Winter Walk

Language

Chriskindmarkt

Azariah's Birthday party 2

Azariah's 1st Birthday 11 9 19

Azariah's 1st Birthday 11 9 19

Flaming colour

fall in all itd glory 10/20/19

Ice Spectacular at the Freight House

Ice Spectacular 1/23/20

First Snow 10/27/19

Well behaved snow staying off the sidewalk 

Growing Up Catholic

Mom's Birthday Weekend

Every year we try to get together to honor our mother's birthday. 

Milestone

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight

Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight by Rose Hartwick Thorpe,

Slowly England's sun was setting o'er the hilltops far away,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one sad day;
And its last rays kissed the forehead of a man and maiden fair,--
He with steps so slow and weary; she with sunny, floating hair;
He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful, she, with lips all cold and white,
Struggling to keep back the murmur, "Curfew must not ring to-night!"

"Sexton," Bessie's white lips faltered, pointing to the prison old,
With its walls tall and gloomy, moss-grown walls dark, damp and cold,--
"I've a lover in the prison, doomed this very night to die
At the ringing of the curfew, and no earthly help is nigh.
Cromwell will not come till sunset;" and her lips grew strangely white,
As she spoke in husky whispers, "Curfew must not ring to-night!"

"Bessie," calmly spoke the sexton (every word pierced her young heart
Like a gleaming death-winged arrow, like a deadly poisoned dart),
"Long, long years I've rung the curfew from that gloomy, shadowed tower;
Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the twilight hour.
I have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and right:
Now I'm old, I will not falter. Curfew bell must ring to-night!"

Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and white her thoughtful brow,
As within her secret bosom, Bessie made a solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges read, without a tear or sigh,
"At the ringing of the curfew, Basil Underwood must "die.
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes grew large and bright;
One low murmur, faintly spoken. "Curfew must not ring to-night!"

She with quick step bounded forward, sprang within the old church-door,
Left the old man coming slowly, paths he'd trod so oft before.
Not one moment paused the maiden, But with eye and cheek aglow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower, Where the bell swung to and fro;
As she climbed the slimy ladder, On which fell no ray of light,
Upward still, her pale lips saying, "Curfew shall not ring to-night!"

She has reached the topmost ladder, o'er her hangs the great dark bell;
Awful is the gloom beneath her, like the pathway down to hell.
See! the ponderous tongue is swinging; 'tis the hour of curfew now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her breath, and paled her brow.
Shall she let it ring? No, never! Her eyes flash with sudden light,
As she springs, and grasps it firmly: "Curfew shall not ring to-night!"

Out she swung,-- far out. The city Seemed a speck of light below,--
There twixt heaven and earth suspended, As the bell swung to and fro.
And the sexton at the bell-rope, old and deaf, heard not the bell,
Sadly thought that twilight curfew rang young Basil's funeral knell.
"Still the maiden, clinging firmly, quivering lip and fair face white,
Stilled her frightened heart's wild throbbing: "Curfew shall not ring tonight!"

It was o'er, the bell ceased swaying; and the maiden stepped once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder, where, for hundred years before,
Human foot had not been planted. The brave deed that she had done
Should be told long ages after. As the rays of setting sun
Light the sky with golden beauty, aged sires, with heads of white,
Tell the children why the curfew did not ring that one sad night.

O'er the distant hills comes Cromwell. Bessie sees him; and her brow,
Lately white with sickening horror, has no anxious traces now.
At his feet she tells her story, shows her hands, all bruised and torn;
And her sweet young face, still hagggard, with the anguish it had worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his eyes with misty light.
"Go! your lover lives," said Cromwell. "Curfew shall not ring to-night!"

Wide they flung the massive portals, led the prisoner forth to die,
All his bright young life before him. Neath the darkening English sky,
Bessie came, with flying footsteps, eyes aglow with lovelight sweet;
Kneeling on the turf beside him, laid his pardon at his feet.
In his brave, strong arms he clasped her, kissed the face upturned and white,
Whispered, "Darling, you have saved me, curfew will not ring to-night."


