Testing the ability to blog from Flickr. Here's a peacock pic from Mark's and my trip to the Zoo in May.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Yesterday, my parents and I went to visit Aunt Rita for her birthday. She was still in the hospital, but as of yesterday morning, she was slated to be transferred yesterday afternoon to a nearby inpatient rehab facility to start PT.
When my parents and I arrived, the status of the transfer was that we were awaiting the doctor's official order on paper before the transfer would go through. Transport was on standby.
Later on, the social worker came in -- the same person who Maryann and I met last Thursday -- and told us that the doctor's order had not come through, so she had cancelled the transport and the transfer was rescheduled for Tuesday (today).
Good thing that Aunt Rita placed a dinner order with the lady from Dietary, when she came in. She originally hadn't wanted to, on the premise that she didn't expect to still be in the hospital room by dinnertime.
However, last NIGHT, what did the hospital do? Transfer Aunt Rita to the new facility. Sigh. The good news is, the place is right near the hospital so it's not particularly far from home for her. It also comes highly recommended, per some people we talked to yesterday (including the chaplain) who are familiar with the facility. Hey, as long as they have a proper PT program and can get Aunt Rita back on her feet, literally and figuratively, I'm in favor of them.
I am, btw, still concerned about the way Aunt Rita's blood sugar seems to fluctuate. It's one thing for her numbers to be all over the place when she is on her own at home, because there were times when she wasn't eating on the most regular schedule (especially during the past few weeks when the back pain was particularly bad). However, when she's IN THE HOSPITAL, eating only "legal" foods in recommended portion sizes on a regular schedule, I expect to see blood sugar numbers that reflect those facts. Unfortunately, during all three of my visits, the numbers were fluctuating and some of them were higher than they should have been. My gut instinct is to start asking if the insulin dosages need some adjustment.
On the other hand, being in the hospital and spending the vast majority of her time in bed or in a chair is not exactly the way to burn off the calories/use up the carbs one is eating. Perhaps once she's getting PT and her activity level increases, we'll see those changes reflected in the blood sugar numbers. But for what it's worth, if the blood sugar is still high, it's time to start analyzing whether the doses need a tweak.
I hope she likes the rehab place. If it's as nice as the one my mother-in-law was in about a year and a half ago, I'll be very pleased.
I'll be figuring out what's up between the various Philly-based family members so we can determine when the next visit will be.
When my parents and I arrived, the status of the transfer was that we were awaiting the doctor's official order on paper before the transfer would go through. Transport was on standby.
Later on, the social worker came in -- the same person who Maryann and I met last Thursday -- and told us that the doctor's order had not come through, so she had cancelled the transport and the transfer was rescheduled for Tuesday (today).
Good thing that Aunt Rita placed a dinner order with the lady from Dietary, when she came in. She originally hadn't wanted to, on the premise that she didn't expect to still be in the hospital room by dinnertime.
However, last NIGHT, what did the hospital do? Transfer Aunt Rita to the new facility. Sigh. The good news is, the place is right near the hospital so it's not particularly far from home for her. It also comes highly recommended, per some people we talked to yesterday (including the chaplain) who are familiar with the facility. Hey, as long as they have a proper PT program and can get Aunt Rita back on her feet, literally and figuratively, I'm in favor of them.
I am, btw, still concerned about the way Aunt Rita's blood sugar seems to fluctuate. It's one thing for her numbers to be all over the place when she is on her own at home, because there were times when she wasn't eating on the most regular schedule (especially during the past few weeks when the back pain was particularly bad). However, when she's IN THE HOSPITAL, eating only "legal" foods in recommended portion sizes on a regular schedule, I expect to see blood sugar numbers that reflect those facts. Unfortunately, during all three of my visits, the numbers were fluctuating and some of them were higher than they should have been. My gut instinct is to start asking if the insulin dosages need some adjustment.
On the other hand, being in the hospital and spending the vast majority of her time in bed or in a chair is not exactly the way to burn off the calories/use up the carbs one is eating. Perhaps once she's getting PT and her activity level increases, we'll see those changes reflected in the blood sugar numbers. But for what it's worth, if the blood sugar is still high, it's time to start analyzing whether the doses need a tweak.
I hope she likes the rehab place. If it's as nice as the one my mother-in-law was in about a year and a half ago, I'll be very pleased.
I'll be figuring out what's up between the various Philly-based family members so we can determine when the next visit will be.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Maryann and I headed out to see Aunt Rita in the hospital today. Maryann picked me up at 6 AM, in anticipation of driving an hour to Pomona so we could arrive in plenty of time for the MRI that was slated for 8 AM.
Of course, Hospital Standard Time is something else again. When we arrived, we found out that the MRI was actually scheduled for 3 PM.
But Maryann, who is a nurse, was able to go into the MRI room with Aunt Rita, who had some claustrophobia issues the last time she had to get MRIs done. They gave her a mild sedative to help take the edge off the anxiety, and she came through the testing like a trouper. I am SO RELIEVED that she's had the MRI and they're able to start acting on the results with things like physical therapy exercises.
