Follow the Money
Published for Sunday - May 19, 2024
Written Friday - 05/17/24 3:20 PM
It's not his latest book, but it's one I wanted to read, or have read to me as is the case with books in my Audible account. Dan Bongino seems to come up with amazing story lines and this one caught my attention.
The title of the book is Follow the Money and the byline for the book is The Shocking Deep State Connections of the Anti-Trump Cabal.
I'm only in chapter two of the book, but it's been interesting so far. More to come later.
More Health and Fitness
Published for Saturday - May 18, 2024
Written Friday - 05/17/24 6:45 AM
I've started an online folder of websites that I'm using to conduct my health and fitness research. Patty sent me a great article and it has led me to a number of other sites, all of which I wanted to save and research further.
The really big question I'm facing is whether or not my balance issues are getting worse or remaining about the same. Some days the balance issues seem to be a tiny bit better than on other days. I'm not real sure this is the case, but it seems to be.
Overall, the issue is one I face on a daily basis. And overall it seems to be one that doesn't get any better or worse. It's simply difficult to figure what is really going on.
I do know this. Writing about it keeps it front and center and helps my focus. For that reason alone, it's worth writing about.
Health and Fitness
Published for Friday - May 17, 2024
Written Thursday - 05/16/24 8:20 PM
I'm becoming a student of getting older. There are supplements at which I am looking and have never before considered.
I'm also becoming a student of my ailments. I don't know what those ailments are at this time, but I certainly am familiar with their symptoms. There's no reason not to be more active in my research. It's to my benefit.
I'm finding that my running and workouts, while both are positive, are not enough alone to combat the other issues in my life. I need to become a student of muscle building for seniors and am discovering some amino acid supplements that I should probably consider. HMB and Leucine seem to be leading the charge.
I've got to do better with my eating. At present, I've sort of taken it upon myself to eat what I want and when I want. My weight is starting to paint a picture that I don't much care for. It's time to get my act together! And that includes better eating!
Investing
Published for Thursday - May 16, 2024
Written Tuesday - 05/14/24 6:50 AM
I sold my Bank of America stock and it's going down like I hoped it would. I had originally thought about jumping back in about 25 cents lower but this may be a bigger drop, I just don't know.
I'm already down about 36 cents and may regret not jumping back in but I also don't want to jump back in just to discover this is the big drop that everyone is projecting.
Bank of America (BAC) is a great company with rock solid management. It's also high on Warren Buffett's list considering he is the largest BAC shareholder with about a 13% stake in the company.
Those are big reasons to be in this stock. But, I'm grateful that I don't need any extra cash and that's a big reason to wait for a crash.
Deciding not to try to time the stock is why I suppose I have done so well. And suddenly I'm trying to time a good point to jump back in and also whether or not I want to be back in anything. May not be a very good strategy.
Looks like the stock in dancing around in the pre-market. I think I might wait a while on this one. We'll see...
Salt Tablets
Published for Wednesday - May 15, 2024
Written Monday - 05/13/24 8:05 AM
I got up this morning and went downstairs as usual to log my weight and log some other things of that nature. It's Monday as I write so I knew it would be a weight training day followed by a one miler, which is about all I can take after working out with the weights.
I was amazed to hear the rain from the home gym but it was in the forecast and found its way to us. A quick look at the weather map would suggest rain is going to be around until about 12:30 when it looks like it will be clearing up.
Today is my second full day with the salt tablets. Looks like they are going to make me retain water which will be a weight problem for me. If they don't do anything for my balance, then I will probably stop taking them. After all, I believe I'm getting all of the sodium that I need from other things in my diet and don't want to have a fight with the water weight.
Snow Family Celebration
Published for Tuesday - May 14, 2024
Written Sunday - 05/12/24 6:30 AM
Yesterday, Saturday the 11th, we made it to the Snow's house and had a great time between watching the kids in the pool and eating some of Allie's great Mexican tacos. My sweet daughter even sent a jar of her homemade salsa home with us.
Patty made an amazing dessert and we all chowed down on it. I was a pig and the only one to go back for a second round. I paid for it with my weight today.
I'm very close to the top of my 5 pound range and will have to make the necessary adjustments today if I'm going to drop back down lower in my range. It's never any fun to have my weight be where it is at and with the grueling task ahead of me to drop it down some and back toward the middle or bottom of my targeted range.
With the salt tablets and extra 32 ounces of water that my doctor put me on, I'm very much in unknown territory. Oh well, here goes...
Again, the Weather
Published for Monday - May 13, 2024
Written Saturday - 05/11/24 7:15 AM
As I type it's only Saturday. Just finished a 2-miler.
The Snow family is all good so we're headed that way around 10:30 AM. We're celebrating Mother's day (Patty and Allie), birthdays (Josh and Amy), and even anniversaries (Josh and Allie).
As for the weather, the forecast is for rain starting today (the day I publish - which is Monday) and running through this coming Saturday the 18th. We'll see how much of that rainy forecast actually winds up watering the yard and the garden.
If history proves anything, we won't get rain each of those days. In fact, I bet the forecast will even change between now and then. I doubt we will have rain in the forecast for each of those days. We'll see...
Addendum: Sunday - 05/12/24 8:55 PM
Well, as I wrote above we departed at 10:30 for a 12:00 arrival. That would have been fine except for the time change at the state line.
We arrived an hour late, and boy do I hate to do that. It literally tears me up inside. If I'm not early I'm already late. And this time I was really late. Ouch!
