Here it is mom! The same bird from a different angle! haha from my old Nikon!
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Spare time and a little bit of a new hobby
Hello and good morning or good afternoon/evening to everyone or anyone reading this!
So I had kind of made a promise to myself and anyone reading this that I would share some of my new hobby. Well its more of an old one that resurfaced and was resurrected from the deepest parts of my past years ago. Well here they are! These are just a few and there are many more to come! If you have any questions about the gear or the birds or whatever it may be, feel free to ask in the comments! I would love any comment! Lol
I will be updating this weekly and probably even sooner than that so keep an eye out lol.
Take care everyone!
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Positively Bad Days
Hello and good evening again!
So my plan today was to start maybe updating my blog and then also do some vlogging for the first time too as I have camera equipment also. Well of course to no avail life strikes again lol. The day started out as a peaceful uneventful morning which seemed to be a good start. First matters of the day? Get the kids to school ✅ Get my tux for the wedding I’m going to be in ✅ Get my medical supplies I’m short on? Yep thats where it all starts to go slightly south.
I have an ostomy bag from a colectomy that I had done amongst other things a few months ago. For those of you who are wondering what that is, this next section is for you. I had a section of my intestines removed not long ago due to a condition called diverticulitis. It’s a nasty thing that leaves you writhing in pain and can put even the toughest of us down and on our sides completely out of commission. It also can destroy parts of your intestines besides causing great pain.
As for how it went for me? It went unchecked after its second flair up due to many reasons and an extensive amount of time waiting for referrals. You’d think with medical insurance and all of the contact I had with my doctors that it would have gone faster but it really dragged out. I ended up going to the emergency room by ambulance and was given the worst news I have had in a while. The news was “your CT scans came back really bad and we need to do a colectomy removing part of your sigmoid colon”.
The rest goes on to explain that for the next 9 months to a year or longer that I will have an ostomy bag attached to the outside of my abdomen for any “output”. That was a real life changer for me that I’m still dealing with daily. Anyway, after having part of my lower colon removed, a mass removed, a hernia repaired and my smaller intestines repaired and rerouted inside me I’m sent to my room and put on some really strong stuff which was also an interesting ride lol. I spend 16 days in the hospital learning to deal with my new upgrades. I say upgrades because that makes it sound better lol.
Oh yeah, where was I? Sorry its the A.D.D. It strikes again! So what are these upgrades? These upgrades are the bag and flange that I have to replace every few days and clean and care for daily. Not a fun task for anyone at first but I speak from experience when I say you get used to it and it becomes tolerable after so long.
These two piece upgrades come with one flaw. What’s that flaw you say? Well, not everyone carries the one you may or may not need. Each one fits each patient differently and some medical supply carriers don’t have all of them. My supplier usually carries the ones I like and need but today was different. For some reason they weren’t carrying them! Lucky for me they had something that will do for now and they put in a special order for the others I usually get.
It’s a pain when you cant get your medical supplies you need and especially when its the only place in town that has it! Lucky for me it worked out this time. I haven’t always been so lucky in the past few months with it and its sad because I know I’m not the only one that has to deal with this and the condition. It’s not fun and I would not wish it on anyone. There is so much more I could write on this about diverticulitis but I will save that for another blog.
My real main point to all of this is that even with all of this, I’m still alive. I’m very lucky to be. It had gotten so bad to the point where I could have gone septic and could have died. So for me, I feel now that every day is more of a blessing from god. I could have had a worse outcome and that is the same for today. Even though things went wrong, I’m still alive and breathing and able to fight through the next days to come as god is my witness and is my strength.
As I wrap up this blog, I want you to think of your blessings and the hardships that you have crossed and made it through. You are living proof that you can still make it through those things. As for those who are possibly going through hardships right now, I want you to realize you are not alone! Reach out to those around you because you never know what the next man/woman has been through. It may be helpful and you may make a long lasting friendship. Know your not alone. Count the positive and forget the negatives. You’ve got this and god has your back!
So my plan today was to start maybe updating my blog and then also do some vlogging for the first time too as I have camera equipment also. Well of course to no avail life strikes again lol. The day started out as a peaceful uneventful morning which seemed to be a good start. First matters of the day? Get the kids to school ✅ Get my tux for the wedding I’m going to be in ✅ Get my medical supplies I’m short on? Yep thats where it all starts to go slightly south.
I have an ostomy bag from a colectomy that I had done amongst other things a few months ago. For those of you who are wondering what that is, this next section is for you. I had a section of my intestines removed not long ago due to a condition called diverticulitis. It’s a nasty thing that leaves you writhing in pain and can put even the toughest of us down and on our sides completely out of commission. It also can destroy parts of your intestines besides causing great pain.
