Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message. Malcolm Muggeridge

After quite some time without really updating much of anything these past few months I decided I may as well do so now.
On a personnel level healthwise I am doing much better than I was about ten months ago have lost approximately 94 pounds since February 1st.I have lost in fact twelve pant sizes. I would really like to lose about thirty more pounds. Diabetes is basically under control due to weight loss,diet,and glucophage.When I started I was hovering around 260 on my Blood sugar. My numbers are between for the most part 90 and 105.Blood pressure back then was 155/110,now averages about 120/80.I figure about another four to five months and I should reach my goal.
Other than Denise and I having horrendous sinus and chest congestions this last week we have been very busy with church activities,Christmas shopping and decorating,mailing cards and parcels etc.
We don't see Darylene much these days when she does come home on weekends she is very busy doing studies and of course her laundry.Travis continues to work hard on his school work. I have said before that it is a struggle for him but he is doing much better now by attempting more work on his own.Before he tended to wait until someone helped him first.Now he attempts it himself then if a problem arises he will come to us.Results though not always great give a better picture to the teacher of exactly where Travis stands educationally.
Denise works very hard.I cant tell you how many days she comes home totally exhausted both physically as well as mentally from her job.This past week as I have said has been exceedingly tough because of her illness.I talked her into calling in sick last night and tonight as well.The doctor recommended it for at least three to four days.So these two days plus her two days off hopefully will work out to her benefit healthwise.
I have been kept very busy at our church,especially in the month of November and last month our discipleship group handed out free hot chocolate on a cold November the 27th evening.The response from the huge crowd was overwhelming.When we first started giving it out we had a lineup almost a block long.Everyone was wonderfully thankful and generous.We did not ask for any donations or payment but still they left money in a large jar on the big table we set up.
..That is about all I can think of to say for now,other than the fact that I am saddened by the poor play of my Canucks.Right now they play a boring brand of hockey if your best player is your goalie at the moment then you probably have a boring team.All the big guns(Naslund,Sedins,Morrison etc) have done nothing so far .I have read where at least when they had Bertuzzi there always seemed to be some sort of excitement on the ice.Last night I watched a game between Montreal and Boston,that was won by Boston in OT,the game was truly exciting with lots of scoring,hitting and great saves.I hate to be one to say it but the Canucks really need to make a big blockbuster trade to shake it up!

Michael Buble-Feeling Good Music Video

i just had to add this video to our blog.....this one is for you Neesy!!!.....I love you ,princess!!!!

Click on this site and watch your name made in the snow.
http://www.star28. net/snow. html


Denise

Today we decided to rent a rug doctor and steam clean the carpets. Things were going pretty good until Malcolm went to empty the dirty solution and he slipped on the kitchen floor. He is ok just got a small cut on the (R) posterior area of his Big toe. I was worried that he had fractured his hip or arm the way he had landed. But he was very lucky. Things have been really busy lately we are cleaning and scrubbing everything for thanksgiving dinner coming up. We have the family coming over to our house. Malcolm of course is doing the cooking. I will be his assistant... lol.... I am very happy this year I get the day before thanksgiving off and thanksgiving day off as well. We are also kept very busy with numerous church activities. I think on Saturday we will put our Christmas tree up. I know some of you are saying that's way to early. But I have always loved my Christmas decorations up early in November. If I can talk Malcolm into it maybe we will catch the early bird Christmas specials the day after thanksgiving. I know I will have a blast shopping. We have a lot to be thankful for this year. Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day!!!!!!!!

Denise

Click on this to go to see Michael Buble singing moondance and while Kurt Browning interprets the song in a figure skating routine.
Denise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgkB6kFJjf0

Here is a pic of Darylene and her friend from college making cupcakes in their free time downstairs in the kitchen. 

