Activities

I sat and watched most of the Grammy Awards, etc. Sunday night. Since Grand Old Opry went away I've lost complete track of today's music and "country" singers. What the heck is "Rehab" all about? Then they went back to Gershwin. I don't belive that I have ever heard "Rhapsody in Blue" butchered so badly. Enough already. And 3 1/2 hours plus. They need to take some lessons from the Academy Awards.

Then on Monday afternoon I had a visit with Billings' finest Cardio Surgeon, Dr. Scott Milliken. We talked very frankly and at length about my failing aortic valve, and the possiblities of surgery. It was clear that the man had taken a long look at my extensive medical history. I've been seeing doctors at Billings Clinic since the Fall of 1961, and had have by-pass surgery twice. The final decision was up to me. "I'll would be honored to do your surgery" the man said. BUT it was clear to me that as long as I am able to function the same decision was made (by me) as was made in regard to knee replacement. Let's delay this until it is absolutely necessary, and even then it has already been a long and fruitful life. Taylor males don't typically live into their 80's.

And there IS family on the other side.

Confused?

Last post when I commented that I was "done" I simply meant to tell DD that I had finished the book she wanted next. Not that the Curmudgeon was through Blogging. I'm still sweating out the Turbo Tax thing. Every time I redo it I get different figures. Oh, well. It is still a couple of months to April 15, and I have a wedding to go to next week-end down in Texas. I'll try to update readers one what the heart surgeon has to day Monday afternoon.

Frigid here in Montana over the week-end with a promise of the mid-30's next week.

The Appeal

I'm done!

Reads

I finally finished Michael Gruber's "Valley of Bones" last night while keeping an eye on CNN for election results. I was also able to read the first chapter of "The Appeal" by John Grisham. The first book was very interesting with the story of a hillbilly girl who has more facets to her personality than seems possible; plus a PhD female with health problems who keeps putting off a visit to a doctor, and Detective Jimmy Paz, who has a strange Cuban mother. It turned out to be a good read. Grisham starts out as typical Grishman. I'll probably finish it before the week is out.

I got a kick out of the local Republican County Chairman who commented about how democracy was at work with the Montana Republican Caucus. Democracy?? Taking the vote away from the majority of the citizens. How does that add up to a truly democratic process? Thankfully us Democrats will have our regular Primary in June,.

New Book

I bought a copy of John Grisham's latest book - The Appeal - at Costco yesterday. When I went to add it to my Goodreads list as one to be read it did not appear in a search either of Goodreads or at Amazon. Today (Sunday) I listed "JohnGrishman" in Goodreads and the title still does not appear. I listed the title and it showed up among a long list of books with the word "appeal" in the title. I look forward to reading it as soon as I finish "Valley of Bones".

Otherwise Pete is busy getting dinner ready before he leaves to watch the Super Bowl with friends.

Tagged by Trudy

So!? Get the book that is closest to you and: Find page 123, Read the first 3 sentences and then post the next two. The books closest to this computer are a Schfield reference Bible, a copy of the NRSV of the Bible and the New Testament in the New English Bible edition. The passage on page 123 from Luke is the tale of the so-called Podigal Son. Sentences 4 and 5 read: "He had spent it all, when a severe famine fell upon that country and he began to feel the pinch. So he went and attached himself to one of the local landowners, who sent him on his farm to mind the pigs."

The earlier sentence says that he took his inheritance and went to "a distant country." You don't suppose that was Iowa do you? I have deep memories of driving past pig farms in that "far counrtry," having lived there for four years.

I really don't have anyone to tag.

Uncle Curmudge

Winners - Losers

Once again, you can't win them all. The Patriots won and the Pack lost. Oh, well! At least Eli Manning looked like a real quarterback. And Pete and I were able to watch in relative comfort indoors. Even so, we made it to a Church Pot Luck dinner and so missed the first half of the second game. AND it has been 0 degrees in Billings the last couple of days with our heaviest snow fall to date. I'm fortunate that Pete is here to take care of the shoveling.