Meanwhile, in the Outside World, we were hit with a string of sad headlines today. First of all, I noticed at the crack of dawn this morning that popular Philly radio talk show host Irv Homer had passed away. :( Then, during the course of the day I started seeing "Breaking News" text messages coming in from CNN. First was the report that Farrah Fawcett had died. Then came the mind-boggling news, late in the afternoon, that Michael Jackson had been rushed to the hospital in a state of cardiac arrest(!). Not long afterward, another text from CNN reported that Michael Jackson was in a coma. We left for home a little while later, and by the time I got home the news had started to break that Michael Jackson had died. What the HECK? He was only 50 years old. What an unexpected shame. :( RIP to all these people.
I'm on the verge of keeling over, as I had only a tiny amount of sleep last night, so I will post this now.
Of course, Hospital Standard Time is something else again. When we arrived, we found out that the MRI was actually scheduled for 3 PM.
But Maryann, who is a nurse, was able to go into the MRI room with Aunt Rita, who had some claustrophobia issues the last time she had to get MRIs done. They gave her a mild sedative to help take the edge off the anxiety, and she came through the testing like a trouper. I am SO RELIEVED that she's had the MRI and they're able to start acting on the results with things like physical therapy exercises.
Meanwhile, in the Outside World, we were hit with a string of sad headlines today. First of all, I noticed at the crack of dawn this morning that popular Philly radio talk show host Irv Homer had passed away. :( Then, during the course of the day I started seeing "Breaking News" text messages coming in from CNN. First was the report that Farrah Fawcett had died. Then came the mind-boggling news, late in the afternoon, that Michael Jackson had been rushed to the hospital in a state of cardiac arrest(!). Not long afterward, another text from CNN reported that Michael Jackson was in a coma. We left for home a little while later, and by the time I got home the news had started to break that Michael Jackson had died. What the HECK? He was only 50 years old. What an unexpected shame. :( RIP to all these people.
I'm on the verge of keeling over, as I had only a tiny amount of sleep last night, so I will post this now.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Bwahaha! DUMMYYYYY...! Here's the latest entry for the Stupid Criminal Tricks file!
Bank Robber Arrested After Boasting of Crime on Myspace
Bank Robber Arrested After Boasting of Crime on Myspace
May 29, 2009 9:00 AM PDT
Bank robber arrested after boasting of crime on MySpace
by Dong Ngo
Here's a bizarre use of MySpace that I'm actually glad about.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice in Columbia, S.C., a man's message on his MySpace page helped authorities arrest him on bank robbery charges.
Joseph Wade Northington, 27, of Roanoke, Va., pleaded guilty Thursday in a Columbia, S.C., federal court to using a firearm during a violent crime.
On January 20, during a visit to North Augusta, S.C. Northington allegedly robbed the Security Federal Bank there of $3,924. After he returned to Virginia, the man with whom he stayed during the visit allegedly recognized Northington in surveillance photos shown on television and notified authorities.
Investigators learned that Northington, who had a gunshot scar on his face, used MySpace, and accessed his page. There they found that he had posted a message mentioning the robbery: "One in the head still ain't dead!!!!!! On tha run for robbin a bank Love all of yall."
Nine days later, Northington was arrested in Virginia.
Northington is now facing a fine of $250,000 and imprisonment for a minimum of seven years and a maximum of life. By Thursday, Northington's MySpace page was still up with the status reading "Wanted."
Considering how he kept his MySpace status up to date, it's going to be very difficult for Northington's attorney to defend him. I just wonder how he's going to survive in a prison where the access to the Internet is limited, if available at all.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Rainbow
There's a big rainbow over my sister-in-law's yard.
:-)
:-)
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Friday, June 19, 2009
RIP to Gary Papa of Action News. Everyone was hoping he'd beat prostate cancer, but unfortunately it was in an advanced stage by the time it was diagnosed. :( What a sad loss the Philly region has had today. He was 54 and leaves behind a wife and two young sons. God rest his soul and God bless his family and all his loved ones.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The internet really DOES have everything.
CLICK HERE for instructions on how to build an ark.
Considering that it feels like our 93429th consecutive day of rain, I figured that the instructions might come in handy.
CLICK HERE for instructions on how to build an ark.
Considering that it feels like our 93429th consecutive day of rain, I figured that the instructions might come in handy.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Haaaaa-le-LUJAH!
There's a proposed bill before Congress that, if passed into law, would limit the volume of TV commercials.
This makes me think that someone from Congress has a newborn baby in the house that got scared awake by loud commercials. Still, I've always hated getting my eardrums blasted halfway into next week by commercials that seem to be ten times as loud as the program I was just watching.
Now all we need is for the different channels on our cable system to have a consistent volume. I hate having to turn the volume way up for a show on Channel X, only to turn to another program on Channel Y and suddenly find that the TV is blaring at a ridiculous decibel level because Channel Y is so much louder. I really don't want to serenade the neighbors with whatever we're watching on TV at the moment, and I'm sure the neighbors don't want to hear our TV, either. If they can get the volume of TV ads under control, the next step should be seeking consistency in the volume of TV stations across the board.
