Sabbatical Leave

In celebration of Casimir Pulaski Day on Monday, Ginger is taking a three-day blog sabbatical. Sabbaticals usually follow tenure of seven years, but this is an exception.

On Thursday, I attended a full day training session preparatory to becoming certified as a volunteer for Hospice of Southern Illinois. I originally thought I would have to attend a two day training program in March at John A. Logan College but later found out I could accomplish the same thing yesterday in one day at Aldersgate Methodist Church in Marion. The training was intense and inspiring. Thirteen people of diverse ages comprised this session. Most were either retired from or still actively employed in professional careers. The common bond was a desire to be of service to people facing end of life issues.

The training session was the first step. Following the training, each potential volunteer has a personal interview with the Hospice Volunteer Coordinator. My interview will be at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1. Prior to this interview, I need to review a large folder of hospice information, answer two pages of true/false questions, and complete two pages of essay questions entitled “Personal Death History” and “Reflection Questions.” The essay questions will require some thought. Because I have been interested in becoming a hospice volunteer for a number of years, I want to be as prepared as possible for my interview on Monday. I am excited about pursuing a new adventure and hope I will be successful. I feel like The Little Engine That Could: “I think I can, I think I can.”

The blog will resume on Tuesday, March 2. If anyone suffers severe withdrawal symptoms, take two aspirins, drink plenty of water, and get some rest. Forewarned is forearmed. Plan some diversionary activities to distract attention from the absence of Gram Ginger. I know my followers will be up to the challenge.

“Holy” Rock!

During my years of Catholic education in grade school, high school, and college, I was taught that the Pope is infallible in issues relating to faith and morals. The Pope’s opinion on anything else has as much credibility as anyone else’s opinion. The current Pope, Benedict XVI, a native of Germany, is 82 years old. Although he is elderly and known to be theologically conservative, he realizes the need to reach out to everyone, especially young people.

Two years ago, the official newspaper of the Vatican, L'Osservatore Romano, redesigned its format to appeal to younger generations. The issues regularly include commentaries on popular culture. Written with Vatican approval, the articles represent the opinions of the writers and not necessarily the preferences of the Pope. The newspaper recently released a semi-serious guide to the ten best rock albums of all time: The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Michael Jackson, U2, Fleetwood Mac, Donald Fagen, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, and David Crosby.

When I saw this list, I was disappointed that Elvis didn’t make the cut. Elvis was a rebel entertainer in my youth, and I was a devoted fan. Elvis’ music spanned rock, love songs, and gospel. I would have loved to “…take a walk down lonely street to Heartbreak Hotel” with Elvis. When Elvis sang “…I can’t help falling in love with you,” I knew he was talking to me. The Pope and his writers seem to be more interested in modern music than classics of the past.

The Vatican newspaper’s pop culture articles have created a controversy. Younger people find the new approach energizing, a great improvement from the previous stodgy and boring format. The more traditional minded feel the Pope and the newspaper should stick to issues of greater importance, e.g., birth control, clergy celibacy, gay marriage, abortion, etc. I think the new style is refreshing. It gives “personality” to the church and a light hearted subject matter to balance the more serious topics. Pope Benedict XVI Rocks!

Note: Although a college professor once wrote “Heresy” on my answer to a theology test question, Ginger is not a sacrilegious person nor prone to blasphemy. This is simply a humorous commentary on our changing world.

"Dancing with the Stars"

The 2010 Winter Olympics will be concluding this week in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The next Olympics will be in London, England in 2012, Sochi, Russia in 2014 (Winter Olympics), and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016. Over the years, many new events have been added to the Olympic schedules. One now being considered is pole dancing. Enthusiasts describe pole dancing as an athletic endeavor requiring physical fitness and supreme strength. They are circulating petitions to acquire signatures in its support as an Olympic event. Although they already have over 4,000 signatures toward their goal of 5,000, it is doubtful pole dancing will be part of the 2012 London Olympics. Their intent is that pole dancing be a “test” event in London in 2012 and a sanctioned event four years later in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Some feel that pole dancing, formerly the exclusive of strip clubs and cheap bars, will tarnish the Olympic image. Even some pole dancers worry the sensual side of pole dancing would be destroyed in an effort to clean it up for the Olympics. Would it really be the same without the high heels, sexy apparel, a drunken audience, and colored spotlights?