Speaking of the grizzlies,here is a pic of my nephew Graedon Church participating in the pregame warm up with the team.You must remember he is only 9 the junior team is usually from 16 and up.As you can imagine this was a big thrill for him...Way to go Graedon!!!

okay...in case you are all wondering,this symbol is the new one of the junior hockey team from Victoria.Much better than their old name,believe me!!For almost ten years the team was known as Victoria Salsa.......sheesh,if you think the name is bad you should have seen the crest.It was a jalapeno pepper wearing a sombrero,hockey skates and carrying a hockey stick.....how embarassing. When I went to the games when I lived in Victoria every time the home team scored they played la cuccaracha and people actually threw jalapeno peppers onto the ice.These people went to grocery store beside the arena and bought bags of peppers for each game.....Groan!!!!
At least now they look like a hockey team.Of course they have big bucks behind them now.A conglomerate of NHL players(Len Barrie,Mike Vernon,RyanSmyth and others)

Yahoo! Image Detail for www.mahuffer.com/New_Folder-1/canadian_thanksgiving-1.gif

“The churches that will cease to exist are not those who are doctrinally errant, but are spiritually errant. You can't get away with it anymore. You can't just talk about what the bible says, you better flesh it out or you are dead.” “That's what's exciting about the world in which we live. Only the viable church of Jesus Christ will survive, the inauthentic need not apply. I want to live in the world that if the church is not the revolution that Jesus died to establish 2000 years ago it ceases to exist. I want to live in a world where the church has no more crutches, or buffers to guard her from injury. I want a church where a culture no longer protects her. Whenever the gospel enters an environment, it prevails.” “Its not about structures, strategies, programs or patterns. If you don't rediscover the apostolic, you'll die!”

I was reading in the newspaper this past week that the surgeon Dr. Monfore who performed my cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) is retiring. He is a very good surgeon and it will be a great loss for the local community. I wish the medical field could go back to the way it used to be. What i mean by this is that i wish there was a way we could spend more time with our patients and less time on paper work. Seems we spend a good majority of our time doing assessments and documentation and less and less time personally with each patient. But in this day and age of lawsuits this is what must be done i suppose.

Denise

Once you get to the jesus camp movie site click on the video tab at the top so you can see the trailer and what i mean


Denise

I found this site most disturbing showing children being taught basically how to hate anyone not believing in christ. Is this truly what we want to become, not me that is for sure. I find fundamentalism to be very scary we get very angry at muslim fundamentalist for doing this so i can't see why we would want to go down the same path. Do they really think that this will bring more people to christianity. I don't think so. Here is the web page you can go to I don't know when the movie will be released but it is coming soon.
Denise

http://www.jesuscampthemovie.com/

Just thought we would add this little pic of Darylene and Luke in the red zone at the Fresno state Bulldog-Oregon Duck game last weekend.Unfortunately we lost 31-24. The first pic is Darylene,Mallory and Luke same game.They really look like they are having fun.Don't you think?

I am presently reading a little book called"The Barbarian Way"by Erwin McManus.As I have just opened it only an hour or so ago I should most likely finish it before the evening is out.It is actually a thought provoking,insightful book that delves into" the giving of ones heart to the only One who can make you fully alive.To unleash the untamed faith within.To be consumed by the presence of a passionate and compassionate God.To go where He sends you,no matter what the cost".This is what McManus calls The Barbarian Way.
I went online and looked up a review on said book.There seems to a true divide on the author especially along the lines of age and even perhaps religious upbringing.Which brings me to prbably the main reason why I was turned off by the church years ago.It is sad when I read the absolute written in stone statements of some church leaders.In some of these reviews these critics have actually ripped Mcmanus apart for saying Christianity needs to change its approach to todays needs.How can one look around this world we live in and not see that the old steadfast laws of the church have actually driven millions away.

Here is an example;
It needs to be said, however, that all these things are already quite plainly spoken in the Bible. It has always been the fashion of the laid-back believer to get most of his spiritual sustenance from a popular “Christian” book, and these days of “cutting-edge” authors make that route all the easier and the more tempting. The fact is—and it is barely mentioned these days—as Christians we don’t need any other book to tell us of spiritual living. The Scriptures are complete in themselves, a living Word from the Living One.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (1Timothy 3:16-17). There is no book on the shelf that has the power to transform the life of everyone who takes its words to heart—except one. The Bible alone is God-breathed, living and active (Hebrews 4:12), and containing all that is necessary for anyone who wishes to be translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. No other book ever written can do that. While some other books can be good in their own way, helping to explain things certain aspects of the faith more clearly, the God of the Bible recognizes no addition to its pages. That addition, unfortunately, is what many books about the Bible have a tendency to do, and the net result is to render biblically illiterate the majority of their reading audience.