We are now on Facebook as a Taylor Family group with 14-15 members so far including a number of grandchildren.

Good News and questionable

Exactly one month ago (12/17/07) I saw my cardiologist for a routine checkup. I suggested that I was having occasional angina and wondered if it might be related to the stenosis of my aortic valve. That condition has a long history. Dr. Dudczak suggested that we could schedule another Echo Gram and see if there was significant change. She also suggested that I might lose some weight. After all 175 on my 5"2" frame (if that tall) was a bit much. The good news is that this morning (one month later) I weighed in at 168.2. Still a ways to go, but cutting out the Fritos plus dip seems to be working.

The questionable news is the suggestion that sugery is indicated. Dr Barbara (she is also a twin) will be talking with other staff tomorrow and will get back to me next week. She showed me that the size of the aortic opening is about the size of the opening in a ball point pen where the "stem" comes through. It all means that after the pros make some decision I'll also have to be making one.

Jane Eyre

I didn't get turned on to the Bronte sisters when I was going to high school or college. The last couple of Sunday evenings I have watched the PBS Masterpiece Theatre production of "Jane Eyre". It was a good story and well done. Since it was four hours w/o any commercial breaks can I now list that in my "Good Reads"? Probably not, but I'm not likely now going out and hunt up more of the Bronte books. After all this way had a pretty girl to watch instead of a Sunday Night football game.

Of course, tonight will be a difficult TV choice. BCS Championship Bowl or CBS Monday night comedies?

West "By God" Virginia

At last a football game worth watching. The WV Mountaineers beat up big time on the Okies. The Sooners were listed as #3 in the final Bowl Champion Series ratings to West Virginia's #11. So much for computers. As a Marshall graduate it does not pain me at all that WVU did such a a great job in their 48-28 victory - and without Slayton. The Freshman, Noel Divine stepped in and did a great job. And in regard to the above phrase - West "By God" Virginia" - I heard it at least 3 times during the telecast. As one who regularly heard people in Iowa, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Montana tell me that they had "a friend in Norfolk" or in "Richmond" and I had to remind them that I was from "West 'by God' Virginia." And while I have no desire to move back there, I've always been proud of the Mountaineers stance at the time of the Civil War, and I don't want people to think that I'm a Virginian.

Another Muse

It is hard to believe that I have gottn bored with football. Well, I do look up once in a while, but a good read tops most of what I've seen on TV lately, and I don't think it all relates to the writer's strike. I started Nora Robert's Blood Brothers last week and picked it up after Church yesterday and finally finished it at about the time the Sunday night football gamer ended. I can't even tell you who was playing or who won witout checking the paper. I'd read an earlier book months ago with the same title - Blood Brothers, but that one was about the Jewish-Palestine relationship between Isaih and Ishmeal. Basically Hebrew and Arab Christian. Robert's writes about three kids who celebrate there mutual 10th birthday by blood bonding and setting off a lot of trouble for their small community every seven years. They are now at 3 times seven and are finding out a lot about the whole situation. Unfortunatly it's one of Nora's triplicates so I guess I'll now have to find the sequels.

In the meantime Ihave Gary Wills "Head and Heart" to be read along with a bunch of books which came under the Christmas Tree.

And furthermore - HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

DEJA VU all over again!

We had a glorious week-end with family visiting both from North Dakota and from Montana. The NoDaks came in around 9 o'clock Friday night so we caught up a little before bedtime. Ice Cream and Pete's cookies were well received. On Saturday Annie and Bill come over and we planned to go to Jake's for dinner. Andrew was expected. His parents went a bit early to stop by John's and Jean's to pick up an old photograph John called about. Turned out to be a copy of a Christmas Card Betty and I had sent out from our days in Davenport, IA. I had superimposed head shots of Ken, Ann and Jimmy on a picture of a coal fired train engine I had taken earlier. It probably dates from 1953 or '54. Andrew came in from Bozeman just as the rest of us were leaving the house. Good timing!

