I haven't kept accurate account of how many days this rain has lasted but certainly we are approaching 40 days aren't we? Maybe not. It just seems like 40 days.
When I was a child I used to be afraid of storms and when I grew up and had my first child, my mother told me I could no longer show fear of storms because it would instill my child with fear. (How did I get to be afraid? Huh!) So, I restrained myself and stiffened myself to bearing up under the most fierce storms so that my children would not see me quaking in my boots and lo and behold I learned to enjoy watching storms and pretty much lost my fear of them. I especially love to watch storms when I am at the beach!
This month we have had one storm after another all month long. I think we've had eight to ten inches of rain and the month isn't over yet. We have had tornado warnings, tornado watches, flash flood warning, high winds warnings and 'golf ball sized hail' warnings. The whole gamut of midweastern weather ogres have threatened us. Parts of the state have experienced these disasters in one form or another. Property damage has been rampant, roofs blown off, twisted mobile homes, fences, outbuildings, fallen trees, even whole homes collapsed in heaps, flooded homes , basements,... it has been devastating.
The meteorologists have been on the air twenty-four seven with their dire predictions, they continue to tell us to take cover and be prepared. They take a lot of grief for interrupting regular programing and boring us with their visuals that resemble ectoplasm and other unidentifiable blobs and point out to us the 'hooks' 'bows,'upper level disturbances'and always end with 'go to your safe place'. I've spent two or three nights in the small hallway in my lower level trying to decide if the oak tree falls will I still be safe in my 'safe place'...?
My heart bleeds for the people that have lost their homes, their possessions, their keepsakes, their security. I thank the agencies that are helping give these people solace, comfort,shelter and encouragement. The meteorologists that give up their time to warn the community of eminent danger, are to be commended. They give people the time to seek cover and maybe, while losing their homes, save their lives.
So far I am lucky to have just lost sleep, I have not lost my possessions or my life. While I am writing this I can hear the TV in the next room talking about the severe weather that we can expect tonight. I especially dislike 'night storms' it doesn't seem as ominous in the day light as it does at night but for some reason we can only talk about the weather we can't do anything about it, a truism that has long been established. So be it! Pray for sun! Ciao
Things are looking mighty green!!!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Sky's the Limit! Part 3
This whole thing would make more sense if you scroll down and read Parts 1&2 before reading Part 3
Saturday morning, the weather was still pretty gloomy, it was raining off and on, misting when it was not raining and even though temperature in the 40's does'nt sound so cold, when accompanied by wind, it can be pretty brutal. The hotel had filled up by then and the areas outside were getting populated too. The appropriat dress for the occasion was hats with earmuffs, gloves, scarves, heavy jackets, preferably hooded, heavy sox, boots or warm footwear. I personally had a plethora of hand and toe warmers. We whiled away our time visiting some of the shops, notice I did not say 'we shopped' because the merchandise was beautiful but the prices were prohibitive.(For me anyway.) We went to the Command Center and marveled at the synergy taking place in the confines of the Center. Everyone was doing his/her job and the camraderie was outstanding. A mini-crisis would crop up and it would be handled quickly and they would all go on with their work. The media had arrived on the scene and their demands were met promptly and professionally.
I was so impressed with the resilience of each and every member of the Thunder Team. They don't try to out-do one another, nor claim individual credit, they are a true team. If one sees that another member needs help they jump in and help. All the time maintaining a jovial attitude.
By noon Gregg had upgraded his room reservation, that he made last year, and we now had a room with a partial view. It overlooked the front entrance of the GH West. The view that we had was good, we could look to the left and see the river and the bridge where most of the activity would take place. We would see the barge to the east of the bridge and could get a good view of the planes. All the aircraft came in from the east.