I mean ,come on,Lighten up for goodness sakes.This is the exact reason I cannot accept some of the old church"doctrine".Not to question,raise doubts?...to me as I just read in Rob Bells book,it is my God given right and yes purpose, to ask and question.
When I read young authors such as Rob Bell and Erwin McManus it gives some hope that perhaps the christian church as we know it is hopefully not stagnate and is willing to grow.I believe just as I must change,learn and grow then the church as well should be able to do the same.Of course there must be "the core belief",without which the basis of our worship would be lost.As I am at the very early stages of my coming over to Christ,even though my advanced age physically denies this,I am not foolish enough to delve deeper without sounding silly.But to deny objectivity and disallow new thoughts and inquiries seems almost communistic to me.I mean even politicians and politics change eventually.

I can hardly wait for Diana Krall's new cd to come out this month it is called from this moment on. And also there is another cd coming out this month called duet's an american classic it features Michael Buble, Tony Bennet and many others. I have listened to the sample music of Diana Krall's new cd it sounds very jazzy. All is well with us. Darylene goes to her first college football game tonight. I sure do miss having her here around the house. Travis is having fun this year in the 6th grade. Well gotta go...... Phone is ringing


Denise

here are a couple of lighter pics of the dinner last night.Perhaps you can see Darylene better in these.She is in the back row in the middle.

And today is Darylene's 18th birthday .Yesterday however was the day she moved into her dorm at Fresno State.Quite a busy and emotional day,especially for Denise and Darylene. Later that night after she moved in we went to the presidents scholars dinner.We had a wonderful time.The meal was very good.We had filet of salmon.However the weather at the dinner was HOT...over 100 degrees.Luke was very helpful for us all day long.He made the whole transition much easier for Darylene

 

I just received these pics of my sister Lisa,Her husband Rick and my two nephews Connor and Graedon.As you can see they got there pictures taken at Bear Mountain Resort in Victoria with the Stanley Cup.The man in the other picture is Ray Whitney,a member of the cup winning Carolina Hurricanes.The boys got their hockey sweaters autographed by him.I can bet they were pretty excited about this.I know I would be.Denise however, not truly understanding the Canadian fixation on hockey doesnt see the big deal about it.But she does think that for the boys it must be a real cool thing and she is happy for them.Personally I am jealous.Way to go boys!!!

 

Well here it is,only six days to go and Darylene will be off to Fresno State.Just about all her financing is in place and she has most everything she needs for her dorm.We will be celebrating her 18th birthday here at home on Sunday the 20th,even though her actual birthday is the 23rd. Of course she will be in Fresno then.As I think I have said before the 22nd will be a very busy day for both her and for us.First we have to go to Fresno before noon to pick up her laptop,then after 12 noon we are able to move her stuff into her dorm.Then after that is done we will drive back to Hanford to get ready for our smittcamp college dinner with the president of Fresno State at 5:30 pm.So we will have to drive back and forth to Fresno twice in one day.
Travis meanwhile will start school the day before Darylene leaves.The day we will be busy with her,he will be staying with Aunt Doris.This will be his final year of elementary school.Next year he will be in Junior high school.Hard to believe.
Denise continues to work very hard at her job.She is looking forward to having 3 weeks vacation next year.We still arent quite sure when that will be or even what we will be doing.
We have even discussed moving elsewhere.Whether it is just around town,somewhere else in the state or even elsewhere.Who knows??? We sure dont!
Denise also is reading a book that she says is very interesting.It is called "Velvet Elvis".Yes I know that name sounds odd,but in actual fact it is a book that makes you think and ask many questions towards god .It does help clarify things.At least for us it does.Our pastor recommended it.He also recommended a book called "the barbarian way"by Irwin McManus.It is book following his journey from an atheist to a follower of Jesus.I am looking forward to that one.We will order it from Amazon.

