Unexpected Expenses

Doreen and I try to follow a budget pretty closely. For the most part we have done extremely well with a budget. In fact, at the end of the school year, we were right on schedule and even had a bit extra to stash away.

Well, this summer has shredded our budget with extra expenses here and there that has made things kinda tight lately.

We were talking about it the other night and listed them all out.

Check this list out...

Car - Broken Window
Refrigerator - Temperature Gague
Toe - Broken with a trip to the ER
Computer - Quit functioning
School Uniforms - A change in the policy had us having to by Natalie a whole new wardrobe.
Joelle & My Allergies and the weekly shots we have to receive!
Garage Door - Broken Motor had to be replaced
CO Trip - Emergency trip to be with my sick dad

All these things are important and the cost of all of them have added up.

We'll get out of the hole though, hopefully sooner than later though! :)

Slap Lesion & Surgery

This past January I fell on some ice while I was at work, twice. (Long Version of the story Here!)

I figured it was just sprained and hurt. So I saw the company PT and spent the next while working with him. Boy that helped and it got better, but never back to 100%. After one PT visit he tells me he thinks I have a Slap Lesion (tear) in the cartilage around the ball of my shoulder joint.

So I talk with the nurse and get an appointment scheduled. Sure enough, I have a slap lesion that is going to require surgery to get it repaired.

Oy vai! It's a pretty quick, outpatient surgery but requires lots of PT work afterwards. I'm going to be off driving a truck and unloading for the better part of 3 to 4 months. No sport for 5 months! Oh my word!

Well, here's some 'technical' details on what I've got.

Thanks for your prayers!

Slap Lesion
A SLAP tear stands for Superior Labrum, Anterior to Posterior. What this means is that the labrum is torn at the superior (top) of the glenoid. Typically, SLAP lesions are from about 10:00 – 2:00 if you were to visualize a clock face. The long head of the biceps tendon attaches in the glenoid as part of the labrum at roughly 12:00.

Symptoms of a SLAP Lesion
Generally, symptoms of a SLAP Lesion are subtle compared to those of instability. Pain with overhead activities, a ‘dead arm’ when throwing and occasionally some popping/clicking in the shoulder.

How does it occur?
One can develop a SLAP Lesion several ways. The most common is repetitive overhead arm motions with tension on the biceps or even a ‘peel back’ type mechanism. Falls on the outstretched arm can cause this injury as well.


Diagnosing SLAP Lesions
As with any injury, a thorough history and physical examination with x-ray is the first step. If it is felt necessary, an MRI may be ordered. It needs to be noted that in order for the MRI to be most effective as a diagnostic tool, contrast medium needs to be injected into the shoulder joint. In the MRI picture below, you see the shoulder if you were looking at it from the front. Inside the red circle, you will see where the labrum has “come off” the glenoid. The white that you see between the bone and the glenoid is that contrast medium. Dependant upon how many cuts (the individual pictures of those views on the MRI) that the superior labral tear is seen in, shows Dr. Lowe how much of the labrum is involved and how to best deal with the injury.

Surgical Intervention
If surgery is decided upon, these days the labral tear can be repaired through the arthroscope. First, the Dr will evaluate the shoulder while the patient is under anesthesia. Next he will look at all of the structures of the shoulder to asses the damage and how to best repair the injury. He will then proceed with the surgical repair of the superior labrum. This is usually accomplished arthroscopically using suture anchors. Suture Anchors are devices that are secured into the glenoid. They have sutures attached to them that allow the Dr. to secure the tissue back to bone.

Tear of superior labrum














Normal superior labrum.