There's a proposed bill before Congress that, if passed into law, would limit the volume of TV commercials.
Bill would turn down volume on TV ads
By CARRIE WELLS McClatchy Newspapers
Updated: 06/13/2009 04:37:35 PM EDT
WASHINGTON -- Congress soon might mute screaming TV-ad announcers who press viewers to "buy now!" -- if broadcasters don't beat the lawmakers to the volume button.
Under a proposal to be taken up today, the Federal Communications Commission would limit ad volumes to the average decibels of the TV show during which they appear.
Currently, TV ads can't be louder than the loudest peak in a show, said David Perry, the chairman of the broadcast production committee of the American Association of Advertising Agencies in New York. Ads often seem louder to viewers, he added, because a program's volume peak rarely comes just before an ad.
"Every time the ads came on they blew me out of my seat," said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., who introduced the bill last June. "It really turns you off, makes you think, 'I'll be damned if I give them any of my money.' "
She's a member of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, which will consider the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, aka CALM. It has 63 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate.
Broadcasters say they have their own plan to lower TV ad volume, which could take effect within a couple of months. The switch to digital TV on Friday, they say, also could help by enabling advertisers to use a wider range of sounds, instead of relying on pure volume to get attention.
Dan Jaffe, the executive vice president for government relations of the New
York-based Association of National Advertisers, said that advertising and broadcasting industry leaders knew that loud commercials annoyed customers because they'd received numerous complaints.
To resolve them, broadcasters and advertisers want to set their own standards, in which a commercial would be "loud enough that a reasonable person can hear it, but not so loud you can hear it in Mongolia," Jaffe said. "Our members don't want to offend viewers."
Eshoo concedes that her bill isn't as high a priority as, say, health care or war funding, but she's confident that it will pass.
"People practically throw their arms around me when they hear about it," she said.
However, an aide to Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who introduced the bill in the Senate last year, said Wicker wouldn't reintroduce the bill because he was working with broadcasters to hold down the volume.
"The senator is monitoring the progress being made and will consider reintroducing legislation if the industry cannot fix the problem on its own," Wicker's spokesman, Jahan Wilcox, said in an e-mail.
Perry, the ad agency association's spokesman on the matter, agreed that broadcasters should set their own loudness standards.
"Congress will inevitably make it more messy than it needs to be," he said. "It's like going after a fly with a pistol."
Britain set similar restrictions on loud ads last year.
This makes me think that someone from Congress has a newborn baby in the house that got scared awake by loud commercials. Still, I've always hated getting my eardrums blasted halfway into next week by commercials that seem to be ten times as loud as the program I was just watching.
Now all we need is for the different channels on our cable system to have a consistent volume. I hate having to turn the volume way up for a show on Channel X, only to turn to another program on Channel Y and suddenly find that the TV is blaring at a ridiculous decibel level because Channel Y is so much louder. I really don't want to serenade the neighbors with whatever we're watching on TV at the moment, and I'm sure the neighbors don't want to hear our TV, either. If they can get the volume of TV ads under control, the next step should be seeking consistency in the volume of TV stations across the board.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Today was a day spent mostly recovering from exhaustion. :) It wasn't quite the post-AADB exhaustion near-coma, which once caused me to sleep for 15 solid hours, but it was right up there in the "I took a Really Long Nap" department.
I have FINALLY caught up with about a week's worth of email. I was using my cell phone internet access to get online, as the camp has no internet access, so I was picking and choosing which mails to review. Anything from humans got read. Anything from mailing lists, newsletters, ads etc sat and waited. That added up to a bunch of mail, to put it mildly.
I'm still kinda worn out, but I have some plans for tomorrow. I interpret tomorrow, and tomorrow night Joe M. and I are going to see the rescheduled concert for Peter Paul, and Mary. It was postponed from a few months ago when Mary got sick. Unfortunately, she's sick again but this time Peter and Paul are going to perform anyway. So I guess I will find out who's standing in to do Mary's part of the singing.
I have a feeling that I'm not going to be catching up fully on the Twitter and Facebook updates from the past week. So if you are reading this and there's anything you posted that you think I missed, please let me know.
I have two stripey, purring ankle bracelets today. :) Talk about Kitty Separation Anxiety. They have to keep an eye on Meowmy any time I go upstairs or into the next room. They're so cute. :) (And spoiled. But that's as it should be.)
I have FINALLY caught up with about a week's worth of email. I was using my cell phone internet access to get online, as the camp has no internet access, so I was picking and choosing which mails to review. Anything from humans got read. Anything from mailing lists, newsletters, ads etc sat and waited. That added up to a bunch of mail, to put it mildly.
