Posted on

As promised

 Gymnastics videos.  The Valeri Liukin Invitational, Dallas Texas. alex, parallel bars alex – rings alex – high bar alex – floor The team did great.  They placed 2nd overall, out of 20 teams. Alex had a respectable day, placing 5th overall out of 36 kids in his skill level (Level 7), and age group (11 to 12 year-olds). The celebratory burger at In-N-Out Burgers with his friends (complete with a handstand). Later he spotted Olympic Champion Danell Leyva checking in at the hotel, got an autograph and a photo with him. A good day. 
Posted on

We thought we might see a Fox Sparrow

 …if we stopped at a particular park in Dallas.  We had a nice walk, saw a few birds, but the sparrow didn’t happen.  Still at 397. We’re at the Embassy Suites just south of Frisco, TX (North of Dallas).  Picked up Matt, Alex, and Austin from the airport tonight.(5280 is the name of Alex’s gym.) Alex has a gymnastics competition nearby tomorrow.  Expect videos. 
Posted on

A hot lead on some cool black swans

 …but first a visit to the orthopedist in Corpus. The diagnosis for Judy is cartilage damage between the femur and the tibia.  Historically she’s had meniscus tears under the kneecap.  This is a little deeper, but can be fixed with a scope.  That’s actually great news!  Her hurting knee can be fixed and it won’t require knee replacement.  She is scheduled for surgery in January. My shoulder was trickier to diagnose.  So many signs point to rotator cuff tear, but the MRI did not support that theory.  Further conversation produced a breakthrough.  I had observed that when the ache in my shoulder woke me up in the middle of the night, I could twist my elbow up over my head with my hand pointed back down toward the middle of my back (I notice these kind of things), and after a while the pain would subside.  That was the key!  The doctor recognized that arm position as one that would relieve neck pain.  We’ve been looking at the wrong body part.  Pain can refer from one place to another.  He got me right back into an MRI machine within an hour.  We did my neck this time.  They phoned the MRI results back to the doctor and he must have seen what he expected.  He got me scheduled next Monday with their neck and spine guy.  I’ve got some nerve impingement.  It’s not resolved yet, but at least we’re focused on the appropriate body part now. So off to get the black swans…  A swing and a miss.  They’re gone now.  We traveled on.  Still at 397. We’ve stopped for the night in Georgetown, Texas, north of Austin.2014 Dallas Trip Tomorrow, Dallas. 
Posted on

394

 That’s how many bird species we had for the year when we got home from our trip the first of November this year.  I want to make it to 400 by the end of the year.  Seems simple enough; only 6 more birds.  Problem is, we’ve already spent most of the year here and have seen most every bird available in our part of Texas. After 3 weeks and no new birds, we went out after a specific Sprague’s Pipit at Anzalduas County Park and got it!  395.  Then nothing.  No more.  It got to be late November and no new birds.  On Thanksgiving Day, a red-legged honeycreeper was spotted at Estero Llano Grande State Park.  We went to look for it on Friday.  It was still there somewhere but we missed it.  Other people saw it.  I went back for a stakeout all afternoon Saturday.  The last time it was seen was Saturday morning before I got there.  I went back Sunday morning for an all day stakeout.  Nothing.  The last time it was seen was still Saturday morning.  As far as I know it hasn’t been seen again.  Still at 395. Got serious this last weekend.  Figured out specific target birds.  Drove west to some grasslands on Saturday in search of a grasshopper sparrow and got one!  Got several in fact.  396.  Devoted Sunday to the Aplomado Falcon.  Drove to all the best Aplomado Falcon spots out by the coast.  Lots of birds.  Nice day.  No falcons.  Stuck at 396. Now, in December, we’re on a trip to Dallas by car.  An overnight stop in Corpus Christi presents an opportunity for a Lesser Black-backed Gull.  Jon told us right where to find it.  Drove out and there it was.  397.  It helps to have friends help. Only three more birds to go.  How hard could that be, getting three more birds? Chinese food with Russ and Glenna in Corpus Christi tonight.  They drove out from the island to meet us. A poorly lit picture, but it was great catching up. 
Posted on

It’s our family tradition

 On her birthday, Judy gets to do anything she wants all day long, be right all day, and I have to be nice to her no matter what!   So far it’s working (and we haven’t really bought all that much…). Happy Birthday to my charming wife.  You’ve hardly changed at all.