Monday, August 31, 2009

Busy weekend . . .

Had a busy weekend.  Up to Green Bay on Friday and then back home on Saturday.  Sunday worked at Dr. Wood’s on a rock concert and food 083109_001drive.  That’s the weekend in a nutshell.  ■  Friday night in Green Bay we did a fish fry with bay perch.  These were fish caught out of Green Bay that day.  Delicious.  And I probably ate too many, but boy were they good.  Holly brought back 5 lbs that we’ll cook – probably this Friday night.  Mmmm . . . . . . . .  ■  I’ve got a doctor’s appointment tomorrow to follow-up on my last gout attack.  It’s almost 100%, but I still have some tenderness in my foot.  ■  Time for bed.  I’m tired. 

Friday, August 28, 2009

My press release makes it in the paper!

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I can hardly believe it, but my press release made it in our local paper this week!  Monday morning my boss called and asked me to open the store and to see if I couldn’t get something in our local paper about the open house and fundraiser that the store is having this Sunday.  Lo and behold – it made it.  Unbelievable!   ■  Got lots to do tomorrow (actually today as it’s past midnight) – including smoking salmon.  I’m getting tired of smoking salmon.  I’ve got to fire up the smoker by 9:00 am.  ■  I ordered 2 stools on Monday from GHS Strings – they make nice stools.  They arrived Wednesday, or Thursday at the store and I took them home tonight.  They’re nice, sturdy stools and I think they’ll last forever – or at least as long as I’ll need them.  They’re great for sitting on to play guitar.  ■  Time for bed . . . . . night.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Almost finished . . . . .

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I’m 99% done with a drawing for a friend.  I think it’s of his parent’s home in Iowa.  I’ll put finishing touches on it tonight, then get copies made tomorrow and then frame it.  ■  This is, I think, the 4th drawing I’ve done of homes in Iowa.  Actually two of the drawings were of churches, not homes.  ■  Sunday the store I work at is having an open house with bands.  My boss called me last night to have me fill in the slide work on “One Way Out” for one of the bands.  My band plays the song, but not a note-for-note version.  I think I’ve got to learn the note-for-note version – especially the arrangement.  I better burn a CD to listen to.  ■ 

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Drawing . . . etc. . . . . .

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I’ve been working hard on a drawing that absolutely needs to be done by Thursday.  The drawing is of a home in, I think, the same town that “Radar O’Reilly” was from – but I’m not positive.  Always nice to have some doubt thrown in.  ■  In addition to drawing I finally got the lawn cut today.  Now I desperately need to get the bushes in the front of the house trimmed.  The last time I started to trim I cut my 100’ extension cord.  Not good.  ■  Upcoming schedule:  I need to finish the drawing; get copies made; get my hair cut; buy, brine, and smoke some salmon.  ■  Lots to do . . . . . .

Monday, August 24, 2009

Busy weekend and busy week ahead . . .

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Had 2 gigs this weekend.  The first was an annual
“Farm Party”.  It’s a pig and corn roast and the food (as well as the music) is delicious!  They set us up on a flatbed with a couple of large bales of hay in front and we play until about 1:00 am.  Lots of fun.  (That’s our stage in the picture.)  ■  The 2nd gig was at JR’s Broken Inn.  We like playing there.  It’s close and the folks are nice.  At any rate, I’m tired from two gigs in one weekend.  I used to hold up much better a few years ago.  ■  My gout has gradually improved, but still has a way to go.  I was so hoping that it would be gone by now.   ■  A busy week coming up.  One drawing to deliver tomorrow morning and another to get done by Thursday! 

Friday, August 21, 2009

A quick post . . .

Spent a lot of time between doctor’s offices trying to get my gout fixed.  Special thanks to my doc and his staff for their great help.  They’re precious.  ■  Long-story-short – I’m on the mend with the gout.  I can walk pretty much normally again.  Still have a little pain in my right foot, but it’s getting better.  ■  Bullfrog has 2 gigs this weekend.  First a private party on Saturday and then JR’s Broken Inn on Sunday.  I’m looking forward to both of them.  ■  Time for bed.  Night. ■

Thursday, August 20, 2009

It’s Thursday already?

