Its a living

The new job in the Mailroom is going well. Almost nothing has changed since I last did the job so that makes getting going a lot easier. I need some help on some of the technical things like running the postage cancellation machine for USPS and UPS outgoing mail. I certainly enjoy working with the people in the Mailroom; they are a wonderful group. Front, L to R: Vicki, Becky, Bob; Back L to R me, Heather, and Ethel.

A good friend and humanitarian, Jon, got a knee replacement last week so I went to see him again. To my surprise he was up and walking with a walker or cane, and in great spirits. Go, Jon, go! I am totally amazed at what medical science has accomplished.

On the down side, Linda was just informed that the MS study she was participating in at OHSU has been cancelled because the blood test the study was using had a flaw that negated any results. At least that means not having to go to Portland every three months.

But (that's a pun I'll get to in a moment) I am playing hooky from work today to take care of some outstanding obligations. First, I got a gold crown installed this morning. Dr. Don is a great dentist; Linda and I have been going to him ever since he started here in Pendleton. On on of my first visits, he found I had a really big cavity (beside the one between my ears) and commented that fixing it would be "a real cement mixer job." So when I came in a couple of weeks later for my appointment, I brought Don a Matchbox cement mixer. He was thrilled!

Today when I arrived the cement mixer was sitting on the dentist's tool tray. But i was prepared. Don is a very pushy individual, and has two monster Cat bulldozers on his country property to play around with. So I found a really neat scale model of a Cat bulldozer that has a blade, a ripper, and even a sound system and flashing lights for that authentic realism. Don was speechless! I could hear him going around the office showing people his new Cat and playing the sounds for them. Boys and their toys...

The rest of today is spent in meditation and preparation. Yes, I am sort of on a retreat but only to the little room down the hall. Tomorrow I voluntarily set myself up for a colonoscopy by Dr. McBee at St. Agony Hospital. Right now as I write the magic fluids are working their way through my system; every 10 minutes another shot. So far, so good; no discomfort at all although the stuff you put in the "beverage" may say orange on the packet but (that word again!) it sure ain't the same as Minute Maid. Slightly viscous with a faint bouquet of orange pretty well describes this stuff. But it is better than the extremely salty stuff I had to take last time. That stuff was so nasty and salty it actually made ordinary tap water taste sweet. Ugh!!!

Let's have no jokes or comments like:

• "Going boldly where no man has gone before."
• "Where are your 'One way, exit only' signs?"
• "Is the sun shining in there?"
• "Did the doc find China?"
• "Hello-ello-ello-ello-ello..."

You get the idea.

But (!) why am I doing this? Because (deep, serious voice) I don't want colon cancer like a guy I used to work with who died as a result. Or a friend who recently discovered he had cancer but caught it so early that after surgery he didn't even have to have chemo or radiation. No, I don't have any symptoms either. Admittedly I wasn't thrilled to do this, but (!!) my good friend Dwight gently nagged me into making the appointment so think kind thoughts about me from 1:00 to about 2:00 this Thursday afternoon. And if you are 55 or over and haven't had a 'scope, then get on the phone right now and make an appointment to get yourself checked. Your peace of mind is worth a lot, isn't it? Butt what? No excuses! (Thanks, Dwight.)

The timer on the stove reminds me that it is time for another "cocktail" so I'll close for now.