Repair of superior labrum








Post-Op Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation following SLAP repair is just as important as the surgery itself. Typically following this procedure, the patient is in a sling with a wedge attached to keep the arm away from the side. This is to be worn at all times for the first month or longer following the procedure. Also following the surgery, the patient will begin formal physical therapy. Initially the therapy will consist of the therapist moving the shoulder for the patient. This is done to prevent the shoulder from becoming stiff, but done in such a way to protect the repair. After the appropriate period of time, the patient will then be allowed to come out of the sling and slowly begin doing more active work with the shoulder. Return to activities such as throwing and lifting weights is determined by the Dr. on a patient to patient basis.

Doesn't this all sound F U N? :)

OY VAI!!!

Rockets and Frisbees

Our friends, the Gallaghers, gave Joelle a couple of model rockets for her birthday. She quickly put them together and then they hung around in her room for a couple of months.

So one afternoon, we went out and decided to shoot them off, something I'd not done in literally decades!!!






It took us a few minutes to get it set up properly and get everything figured out, but once we did - whoosh! 6 times we shot those rockets up. (3 times for each rocket.)
















Man, that was so much fun. We're gonna get a couple more rockets and more engines and do it again soon!














After we finished with the rockets, we put them away and got out some frisbees and took part in an activity that was a first for all four of us, Frisbee Golf. It was fun. None of us did very well, but just being together, outside, walking around and chasing little frisbees together was a blast!!!

Eisenhower Interstate System

I heard a podcast the other night that absolutely fascinated me. It's about the Eisenhower Interstate system.

Check out these numbers...

It is over 47,000 miles long!

The single longest section is I-90 from Boston, MA to Seattle, WA

The most used section is I-405 in California. Over 300,000 vehicles use it regularly!

The last section built was in 1992, I-70 through Glenwood Canyon in Colorado.

One of the widest sections is in Atlanta, GA at one point it has over 15 lanes.

Wow.

The really interesting part for us is that Doreen and I have been on all those different sections and probably traveled over most of the interestate system at one time or another.

Just some useless info for you day! :)

America's Pastime - Baseball!!

It was time for the girls to experience America's Pastime - a real baseball game. We took them, with a bunch of friends, to the Chattanooga Lookouts. They're the AA farm team for the LA Dodgers.









The kids LOVED seeing the mascots, Looie, the taller Red Lookout and Blooie, the kid sized Blue Lookout! Oh my word, the LOVED Blooie and would holler every time they saw him.

Finally he walked around the concourse once, and the kids and I went down for a Photo OP! Oh my goodness, they were SO excited and couldn't stop talking about Blooie after we got back to our seats!










Of course we got some popcorn, peanuts and nachos while we were there. The whole thing is EXTREMELY reasonably priced and actually a lot of fun! We'll have to go to more games next season!









The Lookouts lost the game that night, but fun was had by all!!!

Home Camping

This summer, we had a cool streak of weather come through for about two weeks. It was SO very nice.

Doreen had the great idea to let the girls 'Camp Out at Home.' (I was gone on one of my trips for work, or I probably would have joined them!

They put the whole tent up together, completely by themselves. (With a little guidance from Doreen.)








That night they got pillows, sleeping bags and flashlights and went to sleep out there. Awwwww!

My little girls are getting so big!!!

Tye Dyed

The girls wanted to try their hands at Tye Dying some T-shirts this summer, so I found a kit on sale at a store and got us some shirts and away we went.











Of course we covered everything around so dye wouldn't get on anything else in the kitchen, including the cloths the girls were wearing before we started. It was really a lot of fun!














Here's the three of us wearing our finished products! The girls did great that their shirts look cute. Of course, for some reason, I've got a 'bulls-eye' target right on my big belly! Waaa ha, ha, ha!)

River Boating

This summer we took the girls for a ride on the Southern Belle Riverboat. (This is the same boat we rode for our 15th anniversary a year ago.) They wanted to go so bad, so our friends, the Ashmores, got a deal on tickets and we all went together.






The Pesters posing outside the captains wheelhouse overlooking the river.










Everyone sitting on the bench behind the captain in the wheelhouse while he described to us how the boat operates. Very cool!