A long dramatic poem used in the movie Desk Set

Life Interrupted

I haven't posted a lot in a long time. Hit and miss over the last two years.
First I had two of my nieces get married within a 6 week period. Sisters. I was very involved
in the first one. Walked her down the aisle kinda involved. The other one not so much.
During that time I was pushed out/quit my job at the bookstore. I won't go into the slimy underhanded way that this placed does stuff . They did spread around that I quit/walked off
the job. How they stay in business is beyond me. Go to Amazon if you need any books or to your small local independent book stores.
Now I had time to help with the weddings and worry about employment later.
Later came and I got what I thoughts was going to be just a short term job. Wrong.
After being at a job for 18 years it was a shock to switch gears and begin a new job.
It was a throw back to my days at Montgomery Ward. Selling apparel came back so it was no problem. Except the co workers. Wow. Bitchy whiney entitled women. But I knew the company
was going to get rid of two of them. Yes tell me all your years of experience so I can take over your
job when they can you.
Fast forward two years. Workers are gone. Things are running OK. But there is an undercurrent that
something is off. Got more people from the old job. The slimy one. Yeah still that way.
Then the rugs gets pulled out from under me. People I thought I knew and could trust threw me under the bus. Again more crap then I want to go into...also legal reasons. But really. So 2016 ended on a
nasty note.Not counting the election. 2017 didn't look to be any better. Oh and the whole my sister breaks her leg thing didn't help any.
So new boss, boss gone to have baby boss back. Person in charge shouldn't have been.
Applied at jobs and got turned down. Really not in a good place.
Thought that Costco would be the answer but that's not looking good. My choices are limited. I've had two jobs per say in the last 20 years. Retail is it. Not really trained for anything else. My food service degree is a joke. Hate restaurant work . That and I think that my mind is giving out on me.
Don't know how much longer I can live barely paycheck to paycheck. If anything happened I'd be homeless in less then a month. Joy and sunshine of what to think my golden years will be like.
Also I have anger issues with the two blondes that screwed me over at the turn of the century...yes 20 years and I'm still hanging on to it. Every time I hear about a death in Des Moines area I hope its one of them. Big ass hypocrite. Went to his fathers funeral. Acted like I was some pond scum. Your the one that started it. Could make his life hell but I won't . And the other one. He's getting Karma.
Bitch whine yep that's what this is.

Feeling Old

I was in a study for the PT dept at the University. I thought I was in pretty good health...
NO!!!! Limited mobility in my ankles and in my right shoulder. Got exercises for both.

Dear Richard,

Thank you for participating in the Moving Target Screen. Below you will find your results from your session on Thursday June 7. 
There is a description of each aspect of physical fitness, a short description of the test used, the implications of the test, 
your results on the test and normative or typical performance on the test. At the end of this letter you will find the overall 
recommendations we discussed based on your results and goals.

Posture Proper posture is important to maintain balance, decrease risk of vertebral compression fractures and efficient breathing. 
We measured your posture in two ways.

Forward Head Posture We measured the distance of your head from the wall when you were standing up straight with your heels
 against the wall to access your upper back posture. Ideally the back of your head should touch the wall in this position. If you are
 more than 4 centimeters away, this can increase your risk of compression fractures.

Your Score = 7.5 cm Recommended Follow Up? Yes

Rib-Pelvis Distance We measured how close your lower rib was to the upper part of your pelvis to assess your lower back posture. 
Less than a 2 finger distance indicates a kyphosis of your thoracic spine. This decrease can also be an indication of a previous vertebral 
compression fracture.

Your Score = 3 fingers Recommended Follow Up? No

Flexibility Having enough flexibility is essential for many daily activities and hobbies. We assessed the flexibility of your shoulders and ankles.

Back Scratch Test We had you take one arm over your back and the other behind your back, trying to touch your fingers together. We did
 this on both sides. For men, less than 8 inches and for women less than 4 inches is an indicator of decreased shoulder flexibility. A 
decrease may impact daily activities and function in the future.

Right arm over back = 0 inches Recommended Follow Up? No Left arm over back = 10.25 inches Recommended Follow Up? Yes

1

Ankle Dorsiflexion We measured your active dorsiflexion in each ankle by having you sit in a chair with your knee straight and bend your
 foot towards your body. A lack of dorsiflexion can lead to a decrease in your balance and increase your fall risk. You should have at least 8 
degrees of motion for normal ankle movement.

Right ankle dorsiflexion = -4 degrees Recommended Follow Up? Yes Left ankle dorsiflexion = -2 degrees Recommended Follow Up? Yes

Balance Balance is essential to everyday activity and safety. Balance is a complex skill that relies on multiple systems in your body and because 
of this, we measured your balance through multiple tools.

Vestibular Function We had you turn your head side to side and up and down to see if this made you dizzy or unsteady. If you became dizzy or
unsteady, this could be an indication that your vestibular system is not working correctly and you may need to take part in an exercise program to
improve its function.

Side to side performance = No symptoms Recommended Follow Up? No Up and down performance = No symptoms

Single Leg Stance This test involved you standing on one leg without hand support for up to 20 seconds. If you cannot maintain for 5 seconds 
this indicates a risk of falls. If you can’t maintain for 20 seconds, this is an indication of lower body weakness

Right leg stance = 12.5 seconds Recommended Follow Up? Yes Leg leg stance = 10.9 seconds

Timed Up and Go During this test you stood up from a chair, walked ten feet, turned around, walked back and sat down. This is a measure o
f your overall mobility. A time of greater than 14 seconds indicates a risk of falls. A time greater than 9 seconds has been shown to predict disability
 in the next two years.