Anyway, Sunday afternoon after Church we were all sitting around the front room and the second and third generation adults and grown children were deep in memories as I sat and listened. All of a sudden in seemed to me that I was the kid again back at Grandfather Taylor's listening to all of my Uncles and Aunts in conversation about their past history and present activities. And then today in the comic strip "For Better or Worse" it all came back again. April, the teen aged daughter is asked to sit at the kitchen table with the young children since there isn't enough room at the table in the dining room and the children need someone to watch over them. As she listens to the "yackty-Yack" from the adults she mutters to herself - "Bonus". No that I felt than my hard-of-hearing was any sort of bonus yesterday. It was simply great having them all present and enjoying their "catching-up".

And a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

He's back!

It's been a long time since you found me here. Not much happening. Life is not dull, but not much happening. For the last few weeks I've been going to Choir practice to help our Choir in its production of "The Birthday of the King". It was not exactly a cantata since there were many speaking parts of Bibilical chracters between numbers, and there were many more solos than Choir selections. We produced it Friday night to a big audiance and Sunday evening to a full house. It was a challenge since I stopped regular choir participation when I turned 80. (Well, after all practice was on Wednesday nights, but so was "The West Wing.") I went back after Betty's death, but some of the numbers were much to much so I stopped again.

I saw my Cardiologist yesterday. She suggested that I might feel better if I lost some weight. I found it hard to believe that I had topped 173. We've scheduled a follow up echo cardiogram for January to see if there has been any major change in the stenosis of the aortic valve. Otherwise the visit was fairly uneventful.

Jimmy's family will be coming in from Dickinson late Friday for a week-end visit. We'll have dinner at Jake's with Pete as our waiter. There will be 7 of us: myself, Cec, Jonathan, Natalie, Ann, Bill and Andrew. I'm truly looking forward to this time even if I'll have to order lightly.

That's probably it until after Christmas.

Fiesta Time

It is in the holiday-fiesta period at Rocky Mountain College. A couple of weeks ago I attended the Annual Thanksgiving meal with the price of admission some nonperishable food for the area Food Bank. Tonight it is the Annual Yule Log Dinner. When we first came here there was a real yule log fire, Cliff Clark as Santa, and the singing of carols. Lately it has been the dinner along with some theatrics by the drama people. I plan to be there. At least its a chance for a balanced dinner for a widower.

Last night Pete (son) and I went to the Annual RMC Choir program of Lessons and Carols. Various students and staff members read from the Bible stories of prophecy and anticipation, and the Choir and other members of the Music Department perform. The First Presbyterian Church was packed for the 3 o'clock performance, and it is probably the largest church auditorium in town. One family said that they had come in the afternoon this year because the evening is "so packed." I've been many times, but not at the 7 o*clock. This year there was more instrumental music than in previous years. On the last number the congregation joined in singing "O Come, All Ye Faithful." When the Soprano's came in on the high notes at the end of each chorus it was thrilling to these old ears.

I had checked the list of choir members in the program. Fifty-six in all. One name I recognized as the last name of students who were enrolled while I was still on staff. After the program I approached a young lady and told her how good the concert had been and said that I recognized one name in the Choir. Surprise, Surprise. She turned out to be the one. She was not, however related to the previous students even though she was from the same town in Montana.

Good eats

Got this from a Blogger who I check regularly. It's a Montana Omelette. I drool,but do not indulge. After all those aren't Egg Beaters. I was thinking of lunch today, and the universal PBJ came to mind. After all, there is grape and strawberry jelly in the fridge. I've eaten peanut butter with a lot of toppings. Pickles, banana, etc. And then I though of the small sandwich grill sitting on the stove and remembered a Mr. Food item from several years ago. "Are there any marshmallows around?" And there they were. A few small ones in a nearly empty bag. Why not? A grilled peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich. It was delicious. And, Phillipa, the Skippy has palm oil not soy.

