"He has been a doctor a year now and has had two patients, no, three, I think -- yes, it was three; I attended their funerals." ~ Mark Twain

I did make it back and I'm glad to be back in the saddle again. Well, it's really a handed down steno chair, but, the saddle does fit the motif of the ole blogger ranch, and I am glad to be back from my brief hiatus. It is back-to-work Monday, July 31, 2017, and since I have my annual physical this morning I think it may be just a wee bit late to try and make a huge impact on the outcome. I did have plans to work on several things, but, maybe next time. My brother Victor and I had a good two days over in Louisiana of working through some of the activities needed to begin to begin getting started on concluding mom's and dad's affairs. Saturday afternoon on my way back to Texas I stopped in the little small place called Burkeville. They last reported some 1,716 people living there, but, I would have guessed maybe 200 or less. I pulled into the Family Dollar Store to get myself a Monster Zero drink and some snacks to help keep me awake. There was this fellow out in the parking lot and he appeared to be visiting his way into the store. He was talking to anyone out there. When I made my way to the check-out stand, he had come inside and was greeting another lady with these words, "And what brings you out to the Burkeville mall today?" He then said, "How's my buddy Old Pete getting along?" The lady responded, "I can't believe you haven't heard yet, Pete was killed in an accident." The things you hear at the Burkeville mall, it sounds like the conversation of life.

Victor and I had a great time visiting while we worked. I made need to qualify that a little. We had a great time visiting and we also got some work done. It's always good to be back home, and mom and dad had made their house just that, a place everyone enjoyed visiting. Even though it still looks pretty much like it did when they were there, it will never be the same without them. It was as if we dropped by to check on everything while they were out of town. That too is a part of how life works. Transitions. I write about this as a way of practicing my speech to my doctor this morning. He will need to be informed as to why my diabetic numbers have been whacked out of late. I think he might share some of the responsibility. Remember that speech he gave me when I turned 70 last year? All that stuff about how things begin to decline in the ELDERLY. He may have planted a negative thought pattern in my head and it communicated with my blood and it just might be his fault. You do know that will likely not work. Oh well, we will have to deal with whatever it turns out to be. Sorry. But, that's how it works.

No coffee this morning. I'm fasting until I get my blood work done. That big old Keurig seems to have the saddest expression this morning. And, the stacks of boxes of Community Coffee K-cups, well, they act like they have been abandoned. I agree. If that is the worst problem I face today I should be overjoyed with thankfulness. I'll try to keep that in mind. And, as always, I can use all the help I can get. Whatever is going on, no matter what, God is aware and He cares. That doesn't mean we will escape troubles and trials, but, it does mean that we can count on Him to be there with us, every step of the way. Even when things don't work as well in the elderly. Or, in any other condition as well. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to share today. I do hope you will have a blessed and productive day. May God help us all is my prayer. Amen. .....More later.