As for how it went for me? It went unchecked after its second flair up due to many reasons and an extensive amount of time waiting for referrals. You’d think with medical insurance and all of the contact I had with my doctors that it would have gone faster but it really dragged out. I ended up going to the emergency room by ambulance and was given the worst news I have had in a while. The news was “your CT scans came back really bad and we need to do a colectomy removing part of your sigmoid colon”.
The rest goes on to explain that for the next 9 months to a year or longer that I will have an ostomy bag attached to the outside of my abdomen for any “output”. That was a real life changer for me that I’m still dealing with daily. Anyway, after having part of my lower colon removed, a mass removed, a hernia repaired and my smaller intestines repaired and rerouted inside me I’m sent to my room and put on some really strong stuff which was also an interesting ride lol. I spend 16 days in the hospital learning to deal with my new upgrades. I say upgrades because that makes it sound better lol.
Oh yeah, where was I? Sorry its the A.D.D. It strikes again! So what are these upgrades? These upgrades are the bag and flange that I have to replace every few days and clean and care for daily. Not a fun task for anyone at first but I speak from experience when I say you get used to it and it becomes tolerable after so long.
These two piece upgrades come with one flaw. What’s that flaw you say? Well, not everyone carries the one you may or may not need. Each one fits each patient differently and some medical supply carriers don’t have all of them. My supplier usually carries the ones I like and need but today was different. For some reason they weren’t carrying them! Lucky for me they had something that will do for now and they put in a special order for the others I usually get.
It’s a pain when you cant get your medical supplies you need and especially when its the only place in town that has it! Lucky for me it worked out this time. I haven’t always been so lucky in the past few months with it and its sad because I know I’m not the only one that has to deal with this and the condition. It’s not fun and I would not wish it on anyone. There is so much more I could write on this about diverticulitis but I will save that for another blog.
My real main point to all of this is that even with all of this, I’m still alive. I’m very lucky to be. It had gotten so bad to the point where I could have gone septic and could have died. So for me, I feel now that every day is more of a blessing from god. I could have had a worse outcome and that is the same for today. Even though things went wrong, I’m still alive and breathing and able to fight through the next days to come as god is my witness and is my strength.
As I wrap up this blog, I want you to think of your blessings and the hardships that you have crossed and made it through. You are living proof that you can still make it through those things. As for those who are possibly going through hardships right now, I want you to realize you are not alone! Reach out to those around you because you never know what the next man/woman has been through. It may be helpful and you may make a long lasting friendship. Know your not alone. Count the positive and forget the negatives. You’ve got this and god has your back!
Hello and good morning/afternoon to whoever is reading this!
So I took a few years off of this blog and I’m back! A lot has changed since I last posted. Lots of twists and turns to this life! I’m going through somewhat of a journey right now myself along with my family and I wanted to kind of share some of my experiences I’ve had in this time and the ride I’ve had along the way. It has been crazy. That’s the best way I can put it. I hope that in this I’m able to help whoever reads this blog in the upcoming weeks or months and however long this ride goes!
I’ll be updating it as time goes on and sharing some things that changed my life recently. So don’t go anywhere! Unless I redirect you to some other facet of my crazy life lol. So stay tuned if your into stories involving near death experiences and things that open your eyes and new doors! God has been great to me and given me a new direction and new lease on life. Count your blessings!
Ps. If your into photography. Definitely stay tuned!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
A Wise Man Once Said.
When I was much younger and much smaller than I am now, I was very lucky to have the chance to start traveling early and enjoy many of the sights throughout the west coast and various parts of the country. Ive been pretty lucky to have gone to the places I have been. I have had the chance to see pods of Orca swimming off the North Pacific coast and feeding in their natural habitat. Ive woken up to the sounds of wild coyotes and mountain lions in Grand Mesa. Witnessed wild bears eating what would have been some poor fella's dinner out of their own cooler too lol.
When I was little, my father took it upon himself to show me and my family wildlife and the outdoors for what it truly was. Granted we never went on an African safari or anything like that, I still had the chance to see the raw beauty of nature and the power of its elements. We traveled a lot, and when we did it was by our trusty old 79' dodge van. Me, my older sister and baby brother would be loaded up and we would hit the road. Where were we going? Probably somewhere camping. Our favorite thing to do!
