Into the shelters - not me

Perhaps you are old enough to remember newsreel pictures of Londoners (men, women and children) seeking shelter from German bombs by sleeping in subway stations (the tube in London-speak) night after night, huddled on thin mattresses, fully clothed, side by side, from one end of the platforms to the other, breathing each other’s air. Probably two to three hundred people in each station. Alternatively, you may have seen such scenes in movies.

All this comes to mind as I read (The Post and Courier, Sept. 28, 2007, pg 1AA) the story and view a picture of a 10 acre underground quarry being readied in Huntsville, Alabama, to shelter 20,000 people from the threat of nuclear terrorism by al-Qaida or some other terrorist group. Even if I move to Alabama (highly unlikely) I am not crawling into some hole with 20,000 other people, probably mostly strangers, not one-percent of whom are on my Christmas card list and sharing this cave with them and the colony of bats currently in residence. I only intend to be with 20,000 people in above ground, open venues such as Fenway Park or Lambeau Field. I stopped going to the North Charleston Performing Arts Center some time back because the place - in my opinion - is a fire trap. The 24 rows in the auditorium are too long (they progressively widen from 30 to 66 seats) and lack intervening front to rear aisles to facilitate orderly, expeditious entering or exiting.

Officials in Huntsville are using $70,000 they got from Homeland Security to kick-start this project; despite the fact that Congress cut off funding for shelters after the fall of the Soviet Union and the federal government hasn’t published its latest list of approved shelter in 15 years. What has gotten into these people, those who dreamt up this asinine project and those who funded it? Congress ought to put a stop to this right now before a couple of million dollars is requested and awarded to carry this project forward. Are you listening Representatives Henry Brown and James Clyburn, and Senators James DeMint and Lindsay Graham?

How did she know

Every since I hooked onto the internet eons ago my e-mail inbox has received SPAM messages touting alleged sex enhancement products. Lately they come with an opening line to wit: "My wife complained my Johnson was too small. Look at what I did." I don't do much looking but instead send back queries along the lines of, "How did she know? Who was she comparing you with?"

First sight - only 10 days after Labor Day

I went to Wally-Mart today and while shopping for toothpaste the sound of a child's laughter attracted my attention. When I turned my eyes blinked quickly at the first sight this year of Christmas decorations: Santa Claus, elves, snowmen, reindeer's; plastic and rubber, blown up, some twirling around, ready for your front or back yard and entertaining greatly a little boy riding in a shopping cart being pushed by a couple of women who were enjoying his excitement and peels of laughter. Christmas goods are coming out earlier each year. It is only ten days after Labor Day. Prediction: by 2010 merchants will start the Christmas season on the Fourth of July!

Integrity remains in fashion

Bill Belichick, coach of the New England Patriots, might have more Super Bowl rings than Vince Lombardi but he trails far behind the legendary NFL coach of an earlier time in integrity. I believe he also lacks the self-confidence Lombardi had in himself. When the unknown Lombardi was announced as the choice of the Packers screening committee, a member of the executive board asked , "Who the hell is Vince Lombardi?" When he showed up for work, Lombardi said, "I want it understood that I'm in complete command." And he never looked back, and he never covertly spied on the opposition.

Living with solutions is tough

It is 8:10 on Monday morning, the 10th of September. I have been up three hours, read two newspapers, had two cups of coffee, two slices of Rye toast with strawberry preserves and a lemon tart, put in a load of clothes to wash, taken my exercise walk of 2.9 miles, transferred the clothes to the dryer and am now writing this blog, drinking some water and contemplating the day ahead.
Less than three weeks ago Mary, my wife of 53 years, went to live in an Assisted Living facility where there are good people to give her the medical and physical attention she requires on a 24/7 basis. Since last November when she had her first stroke I have been her primary caregiver. The last ten months have taken a toll on her and me, despite the paid help who came into our home five days a week. Moving Mary into Assisted Living was not an easy decision but it was in her and my best interests and one based on medical recommendations.
A woman I have never met, Jo Horne, has written a nine-point "Caregiver's Bill of Rights" and number one is: "To take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give me the capability to take better care of my relative." I never thought of this before my wife got sick. After all our life income was structured so she would be comfortable if anything happened to me. That is if she was up and about and could fend for herself and not have to live with the effects of two strokes and Alzheimer's problems.
The days, weeks, months, and years ahead, will be different from any of life's earlier experiences for Mary and I and our family. These are unchartered waters for us. Thousands of others have dealt with similar problems. We can learn from their experiences and the literature in the field - but these are no guarantee for successfully coping.
"There are no perfect solutions for Alzheimer's problems" and today's decision may look doubtful tomorrow. "Solving problems is easy. It is living with the solutions to those problems that are tough." (Duke Family Support Group, Duke University)