The schedule called for the airshow to begin at 3:12 PM. The weather outside was still miserable. Cold, windy and wet. We had already chosen the spot that Linda's group had used in the past for viewing and a blanket had been placed there to save the place. Another person who had used the spot adjacent to Linda's spot had established her 'camp' and was planning to stay in it for the duration! She told Linda she would hold down not only her fort but Linda's too. We were free to roam. We spent some of our time outside watching the spectacular air show, the Jets, the refulers, the Super Stallion copter, Falcon F16's, a rescue maneuver by a copter that fished a man out of the water, the Starjammer, one after another the planes came in order, performing for the crowd. The river banks were crowded with people and the hotel balconies were full, it was awesome with a capital A and Invigerating with a capital I. I loved every minute of it despite the numbing cold. I would run inside the door behind the pool and try to warm my purple hands for a few minutes but come back out because I didn't want to miss any of it. The F-22 Raptor, the star of the show, was still iffy. He needed that 1000 ft. ceiling and it was not looking like it would happen. About 5:40PM there was clear air space. The Raptor was scheduled to demo at 5:55PM but the ominous sky looked too forboding. I, and some of the others were feeling the cold so we retreated to the Hotel rooms. Gregg and I were in our room watching the TV account of what was going on but still able to look out our window to see any in-coming planes. When they finally announced that the Heritage flight: P-51, F-4 and the F-22 were going to fly, Gregg bundled up, took his camera and headed out. I crawled up on the window seat and waited. The TV was still on and I could hear them discussing the fact that it was probably too late for the Raptor (F-22) to do his demo because it was getting late. After the Heritage Flight, which made me happy because I did get to see the Raptor at least, the TV and everyone else, including the Thunder planners, were stunned because the pilot decided he had his ceiling and he would thrill us all by doing his demo!!! Jubilation!! That's what I'm talking about! I was all alone and had a perfect veiw out the window of the room and rejoiced aloud. The sound of the jet flying over reverberates in your chest, You tremble inside. The Raptor is capable of slowing down to look as if it is standing still, almost, and then suddenly the afterburners kick in and it flies straight up in the air with the afterburners spewing fiery contrails. Oh, what a beautiful scene. My cup runneth over! However "it ain't over till it's over!"
I was so energized by the fact that I got to see the Raptor, I was willing to pile on the clothes and go outside to watch the 'real deal'. Gregg came back in and joined Linda and I getting ready, Courtney got her crew together and grabbed a few blankets and we went off to our own private veiwing site, which Linda's friend had saved for us. Brian joined us by that time also, camera in hand, and it was on with the show. Colder than blue blazes but right on time, 9:30 Boom! Fireworks!
With the first Boom of the cannons, the cockles of my heart were warmed and I forgot about the temperature and reveled in the beauty of the display! We had blankets to help warm us and as one of the members of the family remarked, we looked like the 'family in Bethleham' but by jove we were warm, delighted, and awed. It is an experience that I'll never forget! After the spectacular finale, the 'waterfall' from the bridge, the crowd was not ready for it to be over so they had another finale. they still hung around regretting the fact that we would have to wait till next year to see it again!
We headed for the Command Center to help celebrate another successful and glorius Thunder Over Louisville. Champayne corks popped, congratulations were in abundance and even an emotional tear or two was shed at the joy of it all. What an adventure!!!
I will end this account for now but there is more to come. I'll confront the human interest aspects of the week-end in a separate entry in a day or so. It was all great! We had so much fun and I'll gladly share it with you soon. Ciao
Saturday morning, the weather was still pretty gloomy, it was raining off and on, misting when it was not raining and even though temperature in the 40's does'nt sound so cold, when accompanied by wind, it can be pretty brutal. The hotel had filled up by then and the areas outside were getting populated too. The appropriat dress for the occasion was hats with earmuffs, gloves, scarves, heavy jackets, preferably hooded, heavy sox, boots or warm footwear. I personally had a plethora of hand and toe warmers. We whiled away our time visiting some of the shops, notice I did not say 'we shopped' because the merchandise was beautiful but the prices were prohibitive.(For me anyway.) We went to the Command Center and marveled at the synergy taking place in the confines of the Center. Everyone was doing his/her job and the camraderie was outstanding. A mini-crisis would crop up and it would be handled quickly and they would all go on with their work. The media had arrived on the scene and their demands were met promptly and professionally.