What does one do when traveling in the back of this wagon? As a wise man told me once (well maybe several times lol) "Put away what your doing and enjoy the sights outside the window, these things may not always be there and may be gone when your older." That wise man was my father, and as you should do at that age, I listened. I saw bears, deer, and other wildlife along the way that had I not looked, I would have missed. I was also seeing our beautiful country for what it was and seeing all the beautiful mountain ranges and forests it had to offer. Oh and we cant forget all the highway patrol cars I spotted in their natural habitat (wink wink lol).
All joking and stories aside, I realize now what my father was talking about. when your younger you think, "Yeah that tree will still be there" or "that river wont disappear" or "I would rather text my friends" in the case of some of this younger generation. You don't really realize or think of the impact we have on nature or what people and industrialization is doing to it, when you are that young. Your a kid, you just want to do your thing and have fun right? You don't realize as a kid or adolescent that in future years of your life, all of your wilderness surroundings could be turned to hard, cold, concrete. Turned to dust and rebuilt into homes, shopping centers, and maybe sky scrapers.
This all sounds beautiful right? Well to a generation like mine and to the older generations behind me, WRONG. That just sounds like an over crowded box of heat and dry concrete jungle. No trees, No beautiful streams, lakes and forests to enjoy and cool off in. No camping sites with a fire to roast marshmallows on. No waking up to a deer outside your tent and hearing the beautiful silence of the forest in the morning. Just concrete everywhere and cars with crowded highways.
How do we solve this you ask? Here is your answer. The exact same way my father did. Get your small wonderful child to enjoy the sights and wildlife we have in this country or wherever you are. Help them build a love for life and the things god put here. Take them out into the way the world was before cell phones, portable game systems, and other electronics. Show them how people survived and how they had before all of those things. Take them hiking, camping, fishing, floating down a river on a raft, or just for a simple stroll in the woods. It wont cost you an arm and a leg and it will help you connect with them on a much deeper level too. I know it did with me and my father.
We need to show our younger generations and even our own, how to appreciate and love nature for its magnificence. We need to show them its beauty and importance in our life and to our existence. It is important for all of us to do this and pass this along for future generations so everyone will know to take care of our wonderful planet, before these wonderful things are gone and its too late. Its up to no one person to do this alone, but it is up to all of us and every single person makes a difference.
So as Ive said, take your child or friend, show them the outdoors and nature for all of its wonders. Do as my father once did for me and my family, for one day all of this may be gone. Never take things in life for granted. Take care of them and enjoy everything for what it is. As a wise man once said, nothing is forever!
When I was little, my father took it upon himself to show me and my family wildlife and the outdoors for what it truly was. Granted we never went on an African safari or anything like that, I still had the chance to see the raw beauty of nature and the power of its elements. We traveled a lot, and when we did it was by our trusty old 79' dodge van. Me, my older sister and baby brother would be loaded up and we would hit the road. Where were we going? Probably somewhere camping. Our favorite thing to do!
What does one do when traveling in the back of this wagon? As a wise man told me once (well maybe several times lol) "Put away what your doing and enjoy the sights outside the window, these things may not always be there and may be gone when your older." That wise man was my father, and as you should do at that age, I listened. I saw bears, deer, and other wildlife along the way that had I not looked, I would have missed. I was also seeing our beautiful country for what it was and seeing all the beautiful mountain ranges and forests it had to offer. Oh and we cant forget all the highway patrol cars I spotted in their natural habitat (wink wink lol).
All joking and stories aside, I realize now what my father was talking about. when your younger you think, "Yeah that tree will still be there" or "that river wont disappear" or "I would rather text my friends" in the case of some of this younger generation. You don't really realize or think of the impact we have on nature or what people and industrialization is doing to it, when you are that young. Your a kid, you just want to do your thing and have fun right? You don't realize as a kid or adolescent that in future years of your life, all of your wilderness surroundings could be turned to hard, cold, concrete. Turned to dust and rebuilt into homes, shopping centers, and maybe sky scrapers.
This all sounds beautiful right? Well to a generation like mine and to the older generations behind me, WRONG. That just sounds like an over crowded box of heat and dry concrete jungle. No trees, No beautiful streams, lakes and forests to enjoy and cool off in. No camping sites with a fire to roast marshmallows on. No waking up to a deer outside your tent and hearing the beautiful silence of the forest in the morning. Just concrete everywhere and cars with crowded highways.
How do we solve this you ask? Here is your answer. The exact same way my father did. Get your small wonderful child to enjoy the sights and wildlife we have in this country or wherever you are. Help them build a love for life and the things god put here. Take them out into the way the world was before cell phones, portable game systems, and other electronics. Show them how people survived and how they had before all of those things. Take them hiking, camping, fishing, floating down a river on a raft, or just for a simple stroll in the woods. It wont cost you an arm and a leg and it will help you connect with them on a much deeper level too. I know it did with me and my father.