I’m not an athletic person, but I think pole dancing might be good exercising regimen. I always enjoyed dancing, but my previous experience was with my feet on the floor. The basic equipment needed is a pole and a place to put it. Internet sites display a variety of poles, and all stress the importance of sturdiness because the pole has to support the dancer’s body weight. Poles are available in colors as well as stainless steel. I prefer the neon pink, but I may just use our Festivus pole. Henri may not like the Festivus pole in the family room for six years, but success requires sacrifice. If I practice every day, get a pair of 6 ½ inch stiletto heels, and appropriate attire, I may bring home the gold in 2016! Even if I don’t win a medal, I possibly could get a part-time job is one of the local night spots. Rio, get ready for Ginger.

A Birthday/Slumber Party

Slumber parties, also known as sleepovers or pajama parties, aren’t only for teenage girls. Anyone can have a slumber party, regardless of age. We decided to have a slumber party last night, February 22, in honor of George Washington’s 274th birthday. The guests at our slumber party were Ms. Drue, Daddy David, Henri, and Ginger. David had to be at the State Regional Office Building at 8:00 a.m. this morning to take a test for a lieutenant position. (Don’t worry Lance. This is a lieutenant position in the State Department of Corrections. David’s not going to challenge you for the Lieutenant Governor job.) David thought it would be easier to spend Monday night here rather than wake Drue very early this morning and then drive to Marion. This slumber party was not like the ones I remember from years ago. The thrill of a slumber party is to do everything but slumber. Snacking, watching movies, and staying up until the wee morning hours are the norm. Ours literally was a slumber party. After supper, Henri took his position in his recliner and promptly went to sleep. Drue, David, and I played with toys and puzzles until Drue discovered the four batteries from the camera were far more fascinating. About 7:30 p.m., Drue went to bed, and Henri woke up. David reviewed information for his test and went to bed around 10:00 p.m. Henri retired to his recliner once again, and Ginger partied alone. I’m going to invite guests who can stay awake to my next slumber party!

Slow Feet / Quick Feet / Trick Feet / Sick Feet

Many elderly people like to talk about their illnesses. For some, the severity of the illness virtually becomes a status symbol among their friends. As an example, one person may proudly state she takes five pills each day, but that person’s prominence is diminished when another says she takes ten pills a day.

I’m not “extremely” elderly, and I don’t normally talk about pain and suffering. I, however, developed puzzling symptoms in my feet in the middle of winter about three years ago. Dr. Seuss never wrote about anything like this in The Foot Book. Several of my toes became inflamed, and it was painful to walk. The bottoms of one or two toes on each foot swelled and turned shades of bluish red. The podiatrist diagnosed it as Raynaud’s Phenomenon, a perfect example of a misnomer because it is anything but phenomenal. It is named for the French doctor, Dr. A.G. Maurice Raynaud, who identified this condition in 1862. Raynaud’s is a circulatory problem which manifests itself in cold weather and is more common in women than men. It can also affect fingers, nose, ears, and other parts of the body. Persons of any age can incur symptoms, but it typically begins between ages 15 and 25. Unfortunately, there is no medical treatment unless Raynaud’s is accompanied by an underlying disease. Avoiding cold temperatures, caffeine, and certain medications will lessen the severity, and warm weather eventually eradicates it. This is true in my case, but it returns the following winter. I thought I was going to be “Raynaud’s free” this winter, but several weeks ago it started again – a good example of “the good news and the bad news.” The bad news is a couple of my toes hurt. The good news is warm weather will be here soon. This reminds me of the story of Androcles who pulled the thorn from the lion’s paw. Later, when Androcles was condemned to be thrown to the lions, that same lion spared Androcles’ life. I’m waiting for warm weather to get these thorns out of my paws!