It was a nice, NICE trip! Then we ate at the Ghengis Grill afterwards. YUMMY!!!

Space Cadets in Huntsville Alabama

This summer we took a trip with a bunch of friends to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL. That is a very COOL museum!

Lots of awesome space stuff to see and to and experience.












We're standing next to a model of a Saturn V rocket ship. The cool thing is they have a WHOLE building with a life size Saturn V rocket ship. You can see everything about it! AWESOME!








We had a delicious lunch in the shadow of one of the rockets standing outside the museum.










They have a couple of rides there, that come with your entrance fee. Oh we had fun riding this one multiple times! :)









Of course, for fun 5 adult guys squeezed into one of the space capsules for this photo op... (L to R, Tracy, me, Aaron)









... and they had to come get us out with a can opener! Waa aha, ha, ha!!! It was a very cool day! (L to R - Aaron, Bruce, Shannon)

Swimming Chickens

We didn't do as much swimming this year as we did last summer. That was due to schedules and Doreen's broken toe and just so much other stuff going on.

When we did though, we loved it! The girls had a lot of fun doing this kinda stuff.




Aren't they just so CUTE?!!!!

Middle Earth

One Sabbath afternoon we were trying to decide what to do when the girls reminded us it was the 1st Sabbath of the month and Southern's cave was open to explore. So we changed and headed on over and crawled in. (Doreen didn't go cuz that was right after she broke her toe. She and a friend waited in the park talking and reading their books.)





The girls were super adventurous this time going ALL over the place checking out all the cracks and crevices.

















That water the girls are walking over on the board is deep, up to my chest level deep. And cold!! Burrrr!!! (I didn't go that deep, but waded in up to my knees.)
















We came out a lot dirtier than we went in. (Bruce G, a friend went with us!)
We all had a ball!!!

Broken Toe Update

Doreen's toe has healed nicely, the Dr says. But I just wanted to post a pic of the X-ray of her broken pinkie toe. OUCH! : )

Riverbend

Every year Chattanooga holds a two week party called Riverbend. They bring in all sorts of musicial artists and booths and everything you can think of to have a HUGE block party!

One of the nights is Family night, where they don't sell any 'adult beverages.'

So we decideded to take the girls, for three reasons. #1 - We'd never been before and wanted to experience it. #2 - Stephen Curtis Chapman was performing and we really enjoy his music. #3 - We got in free through work! Can't be any better than that!



Here's our view of the stage and screen. It was a very nice night, once the sun went down, to enjoy the music!







Ran into our good friends, the Ashmores, while we were wandering around there before the concert.












The girls got to play on the playground for a bit, and Joelle loved this spinny thing!

















Isn't Natalie cute in her baloon hat? :)



















I bought the girls a couple of 'spritzer' fans and they were having a spritzer war here! They both won cuz they cooled each other down! :)

A Tale of Two Little Leaguers

I started reading Rick Reilly years ago when I was subscribed to Sports Illustrated. He is an awesome author and has a very unique way of looking at and writing about the sports world and sometimes life in general!

Then my subscription ran out and occassionally I could get his work online. Recently he moved to work for ESPN and they post all his stuff online and I've been thoroughly enjoying his work, regularly, once again!

It truly bothers me when people are so selfish and thoughtless! Rick Reilly just posted an article about some people who embody this and no thoughts of anything else but themselves!

In this article though, he juxtaposes them to a young man who is someone who is truly classy!

I wanted to share this article from Rick Reilly and ESPN the Magazine! Enjoy!

--SP

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If you're looking for a way to kill Little League, you should call a woman named Jean Gonzalez of Staten Island, N.Y. I think she's found it.

A little more than five years ago her 12-year-old son, Martin, got a hit and the first-base coach waved him on to second. The problem was, Martin did not generally get many doubles. In fact, he'd never slid in a game before. So when he got to second, he slid clumsily, wrenching his knee, ripping his ACL and tearing his meniscus.

