More Carl Chronicles and PA

Nothing like being home and seeing these longtime friends from the ago, notice I do not want to say "old" friends although we go back 60 years!  WOW!  Sunday we caught the last half of the Steeler's over at Dayna's house where she brought out the queso and chips!   Well anything melted cheese is my favorite.  She also graciously hemmed a pair of my uncle's sweat  pants because she had her machine out to mend and hem things for herself.  That was a welcome help.  Dayna and I lived across the yard, through Ropers, from each other and I can still smell Alice, her mom, baking Syrian bread.  Alice died long ago, young at only 52-53 years of ag, we are all older now and that is a strange feeling and sad too for Dayna to know she's older than her Mom lived to be,  and Bud, Dayna's tiny father lived on as a widower finally living in his final days in Warren with Dayna at her home.  They are both gone now and after teaching music in Warren, PA at the elementary school all grades, Dayna retired back home.  She has a nice set up in her condo.

Sunday eve we had Chinese and seafood buffet at the China Lobster with Dayna and Carlie where I feasted on mussels, are they really from the Allegheny River?  Such a long way from our day where no one would have stuck a toe in that river which like all was so polluted from sludge and industrial waste from the mills and plants.  Now to see the boats lolling along, how different!  Although the area is devastated with loss of jobs and has declined from our heyday of the  early 60's, as anything there is something good, the rivers and waterways are clean, so that fishing and mussel harvesting thrive!

Yesterday we met at Eazer's in downtown NK which I must add to my Facebook and Jerry wants to return for breakfast.  Syrian bread, which is my favorite and which Jerry has come to enjoy, and no it is not pita bread,  holds a great home made burger of real ground beef, not the frozen mix of  hamburger and fat served at many fast foods and other restaurants.  Rich Hemprich joined Sammy & Kathy Zabec with us. I kind of puff up hearing as  many tell me I still look the same, but after finding my graduation photo at Uncle Carl's and pronouncing it Dorky, I have to wonder, how can they think I look like that? Still it must be a compliment nearly 50 years gone by now.   Kathy and I go way back to first grade from the 'hood. True to her ditziness, Kathy announced she does not like mussels, that they  look like vaginas!  You can imagine the remarks that followed until I cried a STOP, PLZ I am eating!!  I sure wish that Kathy could get over whatever her issue is with Dayna.  All three of us could visit then, but no, and I am sure this is Kathy not Dayna, they attend the same church, but Kathy has her snit over what she perceives as being "done dirt", and which we observe must be some loose screw in the head.   Dayna said, "that's her loss."  Takes me back to being 10 years old again when I lived in the middle and they would spat.  Some don't grow  past that and who knows what causes what!  Meantime I can go along, because I have a used to be brother whom I  do not see nor hear from even back here.  That of course goes back to Mom's death and his plotting and dishonestry.  Trust broken is not restored especially without any remorse.  Ahh another subject fully.

Meantime, Uncle Carl has improved 300% back at Logan house.  Using the walker now however yesterday he stumbled in the main bathroom off the hallway.  When we arrived and I could not find him I had them check the bathroom and there he sat on the floor, alert and saying he stumbled and could not find anything to grab!  Got him up and put  him back in the great room in his chair, where he  proceeded to be himself, confiding to me, "I thought I'd never get out of that  shithouse!"  I had to laugh and still am about that comment true to his 92 year old terminology. Can you imagine him sitting on the floor wondering, "how long will I be here?"  He was not confused and told Jerry exactly what happened.   He has perked up to his observations and is not sitting  around depressed as at the nursing home.  Visiting therapists will get him exercising more and build up his strength.  All are fully confident he will get back to what is normal for him and already he is on  the way! Looking way better, got his haircut, and as I said, back to observing folks for whom he has many comments, particularly not appreciating the women who sit in the great room and sleep, sliumped in their chairs.  Some do not look comfortable to me and I wonder why they do not show them to their  rooms and beds to rest.  Saturday he was quite interested in the dulcimer music and the woman who came to entertain them.  I focus on the good, on his progress and am thankful for his progress where  last week I was sure I'd be planning a funeral imminently.