Happy Birthday, George

The Democrats aren’t the only ones with problems in Illinois. Our state currently has one Republican ex-governor in prison (and a Democrat ex-governor will probably be there soon). George Ryan, the 39th governor of the State of Illinois, served in office from 1999 to 2003. His 35 year career in Illinois politics included terms as a state representative, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and governor. Ryan was nationally known for establishing a state moratorium on the death penalty, and equally well known for his involvement in racketeering, bribery, extortion, money laundering, and tax fraud. In 2006, a federal jury found him guilty on all charges, and he reported to the Federal Prison Camp in Oxford, WI in 2007. In 2008, he was transferred to the Federal Prison Camp in Terre Haute, IN where he resides today.

Ryan has been in the news lately because he is appealing not only his remaining prison term (6 ½ years) but also his right to retain his pension from his government service. His appeal to be released, thus far unsuccessful, is based on his need to be home to care for his ill wife, Lura Lynn. Ryan’s attorney, former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson, and Lura Lynn now plan to ask President Obama to intervene. After Ryan’s conviction in 2006, the General Assembly Retirement System suspended his $197,037.00 annual pension. In recent times, his attorneys have appealed Ryan’s right to retain a partial pension, $60,000.00 annually, for the years when he was an Illinois Representative and Lieutenant Governor. Apparently, when he served in those positions, he did not commit any crimes. The Illinois Supreme Court issued its verdict Friday. In the words of the decision written by Justice Bob Thomas, “Ryan gets nothing.” I have the perfect solution to this penniless dilemma. George and Lura Lynn have five daughters and one son. The children can take care of their mother, and George can ask for his sentence to be extended to life. George will “celebrate” his 76th birthday in Terre Haute on Wednesday, February 24. Maybe someone will bring him a cake with a file in it!

"Headin’ North"

We hope to “head north” later today to attend a family gathering in honor of Lance who will be “headin’ farther north” when he moves from St. Louis to Chicago on March 1. If the weather cooperates, we will meet our St. Louis area children at J J Twig’s, a pizza restaurant in West County, St. Louis, for Lance’s farewell party. The restaurant was chosen because its double decker pizzas are almost like those at Walt’s, their favorite Marion hangout.

Lance is son number four (child number five) in our family. Until February 12, he was employed as a scientist with Pfizer in St. Louis. As is becoming more and more typical in large corporations, the St. Louis Pfizer facility cut about 600 jobs. Lance interviewed with Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago, was hired as a scientist, and will begin his new job on March 15. It is fortunate that he was able to find a new position so quickly.

Lance is always ready for new adventures. After completing studies for his master’s degree in chemistry at Illinois State University, we helped him move to his first job with a pharmaceutical company in Kalamazoo, MI. Several years later, Pfizer bought that company, and Lance moved to St. Louis. Lance has traveled extensively. In his position with Pfizer, he traveled from East Coast to West Coast. He’s also been to London, Paris, Manila, Dublin, and the Virgin Islands. His most interesting experience probably was working in a laboratory in Uganda for six months as part of a fellowship program. Lance will enjoy life in the big city. He is moving to an apartment in Evanston, a half way point from his work on the north and the city on the south. With numerous friends already living in the Chicago area, he should have many social outlets. Lance will enjoy the sunny shore of Lake Michigan in the summer and have frosty buns in the winter. Henri and Ginger will miss “Sir Lancelot,” but we realize he needs to pursue his career even if it takes him farther from home. Best wishes for success in your new job, Lance. Remember your humble roots as you climb the corporate ladder. Love from Henri and Ginger.