I'm still kinda worn out, but I have some plans for tomorrow. I interpret tomorrow, and tomorrow night Joe M. and I are going to see the rescheduled concert for Peter Paul, and Mary. It was postponed from a few months ago when Mary got sick. Unfortunately, she's sick again but this time Peter and Paul are going to perform anyway. So I guess I will find out who's standing in to do Mary's part of the singing.
I have a feeling that I'm not going to be catching up fully on the Twitter and Facebook updates from the past week. So if you are reading this and there's anything you posted that you think I missed, please let me know.
I have two stripey, purring ankle bracelets today. :) Talk about Kitty Separation Anxiety. They have to keep an eye on Meowmy any time I go upstairs or into the next room. They're so cute. :) (And spoiled. But that's as it should be.)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
After I posted this afternoon, I took a nap for a couple of hours. I was in dire need of some serious downtime.
Turns out that after breakfast, my team interpreter just up and went home without telling anyone. I had texted him during lunch to ask if everything was OK, to let him know whre Alvah and I were, and to remind him that the buses to the bowling lanes were to start boarding at 12:15. About half an hour later, which was after the buses were already being boarded, I got a text back saying that he was already home and had left. So I let the coordinators know what was afoot. They were as puzzled as I was and not particularly elated. Fortunately, all that was left on the schedule by that point was dinner and the farewell party tonight. Neither of those events is particularly taxing on an interpreter, since it involves a lot of mingling among people and conversing.
However, I have to be up at the crack of dwan tomorrow, so I am signing off early. I need to make ZZZs or I will be a zombie in the morning. Or should I say, I will be worse of a zmobie than usual in the morning. ;)
Turns out that after breakfast, my team interpreter just up and went home without telling anyone. I had texted him during lunch to ask if everything was OK, to let him know whre Alvah and I were, and to remind him that the buses to the bowling lanes were to start boarding at 12:15. About half an hour later, which was after the buses were already being boarded, I got a text back saying that he was already home and had left. So I let the coordinators know what was afoot. They were as puzzled as I was and not particularly elated. Fortunately, all that was left on the schedule by that point was dinner and the farewell party tonight. Neither of those events is particularly taxing on an interpreter, since it involves a lot of mingling among people and conversing.
However, I have to be up at the crack of dwan tomorrow, so I am signing off early. I need to make ZZZs or I will be a zombie in the morning. Or should I say, I will be worse of a zmobie than usual in the morning. ;)
Yi, what a morning. This afternoon, some campers, including Alvah, are going bowling. Since my team interpreter was slated to go with Alvah, giving me the afternoon off, I expected him to take some time off at another point. What I didn't realize was that he would not only take this morning off, but would leave the campgrounds into the bargain. As fate would have it, there were no "floating" interpreters available at any of the things Alvah and I did this morning, so I basically went from breakfast through lunch without any downtime. As the end of lunch approached, I started getting concerned at my team interpreter's continued absence, so I asked one of the camp coordinators if he was OK and if she had heard from him. She hadn't. But on hearing how my day had gone so far, she called on an interpreter who had nothing scheduled for the afternoon, and told him that if our regular SSP didn't show up to accompany Alvah on the bowling trip, then she would like him to go with Alvah instead.
And that is how it panned out. Alvah and the substitute 'terp went bowling. I am going to lie down and die for a while. 4.5 hours with no break is wearing.
And that is how it panned out. Alvah and the substitute 'terp went bowling. I am going to lie down and die for a while. 4.5 hours with no break is wearing.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
I posted a bunch of cell phone photos from today. There was an assistive tech display here this morning. This time, unlike last year, I made certain to grab copies of informational pamphlets so Alvah's stepfather could review them. He was interested in finding out what, if any, of the devices Alvah might be able to use. Goodness knows he used, and used well, most of the same devices at last year's tech demo at camp. So Alvah now has all the printed info I was able to get my hands on. :)
BTW, this time, I let Doug see Alvah working with the equipment on display. He seemed so interested in the various devices, and was fascinated by watching Alvah try them out, that I didn't want to interfere. I love witnessing the, "Oh, WOW!" moment when people realize just what the equipment can do, or more accurately what the user will become able to do by using the assistive tech. :)
Speaking of the tech demo, there was one camper who came just to today's session, specifically so he could visit the tech display. Imagine my amazement when I saw him and realized that it was Andy S., one of the first deaf-blind people I ever met. And I do mean "one of the first", as he was there on the first day I ever attended a deaf-blind group event in (are you sitting down?) 1988. He was happy to see me, asked about our mutual acquaintances, and was delighted to find out that three of them (Alvah, Melinda, and Joe) are at camp, too. So he was able to chat with all four of us. :) We made sure to all exchange email addresses, so we will not be losing contact again, I hope.
This year's camp theme is "African Safari". As such, we had the tactile tour of the Museum of African Art yesterday, we had a deaf man from Cameroon give us a talk tonight after dinner, and we had a lady who is an African storyteller come and give a performance tonight. After that, we continued with a social and had a group game. The game we played tonight was Pin the Tail on the Elephant. I darn near fell on the floor laughing when they carried out a huge plywood model of a, err, pachyderm posterior, sans tail. They did bring out the elephant head soon afterward, and attached it. But seeing someone walk carrying what was undoubtedly an elephant's tush into the room was a humorous sight.