I have also made contact with his old volunteer Fire Department #1 from  downtown New Kensington.  Curiously, unless you believe as I do that with God there are no curiosities, Matt said they were just asking at their meeting Tuesday, "what happened with Tux?"  Tux is a long time nick name of Carl's.  So  Matt said he would spread the word and visit Carl and when funeral time comes they will serve as pallbearers to one of their longest living members.  That's the beauty of being in your home town all your life, those long time  connections those memories.  His time with NKFD#1 stretches back to before WWII and his enlistment in the Army.  Matt siad he is either the oldest surviving member or next to.  I know  Carl will be tickled to see some of the guys, as I shared with him I'd talked to them, he said, "well I don't have a car, I can't go see the guys."  There's the dementia, flashing around until I explained they would come visit him!  Way better contact and response than the local VFW of which he is a lifetime member!  Enough for now as we continue to clear out the home, next trip we will order a dumpster!

Off WE Go

I don't know  why the Air Force theme song comes to mind as I post of our departure tomorrow for PA where we have Uncle's home to winterize and things to do for him.  Sounds like he  is doing good with his therapy in the skilled facility and will be released  in about a week or less to the personal care  assisted facility where he has made his home for over a year now. 

It's always something.  And as usual I am in a tizzie here trying to select clothing and pack up the motor home.  Though I am done except for tomorrow morning when it's shower and take out my  toiletries and roll on down the road.  Pondering what weather we might encounter over the next  few weeks keeps me adding and taking more clothing than necessary.  We seldom go anywhere where we "dress up" if anyone does that anymore at all, I wonder. Maybe on cruises.  But I am compelled to take more than my jeans & capris, some nicer slacks and tops will suffice.  I know  I have loaded excessive clothes again, but it can be warm, cool and or wet. I have started to journal what I wear on these trips and always have twice what I need.  I plan to use the journal to keep myself in better check in the future.  It helps some as I did put back a few outfits already this trip.  Which makes me wonder if I will ever get this packing lite down! 

Jerry just grabs some shirts,jeans, unders and he is ready in  a couple hours tops.  Meantime Pat is still pondering.  Which is why I worked out this morning, when I could have used the time to sort and pack.   I knew the stress would creep in and I can handle  that better with physical activity..

And if I need something the Pgh. Mills Mall is close with all the big  stores and selections. A good excuse to shop, something I do less and less of in retirement.  I, who had a personal shopper at Nordstroms and Macy's in my career days, have now descended to JCPenney, an occasional stop at Macy's, sometimes even Wal Mart but primarily just not shopping.  My casual retirement wardrobe has eliminated my desire to shop.  One good thing about PA is no sales tax on clothing, just like MN.  Of course we shop mostly across the Mississippi in WI where a  5 3/4% sales tax is on clothing,  so unless I go to Rochester or Minneapolis, I am accustomed to paying sales tax.  Shoes, that's the dilemma that wrapped this evening; how many to take and which ones.  I like to wear my sandals as long as I  can, so we shall see. 

I hope we get some all around down time enjoying  my New Ken cronies and are not just in to and fro mode. We will be spending our 43 anniversary in PA so  that  evening may be a nice time to gather and celebrate.  Our RV spot awaits us at Mt. Top RV in Tarentum. Ed and Fran, the owners have  become like cousins as we have stayed there every PA trip.  Nice people.  And the only place in the area. 

Off the keyboard now and to peruse my "to read" bookshelf for another book to take along.  Right now I am in the midst of  a historical novel,  "Andrew Jackson" by Byrd, but I'll finish that in a few evenings and  will need another book for the trip.  Next post may be in PA or if I get very ambitious on the road.  Mostly any interesting  quirks will show up on my Facebook page.