Old MacDonald’s Farm

Although we live in deep Southern Illinois, a rural area, we have the amenities of larger cities. We have shopping malls, restaurants, hospitals, cultural venues, community colleges, and a university. Marion and Carbondale, the largest communities, have populations of about 17,000 and 30,000 respectively, and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale has an additional student population of 15,000+.

We may not be “city folks,” but we do not consider ourselves “hicks.” An item under consideration by the Carbondale Planning Commission, a division of the Carbondale City Council, may make some reconsider our “hick” status. The Planning Commission is currently engaged in a discussion of major importance – whether Carbondale residents should be allowed to have chickens and goats as pets. At a meeting Wednesday night, the commission proposed allowing residents to have up to ten (10) chickens and three (3) miniature goats as pets. Roosters would not be allowed to avert the noise potential from their crowing. City Council members posed several questions to the commission members. One questioned how chickens could be leashed in accordance with the city’s leash law. Another questioned the odor of goat excrement. A commission member responded that it “is drier and less smelly than that of dogs and cats. It resembles Milk Duds.” The council also said expecting the city’s animal control officer to determine ownership of stray chickens and the city to provide adequate housing for stray miniature goats is unrealistic and would strain the city’s resources. To compound the problem, there is no benchmark for comparison. Cities surveyed thus far have different rules. For example, Chicago has no limit on how many chickens residents may have, but an Arizona suburb limits the number to three chickens. Nothing was resolved, and the Planning Commission will research other cities’ regulations at its next meeting. It’s refreshing in this time of serious world problems that a chickens/goats debate is the local front page news.

A New Frontier

We are probably familiar with the saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” If that is true, the devil will have to start working somewhere else because I am a busy person. My goals after I retired from a full-time job in May 2006 were to sleep late and get a dog. I’ve changed my mind on the dog issue, but I do enjoy staying up late at night and sleeping late in the morning. I started working at a part-time office job a couple weeks after I retired. I also traveled at least once each week (160 miles round trip) to help my mother until she passed away on September 29, 2009. Now, I am training a replacement for my office position in order to pursue other activities.
For over a year, I have been on the board of the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging, but that doesn’t take much time because we only have meetings once a month. (This is not a pretentious position. We usually discuss and then rubber stamp suggestions of the executive director and staff.) I have been interested in the hospice program for a number of years, and I decided this is the time to get involved. I registered to attend the March 12 and 13 training program preparatory to becoming a volunteer with Hospice of Southern Illinois. When the training is over, I should know if this is something I can successfully achieve. Volunteers work one day a week, and there are many different service opportunities ranging from sitting with patients to office duties. I have always enjoyed working, and I still need some of that community exposure in retirement. Don’t worry, Prince Henri. I know a man’s home is his castle, and Cinderella will still have time to help you keep our castle in order.

One Stop Shopping

I like to read billboards, and one I saw yesterday piqued my interest. Readers familiar with Marion will remember Bill’s Liquors on Court Street. The marquee billboard in front of Bill’s store front advertises “Flu Shots $ .99” (click picture to maximize). I don’t know if this is a joke or if Bill actually is administering flu shots. If he is, is he a Medicare provider? Seasonal flu shots normally cost about $25.00 so Bill is offering a great deal. Maybe Bill has created an injectable version of Jello shots. I didn’t stop to check it out because I didn’t need any liquor, and I already have gotten both the seasonal and H1N1 flu shots. Even if this is a joke, it proves unique advertising certainly gets attention.

Family Planning

This is not about planning the number of children in a family but the wisdom of pre-planning children’s professions/trades to effectively care for aging parents. Henri and I have six children who all have successful jobs. In view of our senior status, however, we didn’t plan their careers very well to help us in our twilight years. Three sons, a correctional officer in a state prison, a deputy sheriff in Madison County, and a safety manager in a federal prison, can only provide for us if we violate federal, state, or Madison County laws. Another son, a research scientist, and a daughter, a pharmaceutical marketing analyst, study drugs and drug marketing but can’t supply the drugs we need. At least, the younger daughter, a dental hygienist, will be able to clean whatever teeth we have left!