It’s 2:00 am and the pain in my feet woke me up.  My right foot is swollen and is throbbing.  I’ve taken one of the pain pills to see if it works.  ■  Now I’m just waiting to get tired again, so I can crawl back in bed.  ■  11:25 am – Got back to sleep – finally.  Got up about 6:30 am, took a shower, and waited until 8:15 am when I drove to the doctor’s office.  I told them that I had gout and that my rheumatologist wanted me to visit their office and have fluid drawn from the infected gouty joints.  Back out to the car and drove to the rheumatologist’s office.  From car to office building; to elevator to 2nd floor to his office.  The nurse at the front desk said “uh, oh.  He’s only in this office on Tuesdays.”  I guess I have to schedule my gout attacks.  Anyway, back to the car in the parking lot; back to my doc’s office;  blah, blah, blah.  I’ve got an appointment for 3:00 pm this afternoon.  My right foot, ankle, and calf are seriously aching from all the walking.  I’ve spent the last hour+ in bed taking the weight off the foot – and it still aches.  ■  

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

My foot has failed me . . . . .

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My right foot feels so bloated (and it is) that it’s throbbing.  It feels like it’s going to bust.  ■  My doctor is off tomorrow (Wednesday).  Somehow I’ve got to plow thru tomorrow and try and see him Thursday morning.  Man does it ache.  ■  We’ve got two gigs this weekend, so I’ve got to get this fixed.  I can’t imagine standing for 4 hours . . . . . ■ 

Feet . . . don’t fail me now!

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I think you can see how swollen my right foot is in this picture.  It’s swollen and painful.  I’ve had a bag of ice on it for the last 20 minutes.  That should help to bring the swelling down.  I called the doctor’s office for an appointment, but am wait for a call back.  ■  In the meantime I’ve updated a couple of the websites I take care of; sent out a Chili Fest email; and started work on a new drawing.  I do need to cut the grass today.  It’s been quite awhile since I’ve done that and it needs it.  In a few minutes I see how the foot is doing and see if I can’t get on the lawnmower with it.  ■  3:55 pm – I finished cutting the lawn.  My right foot is throbbing from having to push down on the gas pedal.  ■  Got a call back from the doctor’s office.  I have an appointment for 2 weeks from today.  I guess curing this gout attack will just have to wait. 

Friday, August 14, 2009

Drawing old homes you love . . . . .

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I know this picture isn’t great – it’s actually off a screen capture from Google maps – but it’s my grandparent’s (my mother’s side) home in Evanston.  There are a ton of good, old memories of mine of the home.  It wasn’t big.  Only 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.  The garage was off the alley in the back.  It had a small, homey kitchen, a living room/dining room and a sun porch off of the dining room.  The yard was small, but it was full of butterflies.  Beautiful monarchs as well as other species.  We’d catch the butterflies with our fingers and then let them go.  I have many happy memories of that house.  ■  The arthritis is still going on in my left foot.  The right foot is pretty good, except my right toe has been giving me pain today.  I hope it’s not gout.  ■  Tomorrow I have to do some drawing, cut the grass, and then a gig at night.  ■  Bedtime. 

New band posters . . . better than arthritis!

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I’ve been fooling around with making better posters for our band.  While I didn’t do the torn-edge thing on the current batch, it will be an option in the future.  Also, I’ve put a pen and ink drawing of the venue that we’re playing on the poster itself.  I thought the owners might like it and maybe it would give us some more business.  We’ll see.  ■  The band has a gig this weekend up in Powers Lake, Wisconsin.  I’m looking forward to it.  ■  The arthritic attack on my feet is better.  I’m still limping, but I’m seeing some improvement.  ■ 

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

What are symptoms of arthritis?