Hey everyone.........Denise here,,,,i just found this cool sight where you are the actual surgeon doing knee surgery.If you want to try it out just click on this web site.....http://www.freewebarcade.com/game/virtual-knee-surgery/

Just follow the directions,it is quite easy and fun.

ummmmmmmmm...here are the two pics that were missing from the previous post.The top one is James and the next one is Anna,Jimmy,Casey and Allison at Allison's christening .

Here are some great pictures of my grandchildren and Annas husband Jimmy.Pictures from top to bottom are:Rose(5),Casey(almost 7),Allison,(1),James(About eight weeks) and a picture of Jimmy and Anna at Rose's christening.They all live in Ste michel-des-sainte,Quebec.I talk to them at least twice a week .The kids are growing so fast.Rose speaks almost fluent quebecois and I am sure casey will soon as well.Rose wants to be a cowgirl.She loves anything pink or purple.


 

I have spent the past two days thinking about our church and what will become of it. In order to ease my mind I decided to look through my old photo albums. I found many,many pictures of people I remember from 10,20 and even 30 years ago . Then I came across this one. This is a photo of my capping as a nurse with my grandma. This is very special to me because it was my grandma that encouraged me to become a nurse. She had been in nursing for over fifty years. She also taught nursing as well at the nursing school. I can still remember her and grandpa taking me to church as a little girl.

After almost four years of dealing with government bureaucracy both here in the states as well as Canada,I have finally received my green card. Woohooooooo!I'm good now till 2016.I am thinking that in a few years I will apply for citizenship. However unless I can get dual citizenship I wont do it.
We received news today that our pastor would be leaving our church as of Oct.31. Needless to say this came as great shock to most of us. After much discussion in our home we realized that we all move along in this life and that the pastor is doing this both for our church as well as advancing his career. I have to say on a personnel level I will miss him and his family as they were my only connection down here in Hanford to anything Canadian. Darylene was quite upset but also saw that eventually we must all go through some changes in our lives, some painful,some not. Besides I told her that in this day and age it isn't like you couldn't keep contact with the pastor. I told that I was certainly going to and I can only hope the best for him and his family in the future.They are a wonderful group of people that have had a profound impact on me and my family.So once again"GOOD LUCK LLOYD,KATHY,LUKE,JONATHON AND ANDREW!!!" from Malcolm,Denise,Darylene and Travis.

We recently went to Disneyland with the kids for a couple of days.We had a great time with my sister Lisa,her husband Rick,and there two boys Connor(11) and Graedon(9).We have lots more pictures which I am sure we will eventually add more to this site.Travis had the time of his life and was sad when we had to leave.A trip for a longer stay is definately in the works for either next year or the year after.

Well it has been awhile since I (Denise) wrote my last blog. Last Thursday, our family helped my Uncle Ed and Aunt Sue from Nevada move into their new home. We enjoyed it actually because I got to see my cousin Michael and his kids whom i have not seen for some time since christmas.

Then just a few days ago, Malcolm's sister from Canada talked us into going to Disneyland for a couple of days next week. Travis and I are very excited about this. I am grateful to my work for giving me and extra day off to do this. We are going to stay in the same hotel as my sister in law and her family. Travis has never been to Disneyland which is one of the main reasons we decided to go. Me on the other hand can hardly wait to go on the Peter Pan ride. Malcolm makes fun of me for this. Darylene however is going to get to go to Disneyland three times in total this year. Am I ever Jealous i really love Disneyland.

Travis had a great day yesterday on his birthday. He got many presents which he loves. Travis has grown this summer quite a bit. Soon I will be the short one in the family.



Denise

And here is a pic of me and my brother in the background taking a pic as well. The two fingers over my head belong to Chad my brother in law. Real funny guy ha ha ha...... 

and another pic of the bbq 

More pics from the bbq 

Last Saturday we got to attend the Sportman's Club family BBQ. This is a pic of Darylene with my father. We had a very nice time, for lunch they served Raven's turkey or roast, salad, potato salad, and great tasting chili. Oh yeah and lots of hot dogs for Audrey. Travis won a 35mm camera. 