My new plan is to establish a Utopian commune to ensure our needs and the needs of the entire family will be met. Within the next five years, we suggest our children and their spouses pursue professions/trades practical to support intergenerational life. Our commune will require the following: doctor, lawyer, dentist, plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter, nurse, banker, pharmacist, accountant, and funeral director. The children/spouses can decide among themselves what jobs appeal to each. When all have completed the additional education and/or training, we will establish our commune. The logical place to do this is in North Dakota where Henri has part ownership in a family farm. Utilizing their new skills, the children will build seven small cottages, each with sleeping quarters and a bathroom, and one large community building for meals, activities, and schooling. Ginger will home school the grandchildren who will also be responsible to take care of the farm animals, crops, and gardens. Henri will oversee the grandchildren’s’ tasks and also be the family chef. In addition to providing for the needs of the family, the adult children can use their skills to work for others, thus providing sources of income. This proposal will sustain the current generations as well as generations to come, lessen dependence on outside resources, and promote family harmony. Why didn’t we think of this years ago?

To Tweet Or Not To Tweet

White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, joined the Twitter world this week. PressSec is his Twitter name. On Saturday, his first tweet (on his official White House account) was the following: “Learning about ‘the twitter’ – easing into this with first tweet – any tips?” Within hours, he had almost 7,000 followers. Fellow Tweeters should be forewarned. Because Gibbs’ account is set up through the White House, comments and messages received are subject to the Presidential Records Act and may be archived. Gibbs decided to join Twitter while watching a twitter feed when President Obama visited the briefing room last week. He said he “thought it was fascinating to watch and see what people were thinking, doing, and writing.” “You know,” Gibbs added, “plus I’ve got all this free time on my hands!”

Is this an indication of what is really going on in Washington? Shouldn’t our “public servants” be “serving the public” rather than tweeting? With cell and BlackBerry phones to send/receive calls and text messages as well as check e-mails, Facebook, Twitter, and other Internet sites, when are our elected officials “officiating”? Will we have to check electronic devices in the future to find out if the economy is improving, if unemployment is increasing or decreasing, or if the terrorists have attacked? I think it is time for the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of our government to start “executing,” “legislating,” and “judicialing” instead of playing games with phones. (Note: I know “judicialing” is not a word!)

I haven’t joined Twitter. My computer time is already filled with checking e-mail, researching genealogy, reading FaceBook, and writing a blog. Also, tweets are limited to 140 characters, and I would find it difficult to express my profound opinions within that parameter. I already do a good job of boring my readers with my daily blogs. I don’t need to give them my thoughts every minute. I’ll leave tweeting to the Washington bureaucrats and be content to listen to Rico’s tweets. His tweets are not subject to the Presidential Records Act.

A Valentine Birthday

On Valentine’s Day two years ago, we met Drue Marie (Ms. Drue), our seventh grandchild, for the first time in the nursery at Heartland Regional Hospital, Marion. Today is her second Valentine birthday. We have eight grandchildren ranging in age from nine months to eleven years, and three of these, Kale, Bradynn, and Drue, have celebrated their second birthdays within the past five months.

Ms. Drue lives with David (Daddy), Missy (Mommy), Brother Dale (Bubba), and Tootsie (Barking Miniature Dachshund) near Anna, IL, about 30 miles south of Marion. I think David and Missy chose the name Drue Marie because they wanted to use the initials D and M. If they had consulted me, I would have suggested Ginger or Valentina. I may be partial, but I think Drue might resemble Daddy David and maybe even Grandma Ginger.
Drue will have a birthday party this afternoon, a time for gifts, food, and fun with family and friends. Best wishes for a Happy 2nd Birthday, Ms. Drue. Love from Grandpa Henri and Grandma Ginger.

P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day to all my faithful readers.