Uh-oh, it's midnight. I had better turn in before my brain turns into a pumpkin tomorrow. Good night!
BTW, this time, I let Doug see Alvah working with the equipment on display. He seemed so interested in the various devices, and was fascinated by watching Alvah try them out, that I didn't want to interfere. I love witnessing the, "Oh, WOW!" moment when people realize just what the equipment can do, or more accurately what the user will become able to do by using the assistive tech. :)
Speaking of the tech demo, there was one camper who came just to today's session, specifically so he could visit the tech display. Imagine my amazement when I saw him and realized that it was Andy S., one of the first deaf-blind people I ever met. And I do mean "one of the first", as he was there on the first day I ever attended a deaf-blind group event in (are you sitting down?) 1988. He was happy to see me, asked about our mutual acquaintances, and was delighted to find out that three of them (Alvah, Melinda, and Joe) are at camp, too. So he was able to chat with all four of us. :) We made sure to all exchange email addresses, so we will not be losing contact again, I hope.
This year's camp theme is "African Safari". As such, we had the tactile tour of the Museum of African Art yesterday, we had a deaf man from Cameroon give us a talk tonight after dinner, and we had a lady who is an African storyteller come and give a performance tonight. After that, we continued with a social and had a group game. The game we played tonight was Pin the Tail on the Elephant. I darn near fell on the floor laughing when they carried out a huge plywood model of a, err, pachyderm posterior, sans tail. They did bring out the elephant head soon afterward, and attached it. But seeing someone walk carrying what was undoubtedly an elephant's tush into the room was a humorous sight.
Uh-oh, it's midnight. I had better turn in before my brain turns into a pumpkin tomorrow. Good night!
Pin the tail on the Elephant
The theme of this year's camp is African Safari. I nearly fell off the chair laughing when I saw the board for the "Pin the Tail on the Elephant" game. Brilliant! :)
Mobile post sent by Gabey8 using Utterli.
gloves
Interpreters usually wear clothes that contrast with their skin color. Fair-skinned 'terps wear dark garments and dark-skinned 'terps wear light colors. But here is another approach. A dark-skinned 'terp is wearing dark clothes and white gloves to make his hands visible.
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.
Good grief. We were *just* in D.C. yesterday. Today, someone shot a guard in the Holocaust Museum. http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=375212&f=19 What the #%$&* is WRONG with people? :( :( :(
TTY
This is the result when you let a Flyers fan near the large-print TTY (aka TDD/text telephone). :D
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DBC
Alvah gets a demo of the Deaf-Blind Communicator (DBC). He types on the large device (center) and it appears on the handheld device (foreground). The sighted person types a response on the handheld and their message appears in braille.
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Tuesday, June 09, 2009
We woke this morning to a driving thunderstorm. I thought that was a bit odd... I honestly can't remember the last time that I saw a T-storm before 8 AM. The weather trouble must have extended pretty far north of here, as Philadelphia had a severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 9 AM. (I get text messages from readyPA.gov about traffic, weather, or other alerts in the Philadelphia area. I still get them even when I'm not in Philly.)
Anyway, as it was chilly and rainy this morning when we left for DC, I opted not to use sunblock. The weather report I saw had it raining all day, so I didn't think it would be worthwhile to carry the sunblock with me. Mistake.
Our first stop in DC was at the Smithsonian's Museum of African Art, where they had arranged for a guided tactile tour of one of their exhibits. There weren't quite as many items to touch as I originally expected (a mask, an altar, and one other item that we weren't entirely sure if it was permitted to touch or not. But when no proximity-warning alarm went off at our approach, they let us touch it.) Then again, the tour was only one hour, so that would limit the amount of time we could spend seeing items and making sure everyone got to handle it.
After that, Doug (the SSP I'm teaming with), Alvah, and I went to the National Air and Space Museum, where we had lunch. After that, since I had been the SSP for the art tour and Doug had time off, he took Alvah in the Air and Space museum and I went off on my own for an hour. That's hardly enough time to see much, especially since I like to take my time in museums and See Everything. So I visited a few things briefly and hit the gift shop. :)
I have decided that I really would like to spend a few DAYS in DC. There are a ton of museums and other sites to visit, and a four-hour visit to the city is hardly enough time to do anything. One thing that looked like a ton of fun was the Segway tour we encountered while we were waiting for the buses to return. DO WANT. That will definitely be on my "to do" list if a stay of any length in DC happens.