Darylene has finally graduated from High School. Now she will be off to College in a couple of months. We sure are proud of her. 

I asked God to take away my pride and God said, "No."He said it was not for Him to take it away, but for me to give it up.
I asked God to heal my disease and God said, No."He said, "Your spirit is whole, your body is only temporary.Through your afflictions you will learn to help others who also suffer."
I asked God to grant me patience and God said, "No."He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation.It isn't granted, it's earned.
I asked God to give me happiness and God said, "No."He said that He gives blessings, happiness is up to me.
I asked God to spare me pain and God said, "No."He said, "Suffering draws you apart from worldly caresand brings you closer to me."
I asked God to make my spirit grow and God said, "No."He said that I must grow on my own,but He will prune me to make me fruitful.
I asked God if He loved me and God said, "Yes."He said, "I gave my only Son who died for you.You will be in heaven someday because you believe."
I asked God to help me love others as much as He loves me and God said,"Ah...Finally you understand..."

a final update on Darylene's scholarships.We went to scholarship night on May 30th and to our pleasant surprise Darylene has received schoalrships totaling 42,900 dollars.It breaks down like this:
Smittcamp college(Fresno)-28,000
Thomsen family-10,000
central valley hospital auxiliary-1000
Hanford Lions club-1000
csf Hanford-200
Hanford high guidance-200
West Hills presidents scholarship-2500
Now the Smittcamp scholarship is divided at about 7000 each year for four years.The Thomsen scholarship is divided at 2500 for four years.And unfortunately now that Darylene is going to Fresno state she no longer qualifies for the West hills scholarship.But it is great that they considered her for it anyway.All in all quite an amazing achievement for her.

Well here we are,nearing the end of May and Darylene is finally finding out that all her work in school is paying off.Not only has she received the fantastic Smittcamp honors scholarship that pays for her tuition,dorm fees,a laptop and first choice of all the colleges events but now in the past week she has been told she has received a 2500 dollar award from the Thomsen Scholarship Fund and a 1000 dollar award from the local Lions club.These amounts will pay for her food and books for the year.Truly amazing!
As for myself?? Well as of two weeks ago that polyp is gone and the biopsy was benign.After doing my bloodwork last week the dr.wants me to some more tomorrow as he is a bit concerned about some thing.Oh yeah,when I went to the hospital I was weighed and it seems I had lost about 53 pounds.I figure as of today I have probably lost about 60 pounds altogether.Getting closer.About forty or fifty to go.

We have a very busy few weeks coming up with grad and stuff.The kids dad and his wife are coming for that week of grad.Darylene has an overnight trip to Disneyland on the 25th and a concert performance on the 26th and 27th.Our anniversary is on the 31st.Somewhere in the middle of all this we have to do some housecleaning.Now if only the temps don't stay at 101 like they did today.Whewwwwwwwww!

Okay........Well finally finally finished my last colonoscopy and all went well.The first sample came back "very benign".All looks good and I dont need another one done for five years.
My blood sugar seems to be better too.It hovers between 110 and 130 most days.My blood pressure is very much under control now at around 117/72 most days.
And finally after dieting for about three months I have lost about 53 pounds according to the scales at the hospital.I figure to lose about fifty more.This should take between three to five more months.
We went on tuesday with Darylene to Fresno state to register etc.It looks like she is really going to busy for the next four years.We just have to wait a bit more to see how much finacial aid will cover of the 2940 dollars needed for meals.The financial aid officer at FSU said it looks like it will cover between 2500 and 2600 dollars of it.If so she will be in good shape for her first year.

The Lord has answered our prayers this week on two issues. The first one is Malcolm's biopsy came back and the results are benign meaning there is no cancer. And the second one is Darylene got a scholarship for honors college. We are very excited and proud of her. It has been all she has talked about since junior high.

