They’re going to fix my degenerative neck. I am so ready. We’re going to start nice and early; 5:30am. My part is easy. We go to the hospital. I go to sleep. I wake up. My throat hurts. I should be snoozing in my room by noon. They’ll keep me at least one night. Judy will be right there. She has promised to be nice to me; make sure they get me lots of drugs. In fact she has promised to be nice to me for the entire time I’m in the neck brace. That’s like my birthday every day for six weeks! I wonder how many times a year I could get this done…
It’s not often we get to see an American Bittern
Usually they’re standing invisible in the reeds.
But this time we got a great look.
We don’t know what he was doing.
But he was looking real good doing it!
But this time we got a great look. We don’t know what he was doing. But he was looking real good doing it! I can’t decide
Should I send out the picture of the orange-crowned warbler…
…or the common yellowthroat?
…or the common yellowthroat? I learned something today
That magic key fob that you don’t even have to put in the ignition; you just have to have it in your pocket or the car won’t start when you push the button; well when the car warns you that the key battery is low, it is best to pay attention to the warning. I knew I needed to get around to replacing the battery because the car kept telling me to do it, but I knew there was no hurry because I had a secret weapon in reserve. So last week I drove a few miles to Quinta Mazatlan and went on my lunchtime walk. The car warned me. I ignored it. I have a secret weapon. When I got back to the car all bundled up on that cool day, the car ignored me completely. Time for the secret weapon. I pulled it out of my pocket. There is an ignition key hidden inside the smooth fob. I pulled out the key and put it in the door. It turned. The door unlocked. No problem. Next step; I removed the cover over the ignition on the steering column and voila, there is the ignition switch to put a key in. All I had to do is put the secret key in the ignition, turn it, start the car. Except the key wouldn’t turn. This is a very clever car. It has a backup plan so you can get in the car if the fob goes dead. But it also has theft deterrent so even if someone gets in your car, they still can’t start it unless they have the magic functioning fob! I was dead in the water. I was in the car, but still dead in the water. I had to think about my situation. The fob worked just fine when I left for my walk. The doors locked at the push of a button. When I got back, the car didn’t recognize me at all. What had just changed? The fob was warm when I left the car at Quinta Mazatlan. The fob was cold when I returned from my walk. I believe batteries function better when they are warm than when they are cold. I had a shot if I could warm the key fob back up to room temperature! I rubbed it between my hands. Nothing. I put it under one of my legs while I sat in the car. I waited 5 minutes and tried it again. Nothing; but the fob did feel a little warmer. I put it back under me, but this time completely under me. After 10 minutes, still nothing but warmer still. After 15 minutes, yes! It started! I successfully hatched a key fob! I got a nice walk in the woods and I got to drive home again after. A successful day.
Things are moving fast
We saw the surgeon in Corpus today. He sent us to the hospital to do the pre-registration. My cervical spine surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. The doctor is going to make me taller. He’ll restore the proper separation between the number 4 through 7 vertebrae using spacers and bone grafts as he fuses everything back in place, securing it all with tiny metal plates and screws. I should recover about a centimeter of height altogether as a byproduct. Judy wants to know if he can start on her next and make her 5’ 9”. We’ll drive home tomorrow, spend the weekend at home (with some nice weather in the 70s), then be right back up here Monday for an early call Tuesday. I report in at 5:30am. We finished up the day with fish and chips and stories at Snoopy’s with Bigfoot (sometimes known as Chris) and Jan.