Lita and I are finally back in Gig Harbor. While I am still getting antibiotic therapy for my knee and unable to drve, it's great to be home. This long neglected blog needs attention. We watched a wonderful film about a famous race horse which inspires this posting. I don't follow the races or go to the track, but there are champion horses worth hearing about. A couple of famous horses have ties to Washington state. Real Quiet was the name…
Marija Babarovich died on August 5th, 1953. She was my mother's mother – my grandmother. She died the year I graduated from high school in Anacortes, Washington. Her life story is one of great courage and sacrifice involving immigration to America while not being able to speak English. I've previously talked about that in writing about my mother.https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/07/mary-thelma-luvera-.html.html I remember her vividly. A tall erect woman with hair piled high on her head, she looked regal and carried herself in a way that projected dignity…
The news reports that suspected members of the Taliban hanged an eight yearold son of the local police commander in Southern Afghanistan when his father refused to surrender with his police vehicle and weapons. They had kidnapped the boy and warned the father they would kill his son if he didn’t agree. The father, Mohammed Dauoud, 36, said he received a phone call with the demand saying his son Mohammed Ibrahim, had been kidnapped and would be killed if he…
This blog is so neglected I think another update is in order I have not abandoned it. I just have trouble keeping it up. I had right knee surgery June 8th to replace an existing total knee joint. Surgery went well. Rehab went well and we were scheduled to fly home when an infection was noted. The trip was cancelled and it was decided the new joint would to be removed. Another surgery was done to insert a fixed rod…
On an early Friday morning, July 7th2000, my mother Mary Thelma Babarovich, died in her sleep at the San Juan Care Center. Her death was not unexpected. After all, she was born on December 28, 1905 and was ninety four years old when she died. She had been in failing health for some time. Her passing was, in fact, a personal blessing to her as she had been ready to meet her maker for some time. My sisters, Phyllis Ennes…
My grandfather, Nicola Luvera died in Anacortes on Independence Day, July 4, 1956 after living more then ninety years. My chief regret is that he spoke no English and I spoke no Italian so we never had a real conversation – only through my father's interpretation. Dad believed our family should speak English because we lived in America so my sisters and I never learned either parent's native language. My grandfather's story is one of courage and determination. After working in…
The website TED is a one I enjoy visiting as often as I can. It features video talks by many different people on a variety of subjects. One talk I particularly enjoyed was by Ric Ellias Three things I learned while my plan crashed – http://www.ted.com/talks./ric_elias.html. He had a front row seat on Flight 1549 that crash landed in the Hudson River in January of 2009. He describes what went through his mind when he realized he might not survive….
A brief report as to my status. Lita and I had a flight booked home tomorrow only to have a slight reversal regarding infection monitoring. I had to have lab tests and it takes a couple of days for report so the trip had to be cancelled. If all is OK we will go home Wednesday instead. Otherwise progress in knee rehab is good. The bad news is that we have a 118 degree day tomorrow here in Scottsdale with…
This is our third, and hopefully final week in Scottsdale. With outside temperatures 113 t o 118 degrees one does not spend time outside.. I have another week of rehab before the doctor lets us go home. I am looking forward to our home and especially our dogs and cats which we have missed. Julie Harrison, our house manager has had the brunt of it taking care of her animals plus taking in our dogs as well. On this end, Lita…
You know how it it is. You meet someone you know. You ask, only to be polite, "How are you?" and to your surprise the friend launches into a detailed description of some medical ailment they have had or are going through. You aren't really interested because the only thing we really are interested in is talking about ourselves. But, oblivious to our non verbal language of not caring, our friend launches into a detailed report of their medical problems with…