Your time = 6.4 seconds Recommended Follow Up? No

Tandem Walking During this test you walked 2 meters heel to toe. Individuals who make more than 2 errors over the 2 meters are at an increased 
risk of falls. If you did this with less than 2 errors, we tried it again with your eyes closed. If you cannot take 5 steps with eyes closed, you are at an
 increased risk of falls.

Errors with eyes open = 0 errors Recommended Follow Up? Yes Steps with eyes closed = 1 completed steps

2

Gait Speed We measured your typical walking speed over a 10-meter distance. Walking speed has been shown to relate to overall function, 
predict falls, and future decline in mobility. Those with a less than 0.8 m/s walking speed are considered to have declines in walking that 
would require further evaluation. Those between 0.8-0.99 m/s are at risk for future issues and those at 1.0 m/s or higher are considered to
 have normal mobility.

Self-Selected Walking Speed = 1.45 m/s Recommended Follow Up? No

Endurance Endurance is needed to be functional in the community and complete daily activities. Endurance is an indicator of cardiovascular 
and pulmonary health.

Two Minute Step Test You marched in place for two minutes and we recorded how many steps you could take during that time. A score below 
the reference standards for your age could be an indicator of below average endurance. Less than 65 steps on the test is associated with lower
 levels of functional ability.

Your step count = 101 steps Recommend Follow-Up? No 25th-75th percentile based on age and sex = 87-115 steps

Strength Strength tends to decline through the aging process and is a predictor of functional ability. The higher your strength, the better your
 overall function and health is. We measured your strength in multiple different ways.

Hand Grip Strength Hand grip strength is a measure that represents your overall strength. Low grip strength is related to strength in other 
parts of your body. A low grip strength has been shown to relate to function and mobility. A dominate side hand grip strength less than 20 kg in
 women and 30 kg in men is consider a marker of frailty or a significant decreased strength. A comparison can also be made to normative data.

Right Hand = 33.5 kg Recommended Follow-Up? Yes Right Hand Normative = 50.6 (44.2-56.9) kg

Left Hand = 32 kg Left Hand Normative = 45.2 (39.4-51.1) kg

3

Shoulder External Rotators During this test, you pushed against a dynamometer to measure how much force your shoulder rotators can produce. 
Having strong rotators helps with your shoulder stability, your posture and decreases your risk for a rotator cuff injury. A score below normal values
 can be an indication of increased risk for future injury.

Right Shoulder = 17.6 lbs Recommended Follow-Up? Yes Left Shoulder = 18.5 lbs Normal values = 32-34 lbs

Heel Raises/Plantar Flexors Strength During this test you were asked to raise up on your toes for up to 25 times in a row. Plantar flexors are important 
for balance, walking, and other standing activities. Weakness may increase your risk for falls or a decline in mobility.

Right Leg = 15 raises Recommended Follow-Up? Yes Left Leg 18 raises

Sit to Stand During this test you were asked to complete as many sit to stands from a chair without your arms over 30 seconds. This is a measure of your
 overall leg strength and relates to many daily activities. Those who are unable to do 7 or more sit to stands are at a higher risk for mobility issues. Being 
below the normal range for your age group is an indication of lower extremity weakness.

Sit to Stands in 30 seconds = 13 stands Recommended Follow-Up? Yes Normative range = 14-19

Planks Your abdominal strength or core strength was measured through who long you could hold a plank position. Some studies have shown that those 
with a weaker core have a higher rate of back pain. One study with younger adults found that those who could not hold the plank for 72 seconds or more
 were at a higher risk for back pain. A study of individuals between the age of 60-79 found the average plank time to be 124 seconds for women and 127 
seconds for men.

Your time = 63.1 seconds Recommended Follow Up? Yes

Curl-Up Your abdominal strength was also measured by having you hold a partial curl-up or sit up position. There is not strong normative data for aging 
adults for this test, but one study found that on average men should be able to hold the position for 183 seconds and women for 85 seconds.
 Your time 27.6 seconds Recommended Follow Up? Yes

4

Back Extension During this test you laid on your stomach and lifted up your chest off the table. This is a measure of back extension strength.
 Those with good back extensor strength may have a lower rate of back pain, better posture and a lower risk of vertebral fractures. There is not strong
 normative data for aging adults for this test, but one study found that on average men should be able to hold the position for 203 seconds and women 
for 128 seconds.

