Fishing in the Roanoke River

Some fishermen took advantage of the one-day break from lousy weather a couple of days ago, and headed into to the Roanoke River in Salem.





This guy had good luck...



Someone else didn't...



Today looks like a washout but tomorrow is supposed to be better. Enjoy the weekend...

Challenging the Mind

Last night a friend and I attended a Roanoke Library event entitled, "From Challenger to Extraterrestrials: Answering the Call of Space" presented by speaker/author Richard C.Cook. According to the press release, "Cook was the first NASA official to testify in 1986 on the causes of the Challenger disaster. Since then, his study of the future of humanity in space has expanded to include all aspects of space exploration including the question, "Are we alone?" His answer is, probably not." He is the author of "Challenger Revealed."

Apparently a lot of Roanokers are interested in space and/or UFO's because the library was the most crowded I have ever seen it. We sat in a back row which was not conducive to viewing the screen in its full capacity so I'm sure we missed quite a bit. I also had the "pleasure" of being seated near an anti-heckler. This alcohol-reeking gent was enthralled with Cook's presentation -- nodding his head enthusiastically and chiming in aloud. It got really annoying and very distracting.

One of the great/bad things that Roanoke Library has at these type of events is free food. Unfortunately too many of the people who attend these events are there only for the free food so are less than considerate of the people around them. It's great that the large homeless population that is found at the library gets to eat, but bad that their sometimes brutal smell kills the appetite of anyone who has the misfortune of having a seat nearby. Avoid sitting in the back where the food is at all costs, not only because of the odor, but because you will miss hearing the speaker at points when the pizza boxes are being crumbled up and smashed into the garbage can, or ice is being sifted through to find a bottle of water. I didn't eat any of the food on site, but did get a bag of Astronaut food to take home to the kids. It was freeze-dried Neapolitan ice cream. Although the kids said it did have a strawberry flavor, it felt like I was eating a chunk of Pepto Bismal.

Even with all the distractions I found Cook quite interesting, very informative and mind challenging. I think people my age who remember watching the first moon landing and tune into every shuttle and rocket launch find space exploration fascinating. I enjoyed hearing the history of NASA -- the glory days as well as the screw ups -- and the UFO/ET segment. Yes, mine was one of the hands that went up when asked, "Who has seen a UFO?"

The one thing that piqued my attention was something I hadn't heard about before -- the Aether theory. According to Wikipedia: "Aether theories in early modern physics proposed the existence of a medium, the aether (also spelled ether, from the Greek word (αἰθήρ), meaning "upper air" or "pure, fresh air"[1]), a space-filling substance or field, thought to be necessary as a transmission medium for the propagation of electromagnetic waves...Although hypotheses of the aether vary somewhat in detail they all have certain characteristics in common. Essentially aether is considered to be a physical medium occupying every point in space, including within material bodies. A second essential feature is that aether's properties give rise to the electric and magnetic phenomena and determines the propagation velocity of their effects. Therefore the speed of light and all other propagating effects are determined by the physical properties of the aether at the relevant location, analogous to the way that gaseous, liquid and solid media affect the propagation of sound waves. The aether is considered the over-all reference frame for the universe and thus velocities are all absolute relative to its rest frame. Therefore, in this view, any physical consequences of those velocities are considered as having an absolute, i. e. real effects."

Cook went into the theory a little more, and I couldn't even begin to explain it, but it interests me enough that I want to do some more research into it especially regarding linking it with my "theory" of how paranormal/spiritual entities are able to "communicate."



Hmmm, are those orbs near Cook? Nah, probably just dust...Kudos to Roanoke Valley Libraries for offering these type of free events which allow the attendees to learn something, and booking guests who give folks the opportunity to walk away with their minds being challenged to different possibilities.

No Cause, No Cure

The latest doctor visit, this time to an ENT specialist: After a lengthy waiting room wait, a quick observation and the prerequisite hearing test, it was revealed the girl has idiopathic tinnitus. "Idiotic tinnitus?" she asked. No, "idiopathic tinnitus," he replied. Based on idiopathic's definition, "of unknown cause, as a disease" it might as well be idiotic, and join the ever-growing list of no-cause, no-cure conditions my girl bears.

The good news is the girl does not have any loss of hearing. I could have told the doctor that just based upon her hearing whispers between my husband and me three rooms away. The bad news is not only not knowing how the condition arrived, but there is no known cure either. The good news is the MRI is so sensitive that even if the patient had a small allergy, or beginning of a cold, the sinus cavity of the brain would be thickened as hers was. The bad news is she's not having a sinus problem so there is no pill to treat it, and not the cause of her headaches.