So what did his mom do?

She sued.

She sued the manager. She sued the first-base coach. She sued the local Little League. She sued Little League Baseball, Incorporated. She sued everybody but the kid who cuts the outfield.

She said the manager -- Leigh Bernstein -- hadn't taught Martin the proper way to slide. (The coach said he had.) She said the local Little League had the wrong kind of bases -- Soft Touch detachable bases. (But the bases were on Little League's approved list of bases. They detach when you hit them with too much force.) She said it was everybody's fault but Martin's.

And just over two weeks ago, she settled for $125,000.

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If you're looking for a way to feel good in this whacked world, you should call the Millers of Fullerton, Calif. I think they've found it.

Pamela Miller and her husband, Rolf, are the parents of Dieter, 12. This year, Dieter, a catcher, played in the first scrimmage of the season. While trying to tag a runner at home, he broke his arm. He was out of action for all but the end of the season.

And what did his parents do?

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This is just an opinion, but I think it would be wonderful if people like Jean Gonzalez and her attorney were tied to the next shuttle and fired into space.

Here's a coach who is volunteering his time to teach kids the dying game of baseball and what does he get for his trouble? A lawsuit hanging over his head for five years.

Here's the local Little League -- New Springville -- trying to do something fun for the kids, at zero profit and thousands of migraines, and what does it get for its efforts? A lawyer of its own and a tugboat of paperwork.

What if little Martin had been beaned? Would his mom have sued the kid who pitched it? The stitcher of the ball? Abner Doubleday?

I called Ms. Gonzalez but she never called back. I called her attorney, Alan Glassman, of Brooklyn. He had to put me on hold a lot. "Parents keep calling wanting me to represent their kid," he said.

Imagine that.

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So what did the Millers do when Dieter was hurt? They spoke with his coach, Tony Mannara, and asked "Is there anything Dieter can do to stay close with the team?"

Mannara thought about it and answered, "Well, he could keep score."

So Dieter went to scorekeeper's school and learned how. He showed up an hour early for every game this year -- in uniform -- and kept score, kept the pitch count and cheered his cast off. Heck, he even came to practices.

"I'd like to have my own Little League team someday," he says.

As of press time, his parents had no plans to sue.

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What is Little League supposed to do? It's already eliminated the on-deck circle for safety reasons. Maybe it should just eliminate the bases altogether? Hey, that was a pretty good hit. Ghost runner on second.

Coach Bernstein played Martin that day because Martin went out for the team. So what's the coach supposed to do, keep the kid on the bench all year? Ms. Gonzalez probably would've sued for that, too. Emotional cruelty, perhaps.

Anyway, it's finally over. Martin is 17 now and in high school. If you're his principal you better have F. Lee Bailey on retainer.

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And what did the Miller family get for being cool? What did Dieter get for not sulking, quitting, or detaching like a pop-up base?

He won The Little League Good Sport Award.

He and his family will soon take an all-expenses-paid trip to Williamsport, Pa. for next week's Little League World Series, where he'll be honored as the kid who found a way to keep helping the team even though he couldn't step on the field.

"Big D is a stand-up young man," Coach Mannara says. "He's a fan favorite, a kid you'd never hear a bad word about. He embodies the true spirit of Little League."

No, it's not $125,000.

It's better.

This IS My Father's World!!!

Just recently at church we sang the hymn, This is My Father's World.

I've sung this song for years and always liked it, but as we were singing, the words really jumped out at me.

The last verse especially struck home.

Thought I'd share the words here and hope you are as blessed as I was!

This is my Father's world,
and to my listening ears
all nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world:
I rest me in the thought
of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise.
This is my Father's world:
he shines in all that's fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
that though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet. (AMEN TO THAT RIGHT THERE!!!!)
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!

16 Years

As of July 18, Doreen and I have been married 16 years. Wow! Time has just buzzed by! Just seemed like we started dating a couple of months ago, and now look we've been married 16 years, have two kids 6 & 8. Amazing!