Okay...it has been awhile since the last blog.Just a little note to all that the senior prom has finally come and gone.We got some good pics of Darylene and Bradley.All went well and they had a wonderful time on saturday evening.They went to Fresno first for dinner before the prom.Now we just have grad to through,then voila!!!That will just leave Travis.....Of course darylene will be going to junior college for a couple of years,then hopefully on to Fresno State.She wants very much to be an audiologist/patholigist.

I am glad the kids have been out of school this week for spring break. I am looking forward to Easter Sunday. Hopefully the weather will be nice and sunny. Malcolm and I are going to look around for some flowers to plant. And hopefully we will be able to find a water fountain that I have always wanted. This year we decided not to cook ham for easter dinner this is a first for us. We decided to have something different this year due to Malcolm's sodium reduced diet. Malcolm has been losing wt. I would say about an average of 40 lbs. so far. Malcolm and I were walking before all this bad weather came. Hopefully soon we will have nicer weather and can start walking again. I must walk more than 10 miles a night at work but it is not good enough because it is not a constant steady pace walk to burn calories. Darylene yesterday got her learners permit to drive... And now the fun part begins. It is hard to believe she is this old already.

Denise

Hello again.........It has been almost three weeks since our last blog.Not a whole lot going on at the moment.I have lost about 30 pounds now.Many old clothes are stating to fit again and others are getting kind of baggy.I still have a long way to go though.My blood sugar is finally coming under control and my blood pressure is great.of course a low sodium,sugar free,fat free low calorie diet could be the reason.
Denise has been very busy at her job and it is starting to wear on her.After Darylene's graduation this summer,we are going to take off for awhile.We are going to just get in the car and go.We may search for new places to move.Who knows?We were thinking it may be nice to move north,perhaps Oregon,Idaho or Washington.
Darylene as I have said is getting near the end of her schooling.(not including college of course).Her dad and his new wife are coming out from Delaware for grad.His family has all left Hanford so Denise and I have offered a bedroom in our home for them to stay in for the week.I know for some this may seem odd but really it isn't a big problem for us.Besides he hasn't seen the kids in a long time.It is the least we could do.
I was invited over to the pastors house last week to watch my canucks play his family's favourite team"the oilers".That night my team barely won in a shootout.I really had a great time and thank them profusely for allowing me this enjoyment.I am not sure the canucks will make it to the playoffs however.They are very inconsistent this year.

okay................Enough blogs about my medical condition...Time to get on with the rest of life in general.Besides it is rather boring to read after a while.I finally convinced Denise(or at least I think I have) to switch over to online banking.I did it for years in Canada but she was always leary of it.Of course watching the news about hackers and stuff didn't help.I know after we have used it for a bit she will like it.
I have been watching my hockey team(Vancouver canucks) with interest since the Olympic break and all I can say is that it looks like they have gone into the tank.I mean they really look lost out there sometimes.Except for the Sedin twins and Anson Carter they don't have much confidence.They may not even make the playoffs this year.Perhaps it is time for a wholesale change from top to bottom.This means GM,coach...and a few big name players that have disappeared lately.
Denise and I are looking to buy a digital camera but we are afraid to buy a piece of garbage.it seems a lot of these cameras aren't what they are cracked up to be and we read online that you must be careful what you purchase.
Right now it is time to build and set up Travis's telescope.It is actually quite a nice one that we got him for xmas.It has been very cloudy here this winter so we havent been able to use it.This spring and summer however should be a great time for it though.Trav has a huge curiosity about space,as do i.If we do it right we are going to try to take pics thru it of the Moon,Mars,Venus etc.

hello.......again.........its been a while.It seems my blood sugar is starting to drop a bit.It hovers between 118 and 150 recently.Still need to get it to 100.Thats what the Dr. wants anyway.My blood pressure is doing great.It is basically averaging about 116/70.I reduced my lisonopril to 20 mg. a day and it seems to be working well.My diet has helped a lot.Low sodium,low sugar,low calorie and low fat all rolled into one.So far since February first I have lost about 23 pounds.Only a hundred or so to go....hahahaha.Denise has been a saint thru this so far.She supports all I am doing all the time.I do love her so much for that.
I have my colonoscopy appointment finally.It is on Saturday,April first.Not really looking forward to it,as I already know there is a polyp they must remove.I am just hoping they don't find out more.
Other than that there isn't too much going on.We have decided to take a few small trips during the summer this year,Perhaps to the coast,Disneyland,Yosemite,Universal studios and anywhere else we can think of.
Our money this year is spread thin so we have to stay fairly local,but that's ok.Maybe next year we will take another big trip across the states or up into Canada again.