Cleverest T-shirt design I saw today: a street vendor had a shirt with Obama tearing open his suit and shirt a la Superman, to show the seal of the Preaident of the US in place of the Superman logo. :)
Did I mention that I should have carried the sunblock with me today? As luck would have it, the sun came out and drove the temperature WAY up. And those few blocks we had to walk in the full sun, minus sunblock, were enough to trigger a bout with itching. At some point last year, I blogged about it when I finally discovered that this chronic issue that's plagued me for years is a sun allergy. Fortunately, sunblock is an effective remedy for that problem... IF I actually apply the sunblock and don't leave it sitting in my room. Oddly enough, it actually has to be worn to be of any help. Gah. Live and learn. ;)
After we returned to camp and had dinner, we had braille Bingo. Actually, there were choices of cards including regular print, large print, and embossed large-p;rint numbers with the corresponding braille numbers above them. That's always fun.
Anyway, I am EXHAUSTED. See m=y twitter feed for additional little details from today. Good night!
Anyway, as it was chilly and rainy this morning when we left for DC, I opted not to use sunblock. The weather report I saw had it raining all day, so I didn't think it would be worthwhile to carry the sunblock with me. Mistake.
Our first stop in DC was at the Smithsonian's Museum of African Art, where they had arranged for a guided tactile tour of one of their exhibits. There weren't quite as many items to touch as I originally expected (a mask, an altar, and one other item that we weren't entirely sure if it was permitted to touch or not. But when no proximity-warning alarm went off at our approach, they let us touch it.) Then again, the tour was only one hour, so that would limit the amount of time we could spend seeing items and making sure everyone got to handle it.
After that, Doug (the SSP I'm teaming with), Alvah, and I went to the National Air and Space Museum, where we had lunch. After that, since I had been the SSP for the art tour and Doug had time off, he took Alvah in the Air and Space museum and I went off on my own for an hour. That's hardly enough time to see much, especially since I like to take my time in museums and See Everything. So I visited a few things briefly and hit the gift shop. :)
I have decided that I really would like to spend a few DAYS in DC. There are a ton of museums and other sites to visit, and a four-hour visit to the city is hardly enough time to do anything. One thing that looked like a ton of fun was the Segway tour we encountered while we were waiting for the buses to return. DO WANT. That will definitely be on my "to do" list if a stay of any length in DC happens.
Cleverest T-shirt design I saw today: a street vendor had a shirt with Obama tearing open his suit and shirt a la Superman, to show the seal of the Preaident of the US in place of the Superman logo. :)
Did I mention that I should have carried the sunblock with me today? As luck would have it, the sun came out and drove the temperature WAY up. And those few blocks we had to walk in the full sun, minus sunblock, were enough to trigger a bout with itching. At some point last year, I blogged about it when I finally discovered that this chronic issue that's plagued me for years is a sun allergy. Fortunately, sunblock is an effective remedy for that problem... IF I actually apply the sunblock and don't leave it sitting in my room. Oddly enough, it actually has to be worn to be of any help. Gah. Live and learn. ;)
After we returned to camp and had dinner, we had braille Bingo. Actually, there were choices of cards including regular print, large print, and embossed large-p;rint numbers with the corresponding braille numbers above them. That's always fun.
Anyway, I am EXHAUSTED. See m=y twitter feed for additional little details from today. Good night!
Sunset
After a frightful thunderstorm earlier tonight, we have an absolutely *stunning* sunset.
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Welcome
I Spy with my little eye a "Welcome to Washington, DC" sign.
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Monday, June 08, 2009
Today, Alvah did some arts and crafts. This morning, the available projects were making masks and working with clay, and he did both. I posted some pics of the mask, but I haven't posted the pics I took of the clay yet. I am trying to let my poor exhausted cell phone recharge its battery -- it was down to about 10% by the time I got back to the room -- so I can post those tomorrow. Maybe I will have some time during the ride to or from Washington, DC, which is where our field trip will be.
One of the things that campers can sign up for during camp is massages. (And facials, manicures, and haircuts. Alvah registered for one, so we headed over to the building where the massages were: the Nature Center. One of the amazing things they have on display there is a working beehive. The bees enter and exit via a PVC pipe that leads to the outside, and IN the building is the hive itself where the bees are busy making honey and more bees. There is a cover which, when it's removed, allows people to view the bees in action through a pane of plexiglass. As much as I head the other way when I see bees out in the wild, looking at them in a controlled environment was pretty darn cool. It's totally fascinating to see them all on duty at their various tasks.
On the way back, we passed the pair of tandem bikes that people had been using earlier in the day. Doug, the SSP I am teamed with, went with Alvah for a brief ride. I sure am glad that he was strong enough to do that, because I don't think it would have been possible for me to safely navigate that bike with another person aboard.
After dinner, the Lion's Club arranged for us to have hay rides and a camp fire where we made S'mores and popcorn. We had a few people who, while roasting their marshmallows, either by accident or design wound up setting said marshmallows alight. Let's just say that it's interesting to witness a Statue of Liberty impersonation where the torch is comprised of a flaming marshmallow. :)
OK, it's now time for me to keel over and go to sleep. Later, all!
