I can see clearly now............ finally!

Good morning and welcome to another tip toe through the tulips here on Tuesday, August 30, 2011. Everyone in these parts are on the edge of their seat waiting to see if the forecast for later this week will become a reality. It calls for a break in these record setting high temperatures and for some rain. Typically we don't pay that much attention to anything past a couple of days but given the energy zapping heat, we are reduced to grasping for even a hope of relief. But, that's a little of how it goes over here, how in the world are you doing, anyway? We've all heard the "it was so hot, the" jokes. You know the ones about it being so hot the chickens are laying hard boiled eggs, and trees are fighting over dogs, and the wax in my ears lighted up and started burning like a candle. Those might bring a smile but to tell the truth, the kind of heat and drought we've had has not been anything to laugh about and even the jokes about it seem to be very lame indeed. Oppressive, draining, and maybe even a little exasperating. In the end we send up our prayers because we believe God is our provider. He is who we turn to when we seek relief. Amen.

That doesn't mean we throw in the towel on poking fun at ourselves. When we do that we are on our way to living in drudgery. Last Friday afternoon I went to the eye doctor for what was supposed to be a routine examination, especially to check for any diabetic impact on my eyes. This was my first visit to this doctor under the plan we chose to work in conjunction with Medicare. The office was located on one of the busiest streets in the metro area and by the time I dodged the wrecks and mayhem along the way, I got there just in time for my appointment and most likely needed to see a cardiologist. The waiting room was pretty full. It was a little eerie being there with so many white haired people. The doctor had someone in every examination room. We were being shuttled in and out and forth and back from one phase to the next. They really did a number on my eyes when they dilated them. Big time! After over two hours of playing the game called Medicare Roulette, I came out of the building wearing those flimsy sun screen glasses they give you worn under my regular glasses, and I could hardly see anything, period. I've never been so dilated. I thought about it. I've got to get out there on one of the busiest streets where accidents are a dime a dozen at 5 p.m. on a Friday afternoon at quitting time. Why not? Maybe having everything be fuzzy might be an improvement. So I did just that and got out there and joined the fray. I did get into a couple of wrong turning lanes but the good news: I did finally make it home but I am not sure I could tell you how, but, I want go any further because my wife is still unhappy with me for even trying. The part about not seeing well being an advantage did not seem to impress her. Know what I mean?

That reminds me of the time I broke my glasses at work in the downtown metropolis. That was back in the mid 1970's and I was riding a bus at that time. My glasses were not wearable and I ended up getting on a wrong bus and ended up getting to a wrong destination and ended up having my wife and kids come to pick me up. See. Last Friday was not my first rodeo. I remember an elderly gentleman I worked with who made the trip from Shreveport to Houston before he retired. Myself and another fellow took him to lunch. He was more or less on a holiday, therefore, when they offered us all a free drink, myself and the other fellow declined, but he partook of all three. When we went into the restaurant it was overcast and cloudy. But when we came out the sun was blazing bright. I suppose the adult beverages had worked on him a little, therefore, when that sun hit him he began to wobble, and I'll never forget what he said, "I don't know if I am blind or drunk but you guys are going to have to help me get back to the office." We did and based on my little foray last Friday I know a little about how he felt. Now I do hope you would learn a lesson from my bad choices. That was like a public service announcement thrown in to make my wife feel better. You all have a great day and may God bless each one. Amen.            ......More later.

Update: From the Houston Chronicle,  If no Russian rocket fix, space station could be de-crewed in November. International Space Station chief Mike Suffredini said Monday that Russian investigators are continuing to study the cause of a lost Progress supply vehicle. The biggest issue remains the safety of the Soyuz crew vehicle, which uses a similar launch system to the Progress spacecraft. Suffredini said if the issue isn’t resolved by Nov. 16, that is if a Soyuz cannot be safely flown by then, the space station will have to be de-crewed temporarily. This would be a huge blow to NASA, which just completed construction of the ISS earlier this year, and has continuously occupied the station for 11 years.

I don't make this stuff up folks. My question: "Who's on first?"