Heck, I didn’t know, but the doctor examined me and said that’s what I had – not gout.  It makes sense, because the pain wasn’t in my joints.  So now I have arthritis and gout.  Wonderful.  I’m getting around on 2 canes – sort of . . . . . this morning the only way I could get downstairs was by sliding on my posterior.  I love getting older . . . well, it’s better and the alternative! 

4:00 am and I can hardly walk.

I had a little gout in my right foot on Monday.  Not too bad.  Yesterday it got a little worse.  This morning it’s pretty bad.  I’m having a difficult time walking.  I’m using 2 canes, but not only is each step painful, but it’s just plain pain sitting here at the keyboard.  Wednesday, unfortunately, is my doctor’s day away from the office.  Bummer.  How am I going to get downstairs to feed the dogs?  I’d better start now.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Reunion and work . . . . .

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Our college reunion this weekend was fun.  Some of us hadn’t seen each other since the last one five years ago.  ■  Top left:  Bob my very first roommate.  Top right:  Ralph – my roommate during my 2nd year at college.  Bottom left:  The gang from Point.  Bottom right:  The girls from Point.  ■  We were missing several of the guys from the last reunion.  For some it was just too far to travel.  For others the timing just didn’t work out.  ■  Work:  got called to open the store today as our manager was ill.  It's been a long day.  Nine hours working.  On the bright side I did sign up 2 new lessons and sold a guitar and amp.  ■  Tomorrow I have a meeting with a financial advisor and a Kalo Foundation board meeting.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to make the board meeting.  Holly’s up in Wisconsin visiting her sister and taking her to an eye specialist as something is apparently going wrong with her vision.  We’re all anxious to find out if there’s something that can be corrected, or if it’s going to get worse.  ■ 

Sunday, August 9, 2009

College reunion . . . . . .

It was great.  I’d write more and put a couple of pictures up, but it’s time for bed.  ‘Night. 

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Old picture portending future events . . . . .

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This will be Chili Fest XVI – sixteen years (17 unofficially) of Chili Fest.  That’s 16 years of chili, cold beer, and great live music.  The picture here shows the aftermath of one of the Chili Fests.  Can’t wait for this year’s fest.  It should be another great time.  ■  Got a lot done today including posters made for the next 2 gigs.  I’ll drop one set off tomorrow and the next set on Sunday.  ■  But this weekend it’s Point reunion time.  Can’t wait.  I’ll do some blog posts from the reunion.  ■  Time for bed.  ‘Night.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Upcoming college reunion . . . .

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Our group from college (Stevens Point Wisconsin) is having a reunion this coming weekend.  We had the last one 5 years ago and it’s time for another one.  ■  The picture on the left is of the t-shirt that Holly and I did with everyone’s picture on it – from the 60s, of course.  ■  Unfortunately not everyone that made it last time can make it for this reunion.  It’ll be good to see those that will be there.  ■ 

Monday, August 3, 2009

JR’s Broken Inn . . . . a drawing for me!

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JR’s Broken Inn is one of the places that Bullfrog plays.  It’s got a real interesting old west look to it – as you can see in the pen and ink.  JR did a good job designing it.  ■  Went to the annual Bullfrog Family & Friends party yesterday.  A lot of fun and a lot of good food.  How am I ever going to lose weight?  ■  My ankles have been hurting for the past few weeks.  Yesterday I think I found the “why” for it.  My lipitor dosage was doubles a few weeks ago.  I know lipitor can cause problems like that.  So last night I took 1/2 of the dose and today my ankles aren’t quite as sore.  Yesterday it felt like my right ankle was ready to break.  I guess I should call the doc about that.  ■

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Where in the world am I?

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Every once in awhile I have to check to see where my readers are from.  As you can see they’re from all over the world.  Pretty cool, huh?  ■  It’s been a cool summer.  It’s August 1st and it’s 59 degrees right now.  Not very hot for August.  In fact this is the coolest summer that I can remember.  ■  The Bullfrog Band party was moved from today to tomorrow (Sunday) ‘cause of rain.  And it did rain heavily today.  ■  More tomorrow – I promise – but it’s time for bed right now.  ■■■■■