One of the things that campers can sign up for during camp is massages. (And facials, manicures, and haircuts. Alvah registered for one, so we headed over to the building where the massages were: the Nature Center. One of the amazing things they have on display there is a working beehive. The bees enter and exit via a PVC pipe that leads to the outside, and IN the building is the hive itself where the bees are busy making honey and more bees. There is a cover which, when it's removed, allows people to view the bees in action through a pane of plexiglass. As much as I head the other way when I see bees out in the wild, looking at them in a controlled environment was pretty darn cool. It's totally fascinating to see them all on duty at their various tasks.
On the way back, we passed the pair of tandem bikes that people had been using earlier in the day. Doug, the SSP I am teamed with, went with Alvah for a brief ride. I sure am glad that he was strong enough to do that, because I don't think it would have been possible for me to safely navigate that bike with another person aboard.
After dinner, the Lion's Club arranged for us to have hay rides and a camp fire where we made S'mores and popcorn. We had a few people who, while roasting their marshmallows, either by accident or design wound up setting said marshmallows alight. Let's just say that it's interesting to witness a Statue of Liberty impersonation where the torch is comprised of a flaming marshmallow. :)
OK, it's now time for me to keel over and go to sleep. Later, all!
mask
Strips of moistened Rigid Wrap, the same stuff used to make a cast, go over the form. They will dry and harden in this shape. then they can come off the form.
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mask
on of the Arts and Crafts options this morning is decorating masks. The other is working with clay.
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Sunday, June 07, 2009
Motorcycles
Interpreters can have rides, too. I love this lady's shirt. :)
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Sunday at camp
It turns out that I am working with Alvah this week. NICE. He is about the most easy-going person imaginable.
He turned in a little while ago. SSPs go off duty at 10 PM, so it won't be long till I do the same.
We arrived just in time to get Alvah a motorcycle ride. Joe wanted to ride, also, but he only brought shorts and the rule is long pants are required. Drat. :(.
We were informed, at a meeting after dinner, that we can take as many photos as we like, but not to post them online. They don't want to have everyone sign a release form permitting photos of themselves to be posted online, so they asked us to just not post the images we take. Oops. NOW they tell me. So I will have to only post pics that don't include people (or identifiable people) this week.
I got a good look at the schedule. We have our day trip to Washington DC this year. We also have bowling again, as we did last year. I look forward to those events. :)
And now, good night!
He turned in a little while ago. SSPs go off duty at 10 PM, so it won't be long till I do the same.
We arrived just in time to get Alvah a motorcycle ride. Joe wanted to ride, also, but he only brought shorts and the rule is long pants are required. Drat. :(.
We were informed, at a meeting after dinner, that we can take as many photos as we like, but not to post them online. They don't want to have everyone sign a release form permitting photos of themselves to be posted online, so they asked us to just not post the images we take. Oops. NOW they tell me. So I will have to only post pics that don't include people (or identifiable people) this week.
I got a good look at the schedule. We have our day trip to Washington DC this year. We also have bowling again, as we did last year. I look forward to those events. :)
And now, good night!
Nice Helmet
Nice helmet! I love the "It's never too late to have a happy childhood" sticker. :)
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Motorcycles
Christian Motorcyclists Association is giving rides to deaf-blind campers. We arrived just in time for Alvah to get a ride.
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Saturday, June 06, 2009
Today was a big day for both of the wildlife webcams I've been watching. On the Franklin Institute's Red-Tailed Hawk site, one of the three hawks tried to fly before her wing feathers were properly grown in. She wasn't injured, but she did get hung up between a fence and concrete barrier long enough for Rick Schubert, director of Schuylkill Center Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, to make a mad dash across a street and retrieve her.
Thank God neither he nor the hawk got injured in the mishap. Running across a major street without warning can be hazardous anywhere, let alone Center City. But a bunch of guardian angels must have been putting in some overtime, because all turned out well and the hawk will finish maturing at the wildlife rehab center.
This particular hawk's nicknames from webcam viewers were "Miss Piggy" and "Greedy Girl", as she was the one that tended to get to food first and be unwilling to share with her siblings. Ironically, it turns out she's underweight. That was a surprise. The good news is, she'll certainly be fed sufficiently at the wildlife center. They'll foster her with a more mature hawk that will teach her hunting skills. When she's able to hunt successfully and her wings are matured, she'll be released back into the wild. They'll bring her to a more remote area, rather than the city, where she'll have less competition from other hawks. I hope there'll be regular updates posted online from the rehab center. People will surely want to know how the hawk is faring.
Meanwhile, over at the Hummingbird Nest Cam site, the lone hummingbird chick kept trying to fly, and falling instead. She is old enough to be ready to fly, but as it happens, HER wings are also not yet developed enough to permit her to fly. But she was refusing to stay in the nest, as her mental "alarm clock" had gone off and she wanted to be airborne. So that chick was ALSO taken to a rehab center where she can finish maturing in safety.
So that's two different chicks who are fortunate that their nest was close to human habitation. Had they fledged (or attempted to fledge) in more remote locations, it's unlikely either of them would have survived. Fortunately, we were able to give Mother Nature a leg up in both instances, particularly in the case of the hummingbird which is a member of an endangered species.