I was so impressed with the resilience of each and every member of the Thunder Team. They don't try to out-do one another, nor claim individual credit, they are a true team. If one sees that another member needs help they jump in and help. All the time maintaining a jovial attitude.
By noon Gregg had upgraded his room reservation, that he made last year, and we now had a room with a partial view. It overlooked the front entrance of the GH West. The view that we had was good, we could look to the left and see the river and the bridge where most of the activity would take place. We would see the barge to the east of the bridge and could get a good view of the planes. All the aircraft came in from the east.
The schedule called for the airshow to begin at 3:12 PM. The weather outside was still miserable. Cold, windy and wet. We had already chosen the spot that Linda's group had used in the past for viewing and a blanket had been placed there to save the place. Another person who had used the spot adjacent to Linda's spot had established her 'camp' and was planning to stay in it for the duration! She told Linda she would hold down not only her fort but Linda's too. We were free to roam. We spent some of our time outside watching the spectacular air show, the Jets, the refulers, the Super Stallion copter, Falcon F16's, a rescue maneuver by a copter that fished a man out of the water, the Starjammer, one after another the planes came in order, performing for the crowd. The river banks were crowded with people and the hotel balconies were full, it was awesome with a capital A and Invigerating with a capital I. I loved every minute of it despite the numbing cold. I would run inside the door behind the pool and try to warm my purple hands for a few minutes but come back out because I didn't want to miss any of it. The F-22 Raptor, the star of the show, was still iffy. He needed that 1000 ft. ceiling and it was not looking like it would happen. About 5:40PM there was clear air space. The Raptor was scheduled to demo at 5:55PM but the ominous sky looked too forboding. I, and some of the others were feeling the cold so we retreated to the Hotel rooms. Gregg and I were in our room watching the TV account of what was going on but still able to look out our window to see any in-coming planes. When they finally announced that the Heritage flight: P-51, F-4 and the F-22 were going to fly, Gregg bundled up, took his camera and headed out. I crawled up on the window seat and waited. The TV was still on and I could hear them discussing the fact that it was probably too late for the Raptor (F-22) to do his demo because it was getting late. After the Heritage Flight, which made me happy because I did get to see the Raptor at least, the TV and everyone else, including the Thunder planners, were stunned because the pilot decided he had his ceiling and he would thrill us all by doing his demo!!! Jubilation!! That's what I'm talking about! I was all alone and had a perfect veiw out the window of the room and rejoiced aloud. The sound of the jet flying over reverberates in your chest, You tremble inside. The Raptor is capable of slowing down to look as if it is standing still, almost, and then suddenly the afterburners kick in and it flies straight up in the air with the afterburners spewing fiery contrails. Oh, what a beautiful scene. My cup runneth over! However "it ain't over till it's over!"
I was so energized by the fact that I got to see the Raptor, I was willing to pile on the clothes and go outside to watch the 'real deal'. Gregg came back in and joined Linda and I getting ready, Courtney got her crew together and grabbed a few blankets and we went off to our own private veiwing site, which Linda's friend had saved for us. Brian joined us by that time also, camera in hand, and it was on with the show. Colder than blue blazes but right on time, 9:30 Boom! Fireworks!
With the first Boom of the cannons, the cockles of my heart were warmed and I forgot about the temperature and reveled in the beauty of the display! We had blankets to help warm us and as one of the members of the family remarked, we looked like the 'family in Bethleham' but by jove we were warm, delighted, and awed. It is an experience that I'll never forget! After the spectacular finale, the 'waterfall' from the bridge, the crowd was not ready for it to be over so they had another finale. they still hung around regretting the fact that we would have to wait till next year to see it again!
We headed for the Command Center to help celebrate another successful and glorius Thunder Over Louisville. Champayne corks popped, congratulations were in abundance and even an emotional tear or two was shed at the joy of it all. What an adventure!!!