Celtic Woman

Such beautiful women and such beautiful music, and to think I almost missed it being sold on football as we get close to the end of the season. And it was good to watch as the Mountaineers of West Virginia beat up on UConn. WVa will probably be listed at the top or second in the BCS poll this week. But then I turned to PBS to watch my Saturday Britsh shows, and there they were with a Christmas special. Of course PBS was in its fund raising mode, but the "commercial" segments weren't so bad when one waited for the music. As well as the singers there was the lovely blond violinist whose sound and technique were excellent. And now they closd with a novel presentation of "Let it Snow." And the concert ends with a well deserved standing O.

Thanksgiving 2007

The Taylor's of Montana had our annual Thanksgiving Dinner this year at brother John's. Rosanna (their daughter-in-law) was, I understand, a big help. Ken brought the sweet potatoes down from Helena; Annie brought pies over from Ashland, MT; I brought mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce; and Pete made gravy and took along his apple crisps. The turkey and other trimmings were provided by the host family. We've been doing this since 1961 with alternating years between John & Jean and Betty and me. Often the NoDaks are with us, but this year conflicts entered the picture and they couldn't make it. Of course Betty and Jimmy were with us in spirit only both having died. Betty in December 2005, and Jimmy in August 2006. The last time all of my children were together was at Jimmy's funeral. The above picture shows my current family who were with us this year - including my grand daughter, Stephanie with her husband (the tall one) John Huss. I'll likely see them again in February when I go down to Texas for David's marriage to Suzanne, who will become Steph's step mother. We missed the Oregon crew, but I did get to visit with them over Labor Day. Family is wonderful, and I give thanks regularly for them all.

Weather Report

Had a new experience today. I was sitting in my car waiting for the traffic light to change and was suddenly aware that my car was shaking. The wind was that strong. The large flags at Perkin's and at a used car dealer were straight out, and stuff was blowing all over the place, Our apple tree still has lots of apples on it, but many are now on the ground. The ones still up are essentially bird food now. I guess one should not be to surprised about a shaking sedan. The local news yesterday showed an 18 wheeler blown over on I 90 near Livingston. Cross winds in that area can be truly fierce.

While I was out shopping at Costco I found a new John Grisham -- Playing for Pizza. He labels it a Novel and not Mystery. It seems that Grisham is in this mode after A Painted House, and Skipping Christmas

O.K. Here's a Muse!

i was writing to family the other day and commented on our kids. Somehow or other i used the phrase “my kids”. This didn’t sound quite right. They are mine, but they are also their mother’s even though she is now dead. I have wrestled with this format before and have now decided that they are “our kids”,. when I really think about it she probably had more to do with their upbringing than I did,. She was a stay-at-home mom until Pete was in the sixth grade. I was on the road a lot for the college and then on the Board of the American Baptist Churches.

Another thought has insinuated itself recently. I have often commented on how much I miss my love. Recent thoughts about how the Bible talks about what people are doing in heaven around the heavenly throne have caused me to wonder: does she miss me? Some how that answer will have to wait. And I am sure she is not alone. She’s finally met her in-laws, shares with her own father and mother, and she now is with Jimmy and knows our twins who died at birth.

My God indeed bless us all wherever we might be.

follow up

Some how or other this did not get published couple of weeks ago when I first wrote it - 10/28/07. For what it's worth here it is now,


There isn't really much to say about last Friday's Post. I made four loaves of bread and took a couple over to brother John's to share with him and Jean and with Mark and Rosanna. The Saturday breakfast is always a good occasion. The breakfast on Thusday was also interesting. I first met Linaya Leaf in the Fall of 1990 when she came on staff at RMC. She is a graduate of Linfield College and was raised in the Swedish Baptist Church - a part of Northern Baptist when we still went by that name as a denomination. She has her PhD from U. Oregon and teaches English and Theatre at Rocky. She regularly tells the story of how I invited her to Church and told her that I would meet her "out front". We both had scrambled eggs and french toast. She found it hard to believe that I could drink my coffee black. "You're certainly not Swedish." Actually, as I told her, she is young enough to be a daughter - 63 last summer. She was raised pretty much in Beaverton, OR and graduated from high school there. Her father was a lawyer, and was very interested in seeing that his grandson, Aaron, became a lawyer. Some one would be needed to look after the real estate holdings in the Seattle area.