In other news, I did a last-minute shopping run for the deaf-blind camp in MD, which starts tomorrow. I'll pack tonight. I look forward to camp, which was a blast last year. But I'm more likely to blog via short cell phone posts and pictures than anything else, so check back a few times per day if you're interested in seeing what comments and photos have made their way online.
Thank God neither he nor the hawk got injured in the mishap. Running across a major street without warning can be hazardous anywhere, let alone Center City. But a bunch of guardian angels must have been putting in some overtime, because all turned out well and the hawk will finish maturing at the wildlife rehab center.
This particular hawk's nicknames from webcam viewers were "Miss Piggy" and "Greedy Girl", as she was the one that tended to get to food first and be unwilling to share with her siblings. Ironically, it turns out she's underweight. That was a surprise. The good news is, she'll certainly be fed sufficiently at the wildlife center. They'll foster her with a more mature hawk that will teach her hunting skills. When she's able to hunt successfully and her wings are matured, she'll be released back into the wild. They'll bring her to a more remote area, rather than the city, where she'll have less competition from other hawks. I hope there'll be regular updates posted online from the rehab center. People will surely want to know how the hawk is faring.
Meanwhile, over at the Hummingbird Nest Cam site, the lone hummingbird chick kept trying to fly, and falling instead. She is old enough to be ready to fly, but as it happens, HER wings are also not yet developed enough to permit her to fly. But she was refusing to stay in the nest, as her mental "alarm clock" had gone off and she wanted to be airborne. So that chick was ALSO taken to a rehab center where she can finish maturing in safety.
So that's two different chicks who are fortunate that their nest was close to human habitation. Had they fledged (or attempted to fledge) in more remote locations, it's unlikely either of them would have survived. Fortunately, we were able to give Mother Nature a leg up in both instances, particularly in the case of the hummingbird which is a member of an endangered species.
In other news, I did a last-minute shopping run for the deaf-blind camp in MD, which starts tomorrow. I'll pack tonight. I look forward to camp, which was a blast last year. But I'm more likely to blog via short cell phone posts and pictures than anything else, so check back a few times per day if you're interested in seeing what comments and photos have made their way online.
Friday, June 05, 2009
I just realized that I have not been hungry for at least three days. No matter how long it's been since I last ate, I have not been getting the "Hey, the stomach's empty, do something" signals.
I have no problem with this. I've been eating less as a result. But I've made sure to eat SOMEthing, because I don't want to get sick right before camp next week.
I have no problem with this. I've been eating less as a result. But I've made sure to eat SOMEthing, because I don't want to get sick right before camp next week.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Slide
The map is ignored as asbestos detection is debated.
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PPCA meeting
The screen is set up for a presentation at the Civic Association meeting.
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Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Parody
Rolling On The Freaking Floor Laughing My Freaking Arse Off !!!!!!
Just heard some parody lyrics on Channel 12 (PBS, during telethon). I am DYING laughing. Thanks to the Internet, here they are:
Anyone who knew me in 1994, when I injured my knee the first time, will appreciate why I'm so highly amused. I could have written a song like this, and I might have if I hadn't been so darn busy taking TUMS from the aggravation of all the paperwork problems I went through.
I picked the lyrics up from this site: Ode To Blue Cross
Just heard some parody lyrics on Channel 12 (PBS, during telethon). I am DYING laughing. Thanks to the Internet, here they are:
Topic: Ode to Blue Cross
Sung to the tune of: "Blue Skies"
Blue Cross
Had me agree
To a new Blue Cross
Policy!
Blue Cross
Said I would be
Happy that Blue Cross
Covered me!
Then I took a fall,
Leg in a splint;
They said that I
Should read the fine print!
When a very high
Fever I ran,
They told me I
Took out the wrong plan!
That's Blue Cross!
There seems to be
Plenty for Blue Cross!
None for me!
Anyone who knew me in 1994, when I injured my knee the first time, will appreciate why I'm so highly amused. I could have written a song like this, and I might have if I hadn't been so darn busy taking TUMS from the aggravation of all the paperwork problems I went through.
I picked the lyrics up from this site: Ode To Blue Cross
Hawks!
Two of the three hawks at the Franklin Institute have taken their first flight TODAY! :) One came back with a mouse -- not only a first flight, but a successful first HUNT into the bargain The second hawk is still off exploring, as I type.
The third one hasn't flown yet, as of this post. But one hawk hatched a day after the other two. So maybe that one's not due to go until tomorrow? We shall see.
Mom and Dad hawk helped bring this day about by not bringing food to the nest today. Interesting.
So, do tune in at http://ping.fm/4cEdI and share the fun! And cheer on Hawk #3 while you're at it. :)
The third one hasn't flown yet, as of this post. But one hawk hatched a day after the other two. So maybe that one's not due to go until tomorrow? We shall see.
Mom and Dad hawk helped bring this day about by not bringing food to the nest today. Interesting.
So, do tune in at http://ping.fm/4cEdI and share the fun! And cheer on Hawk #3 while you're at it. :)
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