of years.
We played baseball together at Notre Dame High School my senior year there. We
had a good team, 8-1 for the season, lost in the district tournament.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tuesday I had a dental appointment, a surgical consult as
they call it. They will take out the rest of the broken tooth and if no
infection is present put in an implant. Now I am what you might call a BIG BABY
when it comes to the dentist. I made that fact known and the young lady, the
surgeon, said she would make it as painless as possible, but you know, she
says, there will be some pain. Thanks a lot. Anyway surgery is scheduled for September
4, start all the pray chains now I will need them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Thursday Sarah went to the doctor, her leg had been hurting
for a couple of days, and found out she has a blood clot in her leg. The pill, Tamoxifen
(sp), she takes for breast cancer has a side effect of causing blood clots. She
got some medicine, expensive, but it seems to be helping, she doesn’t have the
pain she had before. She will see her regular doctor Monday and hopefully he
will say she can go on our train trip to Oregon, we do have a bedroom on the
train so hopefully the doctor will ok the trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I said in my last post I wouldn’t be posting anymore because
it was boring living in a house, well in light of the past week, I will recant
that statement, this past week has been anything but boring.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next post after our train trip.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Later.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ken and Sarah Hoenighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15782208126704702717noreply@blogger.com0