I will end this account for now but there is more to come. I'll confront the human interest aspects of the week-end in a separate entry in a day or so. It was all great! We had so much fun and I'll gladly share it with you soon. Ciao
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Sky's the Limit! Part 2
Friday morning we packed up and moved into the Galt House. On the way there we stoped at Stevens & Stevens and picked up a couple of sandwiches and some pasta salad. Linda had picked up a sheet cake sized trey of cup cakes that had an inch of icing on the whole thing to make it look like a birthday cake. Larry and Madeline, Courtney's daughter, both had birthdays on that day. We arrived at the Galt House at just about the same time that Gregg did. Parking can be a big issue but the parking gods were with us and we got a good spot in the garage. Gregg had to park at G.H. West garage which was OK. We stowed our gear in the designated gathering room (Courtney's on the third floor) and headed for the Command center.
Whereas, yesterday on my preliminary reconnaissance trip the one room facing the river that had the ten thousand or so wires, was now humming with the Military. They had attached those wires to things, I guess, because they were not so evident today but the sea of fly boys complete with the 'Air Boss' were gearing up. The place was humming, big time.
Larry was guiding tours through and we were just hanging out waiting for the planes to begin practicing their maneuvers. The weather was drizzly, the skies were ominous looking and the temperature was in the mid 40's.
I digress here.
I lived the first half of my life within a few miles (15 or 18) from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Actually there were originally two bases, Wright Field and Patterson Air Force base. Wright Field is located on the family farm of Orville and Wilbur Wright, it had a wind tunnel built by the government for testing the new fangled jet propelled planes! During World War II Patterson Field became the Air Materiel Command for the Air Force and it grew so rapidly that it grew right into Wright Field, hence the new name, Wright-Patterson Airforce Base. All of the planes were tested there and so we grew used to hearing the jets breaking the sound barrier. Sonic booms were everyday events. Our friend Warner was in procurement at Wright-Pat so we all knew all of the names of the jets and other new planes and could easily identify them from our yard when they flew over. I have never lost my facination with planes, especially the fighter jets. So I could hardly wait for the practicing to begin but I was worried about how I could see them without going out on the cold swimming pool apron, in the rain to watch them. I particularly wanted to see the F-22 Raptor Demo. I am unsure how it all went down but the first thing I knew we were permitted to go out onto the balcony of the Command Center where four professional photographers were shooting pictures for various publications. Gregg, Linda and I had the best spot in the house!! The guys were cool, they were funny, knowledgeable and super friendly. They of course, knew the identity of each and every plane, even the 'comercials' as they called the planes headed for Standiford Field. It kept getting rainier and the clouds were hanging low and the Raptor could not fly unless it had a thousand foot ceiling. They finally had to give up and hope that he could get a practice in on Saturday morning. Woe is me!
Elton John was in concert at KFC Yum! on Friday and Brian called about 6PM and said he had a ticket and offered it to anyone of us that wanted to join him for the concert. Linda went and the rest of us stayed in the hotel. Except for Gregg. Larry had a health issue and needed some medication so it was arranged that the meds could be picked up at a down town drugstore, so Gregg graciously offered to walk the five or six blocks to get the prescription. When he delivered it to Larry in the Command Center, Larry took a little ragging from Wayne H. "You have your drugs delivered now??"
Courtney had her own three children and a neighbor's child with her. Two twelve year olds, one ten year old and one eight year old. All of the Ward children are Hotel savvy so they entertained themselves by 'playing 'on the escalators, riding elevators when they could find one not full and generally having fun in pursuits that I probably don't want to know about. They were cautioned each time they left the room that they were not to bump into old people or people that were dressed up! Whew!
