Tuesday
The funeral for my friend is on Thursday. It is going to be a full military style thing with 21-gun salute, flag - I have never been to one of those kinds of funerals, don't really know what to expect.
I spoke with Josie (his wife) last night on the phone. She stood there and watched him die as emergency workers tried to save his life. It was simply his time to go. I don't know how else to put it, when it's time, it's time.
I was not a particularly happy person at work yesterday, either. Just because I didn't have time to process all of it. I got the news the night before JUST before going to bed and then get up for work the next morning. Life goes on, yes, still, when you have known a person for some 16 years and became close friends, it isn't something that you just dismiss as if it were a melted Hostess cupcake and throw it in the trash.
Change the tune here, I am not really that much down at this point, he was a good man and he lived a full life, he is with the Lord, it isn't a bad thing where he's at, just the people that are left behind have to deal with the emotional issues of separation and bidding goodbyes.
I was standing next to the hummingbird feeder a few days ago when one of them came humming up to the feeder. I was maybe 2 feet away from that feeder and that bird. He became so relaxed he sat on the ledge and perched instead of hovering. I find this fascinating, birds usually want to be nowhere near humans. Well, then, another hummingbird flew to the top of the 6 foot chain link fence and perched there, looking at the feeder with the other bird.
The funeral for my friend is on Thursday. It is going to be a full military style thing with 21-gun salute, flag - I have never been to one of those kinds of funerals, don't really know what to expect.
I spoke with Josie (his wife) last night on the phone. She stood there and watched him die as emergency workers tried to save his life. It was simply his time to go. I don't know how else to put it, when it's time, it's time.
I was not a particularly happy person at work yesterday, either. Just because I didn't have time to process all of it. I got the news the night before JUST before going to bed and then get up for work the next morning. Life goes on, yes, still, when you have known a person for some 16 years and became close friends, it isn't something that you just dismiss as if it were a melted Hostess cupcake and throw it in the trash.
Change the tune here, I am not really that much down at this point, he was a good man and he lived a full life, he is with the Lord, it isn't a bad thing where he's at, just the people that are left behind have to deal with the emotional issues of separation and bidding goodbyes.
I was standing next to the hummingbird feeder a few days ago when one of them came humming up to the feeder. I was maybe 2 feet away from that feeder and that bird. He became so relaxed he sat on the ledge and perched instead of hovering. I find this fascinating, birds usually want to be nowhere near humans. Well, then, another hummingbird flew to the top of the 6 foot chain link fence and perched there, looking at the feeder with the other bird.
Now it gets dicey. Yet ANOTHER hummingbird zoomed right past the one on the fence, who immediately took off after it. A minute later, it came back and perched on the fence again. What happened next I wish I could have gotten on video: the bird on the fence swooped down on the bird on the feeder, poked it with it's bill and then took off. I heard this little squealing noise come from the "injured" bird who was RIGHT on the tail of that bird, chasing it away.
I don't know if it got revenge or not - they fly so fast they are out of my yard and down the street before you know what's going on. It wasn't 60 seconds later and it was back on the feeder, drinking away.
An amazing thought that these birds are, apparently, territorial, at least over "their" feeder and that they are willing to fight over it!!
My answer may be to get another feeder and locate it somewhere else, maybe on the other side of the house. Feeders are cheap, the mix to make the sugar liquid is cheap, nothing about money here. I would like to hang one right by the sliding door in the kitchen and and see if any of them will visit it.
Politics as usual. That's all I see in any of this. A vote is going to be forced on the repeal of the health care bill. I dunno that that's going to happen, I think it's more of a symbolic act to be used as weaponry in the next elections.
Our company just switched health care providers, going from Cygna to Anthem Blue Cross. I was not particularly happy about the switch, I now have to find a new doctor. I have had the same doctor for a number of years now and he was the kind of person that made a visit not so over-bearing. So, go to Anthem's site, pick a name out of the hat and hope I get a good one? Gag. Our company said it was a cost-reducing measure. Well, I'm glad to have coverage, so I can't complain too much, though the premiums are going up again. Pretty much every year the monthly premium is higher and higher. Can't afford to not have coverage so I pay it regardless of how much it costs. I am also covering my son and probably will be well into his "adult" life. My parents dumped me when I was 19 and I thought that a - petty - thing to do. I will be doing no such thing with my boy - until he find something that gives him his own coverage or if he ends up in the military - I will keep him on my coverage as long as I have coverage to extend to him.
Work day approaches. A couple of small orders in the system.
G'day.
ben
I don't know if it got revenge or not - they fly so fast they are out of my yard and down the street before you know what's going on. It wasn't 60 seconds later and it was back on the feeder, drinking away.
An amazing thought that these birds are, apparently, territorial, at least over "their" feeder and that they are willing to fight over it!!
My answer may be to get another feeder and locate it somewhere else, maybe on the other side of the house. Feeders are cheap, the mix to make the sugar liquid is cheap, nothing about money here. I would like to hang one right by the sliding door in the kitchen and and see if any of them will visit it.
Politics as usual. That's all I see in any of this. A vote is going to be forced on the repeal of the health care bill. I dunno that that's going to happen, I think it's more of a symbolic act to be used as weaponry in the next elections.
Our company just switched health care providers, going from Cygna to Anthem Blue Cross. I was not particularly happy about the switch, I now have to find a new doctor. I have had the same doctor for a number of years now and he was the kind of person that made a visit not so over-bearing. So, go to Anthem's site, pick a name out of the hat and hope I get a good one? Gag. Our company said it was a cost-reducing measure. Well, I'm glad to have coverage, so I can't complain too much, though the premiums are going up again. Pretty much every year the monthly premium is higher and higher. Can't afford to not have coverage so I pay it regardless of how much it costs. I am also covering my son and probably will be well into his "adult" life. My parents dumped me when I was 19 and I thought that a - petty - thing to do. I will be doing no such thing with my boy - until he find something that gives him his own coverage or if he ends up in the military - I will keep him on my coverage as long as I have coverage to extend to him.
Work day approaches. A couple of small orders in the system.
G'day.
ben