The ringing in her head sometimes masks the ringing in her ears, and I can only imagine how annoying it must be to have both. I have tinnitus too, but only in my left ear. She has it in both ears. The left ear is the ear I use when talking on the phone. I imagine the radiation emitting from the cell phone does not help the condition, and although I try to use speaker phone as much as possible, it's not always feasible. I've always advised my kids to use the cellphone sparingly, and not just because of the minute drain, but because of the brain drain. The girl mostly texts so she's hardly holding the phone to her head. I've been to hundreds of rock concerts, have stood next to speakers and felt the bass boom in my chest, so I can understand why I have ringing in my ear. I'm also gonna be 52. The girl has been to two or three county music concerts, and I have a feeling the noise level at the Roanoke or Salem Civic Centers would pale next to the sounds from major acts in Madison Square Garden or some squat punk rock performance in a crowded space in New York City. Besides, the girl is only 17.



By the way I still listen to my music loud...not because I'm "cool," but because I can't hear it unless it's loud. Definitely stood next to one too many speaker.
Anyway, after the idiotic diagnosis I asked the ENT about the non-stop headache and he said, "Oh, I have no idea about headaches. Ask her doctor to recommend a neurologist." I wanted to say, "If you don't do headaches, what the hell are we doing here?" but I didn't. Does she really need to see another doctor who will probably tell us she's having idiopathic headaches that even the prescribed pills aren't alleviating? The parade of doctors and tests offer no relief, just frustration. This is not working. I think it's time I explored other avenues for the girl...

Cut 'Em Out!

The lack of common sense, and lack of loyalty of some of our customers continues to astound me. Apparently some of them think my husband is their Yankee whipping boy and mistake his kindness for stupidity. Those same customers are lucky I'm not at the shop, or answering the phone, when they pull their crap. I tell my husband to "Cut 'em out!" and although he has replied in the past, "If I cut everyone out that you wanted me to too, we'd have no customers left" he's finally realizing I may be right...once again.

What has me riled up this morning is a call my husband received yesterday from a "customer." This woman called to tell him she needed to bring her car in today...to be vacuumed. Vacuumed? Yes, vacuumed. Ummm, my husband doesn't even vacuum my car so I asked him what she was talking about. Apparently, as a service to her because she's "elderly," the last two times my husband changed her oil (which with the prices we have to pay are a lose-lose situation for us so if it was up to me we wouldn't even offer oil changes any more) she asked him to vacuum out her car. He did. I told him that was a mistake because I've found if you give an inch, too many people want a foot. Well, the "damage" was done so he asked what time she would be arriving for an oil change. This was her response..."Oh I don't need my oil changed, I got that done at Speedee. I just need you to vacuum out my car." Excuse me??? Ummmm, did I mention we're not a car detailing shop, or a car wash? Ummmm, did I mention that this "elderly" woman, like most of our customers, would never even consider tipping my husband a lousy buck?

My husband was stunned yet said she should call him tomorrow. I was furious and wanted him to call her back and tell her not to bother to call, ever again. We left the shop for a little while and when we came back there was this message on the machine from her...."I want to come at 3:30. I'm sick as a dog. This flu is killing me so I want to get home quickly so leave 3:30 open so you could vacuum my car right away."

Ok, now I am livid! Not only does she expect my husband to drop everything to vacuum her car, for free, but she wants him to get into the flu-infested vehicle to do it while she sits in our waiting room hacking her germs all over the place. Yeah, just what my immune-comprised system needs. "Call her back and tell her not to come!" She must have been out spreading her germs on the handles of shopping carts or something because she wasn't home so he left a message telling her, not to come and to call after she gets well. He's too kind.

How much do you want to bet this inconsiderate, clueless woman still comes to the shop today. I hope I'm there when she arrives...

Wing

"I was a vision
in another eye
and they saw nothing
no future at all
yet I was free
I needed nobody
it was beautiful
it was beautiful

and if there's one thing
could do for you
you'd be a wing
in heaven blue" - Patti Smith

Blossoms & Buds

I blinked and spring had arrived...

Dogwood flowers..



Cherry blossoms...



Peach blossoms...



Pear blossoms...



Some sort of bells...



Mini grape hyacinths being pollinated by a bee...



The first tulip, not quite opened...



Max guarding the yard...

It's Not a Tumor!

For the last 14 years everytime the girl got x-rayed, cat-scanned, probed and prodded I would say, "It's a tumor" and my husband would say, "It's not a tumor" in his best Arnold voice trying to diffuse the gravity of the situation. For the last 14 years I was always right and my husband was always wrong, so it is with great joy and happiness I can report the results of the girl's MRI results by saying in my best Arnold voice..."It's not a tumor!"

Thank you God, thank you Jesus, thank you Mary, thank you Padre Pio, thanks to all of my friends and family who have prayed for us. We still don't know what's wrong but at least "it's not a tumor!"