Gregg went off on a photo shoot of his own, eventually going up to the roof of a parking garage to get some awsome pictures of the buildings and sights down town. The kids played cards and watched the cartoon channel and Courtney and I went to the bar across the hall for a glass of wine but an Amaretto Sour sounded better to us once we got there, we sat there and solved all of the world's problems and had a great time. Linda and Brian arrived back about midnight from the concert, Gregg came back from his photo shoot, Courtney and I joined them and the kids in #330 and sat up till about 1:30 hashing over our experiences. Linda and Brian said Elton John was super fabulous!! Brian had to be at work at the track at 4:30 AM so he went home to take a nap before work and Gregg, and I and Linda headed off to our rooms and left the Wards to get some sleep.Part 3 to follow.
Whereas, yesterday on my preliminary reconnaissance trip the one room facing the river that had the ten thousand or so wires, was now humming with the Military. They had attached those wires to things, I guess, because they were not so evident today but the sea of fly boys complete with the 'Air Boss' were gearing up. The place was humming, big time.
Larry was guiding tours through and we were just hanging out waiting for the planes to begin practicing their maneuvers. The weather was drizzly, the skies were ominous looking and the temperature was in the mid 40's.
I digress here.
I lived the first half of my life within a few miles (15 or 18) from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Actually there were originally two bases, Wright Field and Patterson Air Force base. Wright Field is located on the family farm of Orville and Wilbur Wright, it had a wind tunnel built by the government for testing the new fangled jet propelled planes! During World War II Patterson Field became the Air Materiel Command for the Air Force and it grew so rapidly that it grew right into Wright Field, hence the new name, Wright-Patterson Airforce Base. All of the planes were tested there and so we grew used to hearing the jets breaking the sound barrier. Sonic booms were everyday events. Our friend Warner was in procurement at Wright-Pat so we all knew all of the names of the jets and other new planes and could easily identify them from our yard when they flew over. I have never lost my facination with planes, especially the fighter jets. So I could hardly wait for the practicing to begin but I was worried about how I could see them without going out on the cold swimming pool apron, in the rain to watch them. I particularly wanted to see the F-22 Raptor Demo. I am unsure how it all went down but the first thing I knew we were permitted to go out onto the balcony of the Command Center where four professional photographers were shooting pictures for various publications. Gregg, Linda and I had the best spot in the house!! The guys were cool, they were funny, knowledgeable and super friendly. They of course, knew the identity of each and every plane, even the 'comercials' as they called the planes headed for Standiford Field. It kept getting rainier and the clouds were hanging low and the Raptor could not fly unless it had a thousand foot ceiling. They finally had to give up and hope that he could get a practice in on Saturday morning. Woe is me!
Elton John was in concert at KFC Yum! on Friday and Brian called about 6PM and said he had a ticket and offered it to anyone of us that wanted to join him for the concert. Linda went and the rest of us stayed in the hotel. Except for Gregg. Larry had a health issue and needed some medication so it was arranged that the meds could be picked up at a down town drugstore, so Gregg graciously offered to walk the five or six blocks to get the prescription. When he delivered it to Larry in the Command Center, Larry took a little ragging from Wayne H. "You have your drugs delivered now??"
Courtney had her own three children and a neighbor's child with her. Two twelve year olds, one ten year old and one eight year old. All of the Ward children are Hotel savvy so they entertained themselves by 'playing 'on the escalators, riding elevators when they could find one not full and generally having fun in pursuits that I probably don't want to know about. They were cautioned each time they left the room that they were not to bump into old people or people that were dressed up! Whew!
Gregg went off on a photo shoot of his own, eventually going up to the roof of a parking garage to get some awsome pictures of the buildings and sights down town. The kids played cards and watched the cartoon channel and Courtney and I went to the bar across the hall for a glass of wine but an Amaretto Sour sounded better to us once we got there, we sat there and solved all of the world's problems and had a great time. Linda and Brian arrived back about midnight from the concert, Gregg came back from his photo shoot, Courtney and I joined them and the kids in #330 and sat up till about 1:30 hashing over our experiences. Linda and Brian said Elton John was super fabulous!! Brian had to be at work at the track at 4:30 AM so he went home to take a nap before work and Gregg, and I and Linda headed off to our rooms and left the Wards to get some sleep.Part 3 to follow.