Your time = 39.6 seconds Recommended Follow Up? Yes

Overall Recommendations Under each of the above tests there is note if your results indicate further follow up may be necessary. Typically, with the 
results of the Moving Target Screen the individual will pick a few areas to address, especially if there are multiple areas that are below normal values
. Do not feel like you need to address every area today. Below is a summary of the areas we identified as most important to address. I have listed the 
exercises and any other general feedback provided. You were provided with paper handouts of these exercises and I will also email those to you.

Flexibility

• Ankle plantar flexors stretch

Strength

• Heel raises

• Bilateral shoulder external rotators

You can also access this program through the PT Momentum app, found on all the app stores for free. You need to use the above email address as 
your username in order to get to your exercises. I recommend you follow these exercises per the instructions on the handout and at the above link.

I would recommend you keep watching your right shoulder. You lack of range of motion and weakness may cause some problems in the future.

I would recommend you consider adding an overall strengthening program/resistance training program to your physical activity plan given the results 
of your handgrip strength and sit to stand performance.

Future Consultant with Another Professional While I provided you with a few exercises and some guidance on areas where you might need some
 assistance, some individual may require a more supervised and guided program to make improvements in their health now or in the future.

Based on the findings of the Moving Target Screen, you should be able to address your physical fitness through a self-guided program. At some
 point you may find the exercises I gave you are no longer challenging and beneficial or you may want to address a different area of fitness that we 
did not cover. Then you might consider consulting with another physical therapist for an advancement of your program. Community based fitness
 programs, group exercise programs, or working with a personal trainer are also options to maintain and improve your fitness.

5

Limitations of the MTS Please note that the Moving Target Screen provides an overall view of your physical fitness. These tests are well established
 screens, but may not detect all areas of concerns surrounding your physical fitness. If you find that you have concerns about your fitness levels or
 movement, you may want to consult with a physical therapist or another healthcare provider in the future. You can use the results of the Moving
 Target Screen as a beginning point for discussion and testing.

You can visit the website, www.moveforwardpt.com to learn more about how a physical therapist can help you move better to improve and maintain 
function and quality of life. There is also a search option at this website to help you find a physical therapist in your area.

Continue to Work Towards an Active Lifestyle I congratulate you on undergoing the Moving Target Screen. This is an indication of your commitment
 to your overall health. I have attached to this letter an infographic that provides guidance on living an active lifestyle. I encourage you to look this over
 and consider small steps you can take to be more active in your day. Such things as decreasing your sedentary time through small bouts of activity, walking 
in your community and adding strengthening and balance exercises to your life can provide great benefits.

I encourage you to bring along these results to your next medical appointment so your provider can see how you did and talk further about the results.
 If you have further questions about the results of your Moving Target Screen, please contact me at the below phone number or email address.

Sincerely,

Michael Puthoff, PT, PhD Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy

View From Above

Wish you were here 💙

A post shared by St. Ambrose University (@stambroseuniversity) on Jun 28, 2018 at 2:37pm PDT

The 43rd Running of the Bix

At the corner of College and Kirkwood. Watching the honor guard come past then the pace car then the runners...and runners...and joggers..and the walkers...and the rest. Cousins came down to try their hand at it.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Approaching Storm

Sirens going off and the clouds rolling in. Just got some rain and a little wind. North of us got flash floods and wind damage

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Dad's 89th Birthday

Went on the Celebration Cruise for dad's 89th birthday. All three of the sisters and Nancy along for the ride.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

Bring In New Air Conditioners

To modernize Hayes Hall they are taking out all the old window units and putting in central air. A helicopter was used to put the new unit on the roof. One of the workers said if you had to ask how much it cost to do this you couldn't afford it.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

 

Cutting In Line

So I cut myself tonight...accident. ..never try to catch a falling knife with your leg. After stopping the bleeding was going to put band aid on it. I find that I have three boxes of only the little dot bandages left. Made a homemade bandage of kleenex and duct tape and went to the grocery store. I decided to try the new organic and fresh one. Their brand of scent free,bpa free,gluten free bandages 20 for $4.99. Nope. But did get oranges for cheap. Even not being open less then a week they already cutting back on cashiers. Still very busy . So got in the express line. I fifth back. Little lady in front of me who didn't seem to under stand about 15 or less took off when she saw an opening in another lane. Tried to take out the guy in front of me in her haste. She found out it was a person with as much stuff as her. She comes back and try to get back in line in front of me. I wasn't letting her in..She states. I just stepped out of line for a second...remember, remember I was here remember. I said I do have a memory of that...them I started to sing Memories from Cats...Memory all alone in the moonlight. The guy ahead turns and says...here go next it sounds like you need to get home.....to take some medication. Don't know what happen to the lady.