We need to show our younger generations and even our own, how to appreciate and love nature for its magnificence. We need to show them its beauty and importance in our life and to our existence. It is important for all of us to do this and pass this along for future generations so everyone will know to take care of our wonderful planet, before these wonderful things are gone and its too late. Its up to no one person to do this alone, but it is up to all of us and every single person makes a difference.
So as Ive said, take your child or friend, show them the outdoors and nature for all of its wonders. Do as my father once did for me and my family, for one day all of this may be gone. Never take things in life for granted. Take care of them and enjoy everything for what it is. As a wise man once said, nothing is forever!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Question of the Day!
Hello and Good Afternoon to all!
Last night after reading my first post, I thought of something. A while back, our pit bull decided she was going to dig by our tree in the yard. At first I thought nothing of it other than "great, another hole to fill" lol. After a bit of watching her, while enjoying my coffee, I realized she was after something in the dirt. When she was finally done, she pulled a large metal dish from the dirt. She brought it to the back door where I was standing, set it right next to her food dish (which was full) and sat down, as if to say "this one is empty, fill it up!" lol.
As we all know, dogs do some pretty strange and weird things. My question of the day for you the reader is, what strange thing has your dog dug up or brought to you that was out of the normal?
Please leave your dogs icky and weird finds below in the comments! :)
Last night after reading my first post, I thought of something. A while back, our pit bull decided she was going to dig by our tree in the yard. At first I thought nothing of it other than "great, another hole to fill" lol. After a bit of watching her, while enjoying my coffee, I realized she was after something in the dirt. When she was finally done, she pulled a large metal dish from the dirt. She brought it to the back door where I was standing, set it right next to her food dish (which was full) and sat down, as if to say "this one is empty, fill it up!" lol.
As we all know, dogs do some pretty strange and weird things. My question of the day for you the reader is, what strange thing has your dog dug up or brought to you that was out of the normal?
Please leave your dogs icky and weird finds below in the comments! :)
Monday, June 11, 2012
The "OMG!!" Bug and it's pesky friend, the termite!
Hello again to all readers! How are you enjoying the summer weather? I hope you all are finding it comfortable because I sure am not lol. The air conditioning sure makes it a lot more appealing. Bring on the freeze!! Agree with me don't you? Its funny how we all want it then we decide its time for it to go away lol. Anyway, on with the blog right?
Today when I woke up I began contemplating my blog for the day while eating my breakfast (oatmeal and strawberries! yummy!). After a while I realized the usual routine, aka a scream in the house and an "OMG BUG!" had not been done for the last few days. Reason for that is, a week or two ago I had noticed there were termites eating through my fence posts in my rose bed. My immediate reaction of course, EXTERMINATE! lol. The last thing anyone wants is a huge termite infestation! I am pretty sure though that its a total opposite reaction for the terminix guy though lol. He gets paid for it, so for him its probably a "yay!".
After my discovery of these termites and their damage done, I quickly hopped into the car and drove to my local home depot ( a yay! for any guy who likes tools and hardware stores lol). While trying to fight my urge to buy the entire store, I found what I now find to be a wonderful spray. It is however, on the not so harmless and some what pricey side (17 dollars!) lol. But never the less, it works! It is Bayer Advanced Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus. Its a concentrate, so you would have to buy your own sprayer but you would be saving in the long term of things by using a concentrate and mixing it yourself.
Its not too complicated for the average person like me, so I know you could do it! Just patience and perseverance along with following lots of instructions! lol. Your going to need a lot of it for a vermin like these! It's been a few days here and I have yet to see one again near my garden or by the fence posts. These pesky buggers like to hide deep within the wood and down below the surface of the ground. That being said, you will probably have to do quite a bit of digging around to locate and eradicate them also, like I did. Pain in the rear huh? But in the long run, it is well worth the hard work. If all else fails, call the exterminator! lol.
Another advantage to this spray is the fact that it works on many other pesky bugs, including wasps, and my most pesky one of all, roaches! Yes I said it, Roaches! Also known around here as, Japanese Water Beatles or "OMG BUG!!!" lol. These things seem to burst out of the woodwork no matter where you live. They are one of the most pesky bugs I have ever encountered and hard to get rid of. The morning after I had gone on my "extermination rampage" with the termites, I walked out to a surprise while getting my morning newspaper. I found about twenty or more dead roaches by the sidewalk.