well.............darylene finally got her answer from smittcamp.she didn't get the scholarship but she was put on an alternate list.Hopefully she may still get in.In the meantime I suppose it is time to consider all the other colleges on her list.Of course,money is a factor.She has applied for fafsa and should most likely get that.We will only have to come up with about a thousand dollars.Then she will have to apply for it again every year until she graduates.She wants very badly to get into the audiology field(hearing impaired).It is hard sometimes to watch her because she wanted very much to go to Fresno State,and it was plain to see that she was upset.It amazes me that someone with remarkable grades like hers didnt get accepted.The other thing with this system that has always bothered me is that they tell you to try hard and things will happen for you.I guess I disagree with that statement because I believe if you come from a well to do family with funds then you get to go wherever you want.Money is not an object for them.It bothers me when I hear the teachers at high school telling the kids not to worry about money for college.Not to worry??????where in heck do they think it comes from??????Are these people actually teachers??? counselors???or what????....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....makes me mad is all........I mean this girl has grades that are truly amazing.....4.08 gpa...........straight A's all through senior high school.........never missed a day of school as well......What exactly do they want from her?????sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.........
Oh well ,all we can do is try and get her applying to other colleges.....

OKAY.....As earlier stated I have started a diet.In fact this coming Monday,it will be four weeks old.I have not weighed myself in that time,but I am sure that I have lost some weight.Denise as well has reduced her meals and is walking with me each morning.My blood pressure has been improved greatly with medicine ,diet and exercise.My diabetes however is still high.I have been able to reduce the readings but not far enough for safety sakes,so each week I must monitor my blood sugar and increase my metformin by one pill.I take two a day now and my doctor has informed me that I may even go up six a day.He would like my numbers to be around 100.Right now they hover between 170-220.Four weeks ago the numbers were between 230-330.Finally,because of course I have turned 50(51 actually) I had to do a sigmoidoscopy.This is an inspection of the last two feet of the colon.They found a large polyp that they couldn't remove.It has to be done by a colonoscopy,of which I am still waiting for an appointment for.I have to admit I am a little worried.This is the way they find early cancer of the colon.The amazing thing is that none of this stuff would have even been found if I didn't get a small rash.......go figger.Amazingly though at this time I actually feel quite good......A little hungry ,but good.I pray that nothing more is found.......it worries Denise.She is absolutely wonderful for me and I don't know what I would have ever done without her.........Just in case you haven't heard it lately....."I LOVE YOU,PRINCESS!!!"

Well it has been almost a month since our last blog and much has happened on a personnel basis.About two weeks ago I(Malcolm( had a rash that wouldn't go away.Denise set up an appointment for me with our doctor at the Selma Kaiser office.When we got to our appointment my vitals had to be taken.This is where all the troubles were discovered.My Blood pressure was 170/116.The doctor upon seeing this was not allowed to just let me go.I had to take 50 mg of BP medicine and wait one hour.While waiting they made me take an ekg.Thank goodness after reading this ekg the doctor informed me there was no sign of heart disease and they were able drop my BP enough to let me go.However I was prescribed daily meds of lisonopril(10 mg) daily and I had to take my BP daily as well.I was also told to come back the next day to do a series of blood tests,which I did.All week long and into the next week I kept takin my BP which seemed to always stay in the 140/100 range.Much too high.You must realize that I had also started a sodium reduced diet as well as calorie and fat reduced one on the same day I was found with high blood pressure.Basically I ate nothing but vegetables for almost two weeks,to which I found out was not too bright to do.
Anyway,When going back to the doctor about my test results and BP concerns I was informed of something I basically knew deep down.He told me I have diabetes which I had ten years ago but was able to control over diet and exercise.However since being down here I have let my weight and diet go by the wayside.At this moment I will have to take glucophage daily,take my glucose readings twice aday,change my diet,exercise etc.When he saw my BP results he wasn't impressed and changed my dose by quadrupling it(40 Mg a day).
This last saturday was my first day on all the meds,the first day of Denise and me walking.About 1:00 pm that afternoon we were watching a movie on t.v. I had a terrible time focusing on the picture.It was actually fading from my view.Stupid me just sat there and waited for it to pass,which it did in about ten minutes.An hour later I informed denise on what happened.We took my BP had dropped to 87/57.Way too low!!!We called the clinic in Selma and it was decided that due to my not drinking enough water,wrong dietary choices,and a weeks worth of diarrhea caused me to extremely dehydrated.IWhen I diet I tend to go overboard and this time was no different.Also in case any one is interested Denise and I have switched decaf coffee for over two weeks now.What I an trying to say is that the two of us are going to be going thru a few changes this upcoming year.These changes will be for the betterment and quality of both our lives.One thing I can tell and say to anyone that doesn't believe me is"Just watch!!"This is one thing I can do,I am very stubborn when challenged.
there is more but poor typing skills slow me up.I will post more soon.