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Sky's the Limit! Part One
The muddy, flood swollen Ohio River had encroached beyond the customary limits of its banks and rendered part of the Great Lawn and the shore line along the River,useless. The Belle Of Louisville was anchored in its usual berth but its gangplank was under water.The Chow Wagon had to relocate because of the high water and many of the viewers, that normally camped out on the river banks and in the parks along the shores, were unable to do so. The crowd was considerably smaller, there were only a couple hundred thousand people in attendance this year because of the weather, but nevertheless the show, as usual, was spectacular!
Thunder over Louisville is the official opening of the three week long Derby Festival. There will be many events taking place from now till Derby Day but none as remarkabe as "Thunder". It is touted as being the largest single-day event in the Southeastern United States. The fireworks show is the largest display of fireworks in North America. (I think there is one equally as large in Brazil.)This is the 22nd birthday of the Thunder event.
People come from all over the world to take part in the festivities. Of course the Vestival leads up to The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports, the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.
I have viewed the fireworks from afar a few times and viewed it once from the roof of the Jefferson County Government Center a few miles away from the river and always hear from my home, the opening cannon booms and the reverberations of the sound waves when the show is in progress, and I've watched it on television, but this year I was privileged to get to be up close and personal.
Let the story be told.
On Thursday,Linda took me down to tour the facility in which we would be spending the next few days. Larry is the Marine Operations Liaison for the event. We met Gregg in the parking garage under the Galt House and then began the tour. Gregg has attended the event in previous years and reserved his room for this year at the end of festivities last year. He shared his room with me. After showing me the layout of the hotel, and trying to familiarize me with the rooms we would be using we went to Courtney's room which has been designated as the family headquarters. That room was #330, Linda and Larry were on another floor, Gregg's room was #710 and the Command Center is on the 24th floor. Needless to say, since I am directionally confused, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where I was. They gave up on me and just had someone in charge of me at all times. Linda vows that next year I will have an ankle bracelet so they can track me. Courtney thinks I should just have a beeper. Gregg had me follow him closely and told me not to lose sight of him. The crowds were tremendous in the hotel halls. It would probably not have been as bad had the weather been clement, but all hotel guests were reluctant to go out into the windy, rainy, cold outside. We were finally ready to go up to the Command Center where all the action is.( Gregg, Linda and I) Wayne Hettinger is the Show Producer and Tim Creed the Show Director. Larry was also there doing his thing. The whole area was a bee hive of activity. Everyone looked important and all had important duties. It was organized chaos. Phones were ringing, people darting in to get directions, advise,and relay occurances, preventing snafus,and so on. The atmosphere is hectic but relaxed and friendly at the same time. There are a lot of laughs and good natured teasing and kibitzing. No frenzied, short tempered behavior going on there. They have access to four hotel room that have been cleared for all of the paraphanalia needed to put on one of the top air-shows and largest fireworks display in the country! One of the rooms is the center for the air-boss and what looks to be a thousand or so wires! The radio equipment and implements necessary for controlling the air-show is in that room also. One room contains one long table with chairs so that the staff can sit down to eat if and when they get the chance, the fourth room has tables along two walls that are buffet tables for the food.Two of the rooms face the river and both have balconies.
One of Larry's duties is to take visitors on a tour of the two rooms and explain all of the tasks and equipment needed to produce this tremendous show.
Part two will be printed out and be available by tomorrow. I'm tired!Ciao
Thunder over Louisville is the official opening of the three week long Derby Festival. There will be many events taking place from now till Derby Day but none as remarkabe as "Thunder". It is touted as being the largest single-day event in the Southeastern United States. The fireworks show is the largest display of fireworks in North America. (I think there is one equally as large in Brazil.)This is the 22nd birthday of the Thunder event.
People come from all over the world to take part in the festivities. Of course the Vestival leads up to The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports, the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May.
I have viewed the fireworks from afar a few times and viewed it once from the roof of the Jefferson County Government Center a few miles away from the river and always hear from my home, the opening cannon booms and the reverberations of the sound waves when the show is in progress, and I've watched it on television, but this year I was privileged to get to be up close and personal.