Now I know most of you at this point, are either cringing at this or probably saying "ew ew ewww" but, I was excited! I had finally found something they apparently could not withstand. I have checked everywhere for them. For those of you who do not know this type, it is an outdoor type mainly and only occasionally it is found indoors. They love cool damp areas near gardens and piping under the home, sometimes even under planters, even your dogs house! lol. None the less, they are still a pesky bug lol.
We have been lucky and prepared enough to keep these numbers outside, and out of the home. They are invasive and can bring all kinds of disease, along with being a problem for people with asthma! If you have them or see one, get to work immediately! They breed and spread quickly, so what started as a small amount, can turn to a huge infestation. For these guys, there are plenty of house hold items and home made sprays that can help indoors, if you do not want to use poisons.
For instance, my girlfriend found out 409 kills them and quickly! She did not just spray it though, she drowned it! lol. Soap and water will also do the trick. The reason for this is that the soap in the water suffocates them, making them an easy target for the shoe or even killing them after a few seconds! Beware though, this bug can revive even after being sprayed and slowed down! So use that shoe or newspaper! lol. Don't be afraid! Squish it!! lol. Well, that pretty much sums up what I have to say. I hope you enjoyed your read and found this useful. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and ask! :)
SQUISH IT! SQUISH IT GOOD! lol
Today when I woke up I began contemplating my blog for the day while eating my breakfast (oatmeal and strawberries! yummy!). After a while I realized the usual routine, aka a scream in the house and an "OMG BUG!" had not been done for the last few days. Reason for that is, a week or two ago I had noticed there were termites eating through my fence posts in my rose bed. My immediate reaction of course, EXTERMINATE! lol. The last thing anyone wants is a huge termite infestation! I am pretty sure though that its a total opposite reaction for the terminix guy though lol. He gets paid for it, so for him its probably a "yay!".
After my discovery of these termites and their damage done, I quickly hopped into the car and drove to my local home depot ( a yay! for any guy who likes tools and hardware stores lol). While trying to fight my urge to buy the entire store, I found what I now find to be a wonderful spray. It is however, on the not so harmless and some what pricey side (17 dollars!) lol. But never the less, it works! It is Bayer Advanced Carpenter Ant & Termite Killer Plus. Its a concentrate, so you would have to buy your own sprayer but you would be saving in the long term of things by using a concentrate and mixing it yourself.
Its not too complicated for the average person like me, so I know you could do it! Just patience and perseverance along with following lots of instructions! lol. Your going to need a lot of it for a vermin like these! It's been a few days here and I have yet to see one again near my garden or by the fence posts. These pesky buggers like to hide deep within the wood and down below the surface of the ground. That being said, you will probably have to do quite a bit of digging around to locate and eradicate them also, like I did. Pain in the rear huh? But in the long run, it is well worth the hard work. If all else fails, call the exterminator! lol.
Another advantage to this spray is the fact that it works on many other pesky bugs, including wasps, and my most pesky one of all, roaches! Yes I said it, Roaches! Also known around here as, Japanese Water Beatles or "OMG BUG!!!" lol. These things seem to burst out of the woodwork no matter where you live. They are one of the most pesky bugs I have ever encountered and hard to get rid of. The morning after I had gone on my "extermination rampage" with the termites, I walked out to a surprise while getting my morning newspaper. I found about twenty or more dead roaches by the sidewalk.
Now I know most of you at this point, are either cringing at this or probably saying "ew ew ewww" but, I was excited! I had finally found something they apparently could not withstand. I have checked everywhere for them. For those of you who do not know this type, it is an outdoor type mainly and only occasionally it is found indoors. They love cool damp areas near gardens and piping under the home, sometimes even under planters, even your dogs house! lol. None the less, they are still a pesky bug lol.
We have been lucky and prepared enough to keep these numbers outside, and out of the home. They are invasive and can bring all kinds of disease, along with being a problem for people with asthma! If you have them or see one, get to work immediately! They breed and spread quickly, so what started as a small amount, can turn to a huge infestation. For these guys, there are plenty of house hold items and home made sprays that can help indoors, if you do not want to use poisons.
For instance, my girlfriend found out 409 kills them and quickly! She did not just spray it though, she drowned it! lol. Soap and water will also do the trick. The reason for this is that the soap in the water suffocates them, making them an easy target for the shoe or even killing them after a few seconds! Beware though, this bug can revive even after being sprayed and slowed down! So use that shoe or newspaper! lol. Don't be afraid! Squish it!! lol. Well, that pretty much sums up what I have to say. I hope you enjoyed your read and found this useful. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and ask! :)
SQUISH IT! SQUISH IT GOOD! lol
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)