Here is an update on our favorite jazz artist Michael Buble... I sure would love to go see him in Las Vegas on the 14th of Feb. Malcolm had told me about Michael before he was popular. And now everyone seems to be getting on the Michael Buble band wagon. It sure would be nice if some jazz artists would come to Hanford..... We need in Hanford a nice cozy candlit dinner theatre where jazz artists could perform. Any way wishful thinking......

Denise

- Neilsen Soundscan reports that Michael Bublé's album was the top selling album in Canada by a Canadian artist in 2005 selling over 430,000 copies since its release in February 2005.- It's Time was the third best selling album overall behind only Green Day's American Idiot and Black-Eyed Peas' Monkey Business.- In the U.S. Billboard ranks It's Time as the Best Selling Jazz recording of 2005 and chooses Michael as the #1 Jazz Artist.- Michael's self-penned single " Home" reached #1 at Pop and AC radio in Canada and #1 at AC radio in the United States.- Michael has performed at sold-out headlining tours of four different continents.- In less than a year the album has sold over 4 million copies around the world and Michael has solidified his status as one of the world's great entertainers.- Michael's incredible year was topped when it was announced that It's Time was honored with a Grammy Award nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.2006 will be a busy year; On February 2 and 3 he returns to Canada for two nights headlining the Avalon Ballroom at Niagara Fall's Fallsview Casino.

This a little something for princess

Home - Michael Bublè
Another summer day
has come and gone away
In Paris or Rome
but I wanna go home
oh no
Maybe surrounded by
a million people
I still feel all alone just wanna go home
Oh I miss you you know
I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
and each one a line or two
I'm fine baby how are you
I would send them but I know that it's just not enough
My words were cold and flat
and you deserve more than that
Another aeroplane
another sunny place
I'm lucky I know
but i wanna go home
I've gotta go home
let me go home
I'm just too far from where you are
I wanna come home
And I feel just like I'm living someone elsès life
it's like i just stepped outside
when everything was going right
And I know just why you could not come along with me
this was not your dream
but you always believed in me
another winter day
has come and gone away
Either in Paris or Rome
and I wanna go home
let me go home
And I'm surrounded by
a million people, I
I still feel alone
let me go home
Oh i Miss you, you know
let me go home
I've had my run
And Baby I'm done
I've gotta go home
Let me go home
It'll all be alright
I'll be home tonight
I'm coming back home

love you neesy

Underdogs?????When it comes to hockey how can we possibly be underdogs????Gold again!!!!!!!

ta daaaaaaaaaaa....I think we made it back.We had to reformat our pc.First time I have done that for almost a year.We had a terrible time re-establishing our server link.Plus the fact it took almost two days to retrieve and download all of our favourite programs.we have most now but there still seems to be a few glitches I need to correct.For some reason this site kept saying we needed to type in our password and when I did it said it was wrong....NOT!!!!!Turns out I was right....hahahaha....