Let the story be told.
On Thursday,Linda took me down to tour the facility in which we would be spending the next few days. Larry is the Marine Operations Liaison for the event. We met Gregg in the parking garage under the Galt House and then began the tour. Gregg has attended the event in previous years and reserved his room for this year at the end of festivities last year. He shared his room with me. After showing me the layout of the hotel, and trying to familiarize me with the rooms we would be using we went to Courtney's room which has been designated as the family headquarters. That room was #330, Linda and Larry were on another floor, Gregg's room was #710 and the Command Center is on the 24th floor. Needless to say, since I am directionally confused, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where I was. They gave up on me and just had someone in charge of me at all times. Linda vows that next year I will have an ankle bracelet so they can track me. Courtney thinks I should just have a beeper. Gregg had me follow him closely and told me not to lose sight of him. The crowds were tremendous in the hotel halls. It would probably not have been as bad had the weather been clement, but all hotel guests were reluctant to go out into the windy, rainy, cold outside. We were finally ready to go up to the Command Center where all the action is.( Gregg, Linda and I) Wayne Hettinger is the Show Producer and Tim Creed the Show Director. Larry was also there doing his thing. The whole area was a bee hive of activity. Everyone looked important and all had important duties. It was organized chaos. Phones were ringing, people darting in to get directions, advise,and relay occurances, preventing snafus,and so on. The atmosphere is hectic but relaxed and friendly at the same time. There are a lot of laughs and good natured teasing and kibitzing. No frenzied, short tempered behavior going on there. They have access to four hotel room that have been cleared for all of the paraphanalia needed to put on one of the top air-shows and largest fireworks display in the country! One of the rooms is the center for the air-boss and what looks to be a thousand or so wires! The radio equipment and implements necessary for controlling the air-show is in that room also. One room contains one long table with chairs so that the staff can sit down to eat if and when they get the chance, the fourth room has tables along two walls that are buffet tables for the food.Two of the rooms face the river and both have balconies.
One of Larry's duties is to take visitors on a tour of the two rooms and explain all of the tasks and equipment needed to produce this tremendous show.
Part two will be printed out and be available by tomorrow. I'm tired!Ciao
Thursday, April 7, 2011
My Basket-ball Heart
Have you ever been lying in your bed and find that in certain positions you can hear your own heart beat? I have found that to be the case many, many times in my life. It's not a sign of panic or fear or anything like that, it just happens when you are at rest, maybe waiting for sleep, and all is quiet around you when you become aware of the sound of your own heart beating. Years ago, when I first experienced this sensation, I thought it was someone bouncing a basket ball outside on the sidewalk. When I changed position the 'bouncing ball' stopped. It took me awhile and what little common sense I had to realize I was listening to my own heart! When I told Doc about it, he laughed and laughed. He did not always appreciate my humor and when I told him I was not trying to be funny, he said he knew that. He said he thought I was just crazy! Obviously, he did not hear his heart so I did not bring the subject up again, not to him or to others, because I feared he might not be one-hundred percent wrong about my mental condition. From that time on I referred to my own heart, in my mind, as my basket-ball heart. It still sounds as if it is bouncing up and down on the sidewalk!
A few weeks ago,after eating a large meal hastily because I wanted to watch the news, I had the most severe chest pains that I've ever experienced! I went up to my bedroom and sat in the chair and suffered. It hurt so much that I became worried and gave a fleeting thought to maybe calling someone and mentioning my plight but I hurt too bad to even make a call. After about twenty or thirty minutes the pain subsided gradually and was finally gone. I am always under the impression that taking off my clothes will improve my condition so I removed my clothes as soon as I felt better and prepared for bed with less constricting garments on.