I truly have been blessed!!!

Summer Softball

A couple of months ago two guys in our church asked some of the men if they'd be interested in playing in the Collegedale Summer Adult Softball league. "Absolutely," was my reply!

So for the last few weeks, on Monday's and Tuesday's (with rainout games played on Thursday's) I've had a chance to do something I haven't done since Academy, play real softball on a real team!




Of course I've got 20 years of 'softball' rust I'm trying to whittle away at. Slowly and surely my game is starting to improve. It's been fun. I've pitched, played 3rd and tonight I played left center! Made 3 good catches and missed two, one of which I should have caught!






We've got real team shirts and caps. I'm #10. Our team hasn't won a game yet, as of tonight we're 0 for 8, but I don't care. I'm just trying to do the best I can.

Goo Ooltewah SDA Church Team, or better known as the Ooltewah Old Boys!!!

Summer Camp

In June, Joelle got to spend a week at Cohutta Springs Camp. She had been looking forward to it since we told her a couple of years ago she could go when she turned 8. This was the summer she got to go.

Here she is with her counselor Eden.












It worked out that she got to go with two friends, Bethany and Savannah. They all had a blast!!!











We got there a little later on check-in day, so Joelle ended up with a bottom bunk, but she was alright with that. It was something to have her gone for a week, but she got to experience so many things. She bubbled about it for a couple of weeks after she got home. We'd be sitting at a meal and she'd say, "at camp.." and proceed to tell a story. Cute!












They caught a pic of her riding a bike one day at camp. She got to ride a pony and swim and jump on the blob and so much more!


We did some special things with Natalie while Joelle was gone. In fact, right after dropping the kids off, we went with some friend to Dairy Queen. Natalie was stoked about that. Finally put a smile back on her face. She wasn't too happy about not being able to go this year. We went to Chuck e Cheese one day, and swimming another and Doreen and Natalie had a girls lunch out and a movie afterwards. (Night at the Museum 2)

All in all it was a good experience for both girls! :)

Progress Reports

In my efforts to catch up on my blogs, I'm getting our desk cleaned off! Cool! :)

In a pile on the desk I found the last report cards from last school year when Joelle finished 2nd grade and Natalie finished Kindergarten.

(I find these as they prepare to start school next week!) **GRIN**

Both girls are performing the skills they needed to complete each grade. That's cool.

Mrs R wrote of Joelle at the end of the year, "Joelle is ready for 3rd grade. I have really enjoyed being her teacher for two years."

Mrs P wrote on Natalie's report card, "Natalie has demonstrated high level Kindergarten skills. She is a quality student."

Now they're getting ready to start grades 1 & 3, I'm praying they continue with these positive trends in school!

SO Far Behind

My oh my, oh my!

I just looked a the list of items that I need to be blogging about and realized I am so incredibly far behind!

Part of it is, I just haven't felt too inspired to write much lately. Don't know if it's the new work schedule, or cuz I kill too much time on Facebook or I've just been too lazy to do it and just procrastinated.

All I know is that I have been really, REALLY bad and not keeping up with it all! :(

I will try to do better - hopefully!

Part of the problem I know has been our computer.

Lately, I've been getting a 'not enough memory' error flashing up on my screen.

Turns out when I bought this computer, in 2002 it had an 80 gig hard drive partitioned into two different sections. C drive, 13 gig, held the operating system and all the programs and D drive, was just memory.

All my programs and the 'growth' of the operating system due to updates took that 13 gig all up and finally left me with 11k of memory. That ain't much.

So I got so frustrated we took the computer to a 'hospital' and our friend put in a much larger hard-drive for the OS & programming and the 'old' drive is now just for storage of pics, music and documents.

Ahhhh - plenty of space now do to be able to update my page here at regular speeds!

I'll try to do better updating! :)