I went to bed and my basket- ball heart was silent and I desided that I probably had indigestion. The memory of the pain lingered with me for days and I thought of the widows that had told me about their husbands "indigestion pains" immediately before exiting this world. I finally thought it might be well to mention my pain to a professional. I've pretty much lost faith in my regular doctor. I could predict what he would do. He would give me an EKG and then refer me to a cardiologist. So, I thought I would try another doctor, sight unseen. He was very solicitious and had me sit and wait an hour for an EKG and sit for TWO full hours waiting for an X-ray and then referred me to a Cardiologist! Duh!
I had to go straight to the Cardiologist from the 'new' doctors office and was told not to stop for food or drink! I was thoruoghly examined by the doctor and his staff and then told to report back there at 8 AM two days later for a Pet-Scan of the heart. It is a stress test but I did not have to walk on a tread mill. Chemicals induced my heart to react as it would have if I walked on the treadmill. Since it was Friday I could not get the results until Monday! When Monday came,I got a call saying my heart was fine no problems! I am wondering why I did not trust my own diagnoses.
Basket-ball heart, keep on bouncing!
It seems that there are no longer any doctors that diagnose without numerous tests and procedures that raise the cost of every illness that is encountered. I know that they, the doctors, live in fear of law suits. They have to pay tremendous sums of money to insure them against law suits,and then we have to have health insurance so that we can go to a doctor and be subjected to tests. I was in the hospital in November for one week and during that time I had a regular Cat scam, a Cat scan with injected dye and then a Cat scan after drinking Contrast. All the scans were of the same part of my body! Besides that I had the routine chest X-ray. Think of all the radiation I have been exposed to.
It is very comforting now to waken in the middle of the night and hear my basket-ball heart bouncing away. I no longer change position so that I don't hear it. I'm letting it do its thing! Ya gotta have heart! Ciao,ciao!
A few weeks ago,after eating a large meal hastily because I wanted to watch the news, I had the most severe chest pains that I've ever experienced! I went up to my bedroom and sat in the chair and suffered. It hurt so much that I became worried and gave a fleeting thought to maybe calling someone and mentioning my plight but I hurt too bad to even make a call. After about twenty or thirty minutes the pain subsided gradually and was finally gone. I am always under the impression that taking off my clothes will improve my condition so I removed my clothes as soon as I felt better and prepared for bed with less constricting garments on.
I went to bed and my basket- ball heart was silent and I desided that I probably had indigestion. The memory of the pain lingered with me for days and I thought of the widows that had told me about their husbands "indigestion pains" immediately before exiting this world. I finally thought it might be well to mention my pain to a professional. I've pretty much lost faith in my regular doctor. I could predict what he would do. He would give me an EKG and then refer me to a cardiologist. So, I thought I would try another doctor, sight unseen. He was very solicitious and had me sit and wait an hour for an EKG and sit for TWO full hours waiting for an X-ray and then referred me to a Cardiologist! Duh!
I had to go straight to the Cardiologist from the 'new' doctors office and was told not to stop for food or drink! I was thoruoghly examined by the doctor and his staff and then told to report back there at 8 AM two days later for a Pet-Scan of the heart. It is a stress test but I did not have to walk on a tread mill. Chemicals induced my heart to react as it would have if I walked on the treadmill. Since it was Friday I could not get the results until Monday! When Monday came,I got a call saying my heart was fine no problems! I am wondering why I did not trust my own diagnoses.
Basket-ball heart, keep on bouncing!
It seems that there are no longer any doctors that diagnose without numerous tests and procedures that raise the cost of every illness that is encountered. I know that they, the doctors, live in fear of law suits. They have to pay tremendous sums of money to insure them against law suits,and then we have to have health insurance so that we can go to a doctor and be subjected to tests. I was in the hospital in November for one week and during that time I had a regular Cat scam, a Cat scan with injected dye and then a Cat scan after drinking Contrast. All the scans were of the same part of my body! Besides that I had the routine chest X-ray. Think of all the radiation I have been exposed to.
It is very comforting now to waken in the middle of the night and hear my basket-ball heart bouncing away. I no longer change position so that I don't hear it. I'm letting it do its thing! Ya gotta have heart! Ciao,ciao!
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