More About the Weather
Published for Sunday - May 12, 2024
Written Thursday - 05/09/24 9:25 PM
Well, we've got a storm moving in as I type. In fact, there will be another right behind it that should hit later tonight.
The picture (above) is of a storm that moved in last night. Patty was tuned in online to Ryan Hall's live online coverage of the event.
I think we missed a lot of what was supposed to arrive with that forecast, but it sounds like we're going to make up for it tonight. Should be interesting.
Addendum: Friday - 05/10/24 6:50 AM
Looks like we got 1.25 inches of rain last night. Not bad for a watering of Patty's garden and the yard.
I Have No Problems
Published for Saturday - May 11, 2024
Written Thursday - 05/09/24 7:00 PAM
When I think of all of the challenges there are out there and how many people I know facing those challenges, I realize I have no problems. I remember writing a song about this very thing.
The chorus went something like this:
I have no problems,
I've suffered no great loss.
For He took my problems,
When He died upon the cross.
I often think about all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. I truly have no problems at all and I've suffered no great loss as I wrote in my song.
You know, this balance challenge that I face has sort of been a blessing in disguise. I can still get around and for the most part am able to keep things as close to normal (for me anyway) as possible.
If given a choice, I'd run outside and even in the rain before I would get on a treadmill. But I haven't been given a choice. It's treadmill or no running at all. And so treadmill it is, but at least I'm still running and it's something I can still do despite life's challenges.
Lord, help me to always focus on what I can do and to always look to you for the inner strength required to make adjustments when and where necessary. Thank you, Father.
Cicadas
Published for Friday - May 10, 2024
Written Wednesday - 05/08/24 9:25 AM
As I type it's Wednesday morning - May 8th. Just came in a while ago from the back porch spending some time with my beautiful soul-mate.
We live in a very wooded area with trees everywhere on mountains and valleys nestled in by the Coosa river. The noise produced by the Cicadas is deafening.
They're so loud that going into the house with doors and windows closed does not hold the noise at bay. You can still hear it.
It sounds like a machine. In fact, Patty thought someone was running either a pump or a generator. I did too until I noticed how quiet the front yard was until I got up to the street to check the mail.
Our mail box is across the street and there are plenty of wooded lots with hoards of loud Cicadas nearby. That's when I knew it was more than a generator or a pump making that loud noise.
Patty noticed that they quit making their noise in the high heat of the afternoon. I was amazed when she reminded me of that yesterday after they silenced their activities.
In fact, Patty mentioned that it was only the male bugs that were making the noise. I later read that some of that noise (but not all of it) is dedicated to the call for mates.
I'm amazed at how loud and dominant the sound is at this time of year. And, this didn't happen last year. Here's what I found online:
Cicadas are insects that belong to the order Hemiptera (i.e., true bugs). They feed on plant fluids above and below ground. Cicada species fall into two categories: periodical and annual. Seven species of periodical cicadas have been identified, emerging in 13-, 17-, and 21-year cycles. Male cicadas produce the loudest sounds of the insect world. A single male can produce a clicking sound that exceeds 100 dB sound pressure level. This male cicada sound emanates from an organ called the tympanic membrane, which is located on both sides of the body near the base of the wing. The vibrations from this organ generate the sound. Female cicadas make a similar— although less loud—clicking sound with their wings.
Follow-up
Published for Thursday - May 09, 2024
Written Tuesday - 05/08/24 7:40 PM
As we saw in the picture with yesterday's post, the Dysautonomia umbrella covers a lot of ailments that fit under the primary term. Unfortunately, and as was discussed with me by Dr. Moore, whatever it is that I'm dealing with is not one of those ailments.
Dr. Paula Moore (the Dysautonomia specialist) is an outstanding doctor and earns a bright gold star for her work with me today. Unfortunately, and like so many other specialists before her, she was unable to solve this difficult problem having to do with whatever is providing me with balance problems.
She did however offer a few positives. First, she felt I should consider a bit more salt in my diet and therefore prescribed 2,000 MG's of salt per day. I'll probably just meet that requirement with salt tablets.
To balance this out, she also suggested I add a third 32 ounce bottle of water to my daily water consumption. Her thinking was that such a diet would raise my unusually low blood pressure and make me much more comfortable.
The second thing was that she recommended a 'movement specialist' type of neurologist and said she would pass along the referral to UAB (who has at least one) and the good folks at UAB would contact me.
Unfortunately, the entire Snow family is under the weather and so we waived off the invite I mentioned in yesterday's post. Our prayers go out to all of them and we hope to see them this weekend for Mother's Day if they are all feeling better.
If they are all doing better, we have a Mother's Day outing that they are hosting and Allie is going to make some of her world-famous tacos for the crowd (which this time will include Jonathan and Amy DeLoach.)
It will be such a joy to see everyone and we are so grateful to Allie for hosting the event from their place. That way the grandsons will be on their home turf and perhaps up to entertaining the rest of us with their pool water antics.
Dysautonomia
Published for Wednesday - May 08, 2024
Written Sunday - 05/05/24 1:20 PM
Well, as I write it's still Cinco de Mayo as it was yesterday when I wrote the post for Monday. But Tuesday is going to be very busy so I had better go ahead and create that post too.
Tuesday starts with a bang at Dr. Paula Moore's Dysautonomia office in Birmingham, Alabama. The appointment is supposed to start at 1:00 PM and lasts somewhere between 2 and 4 hours.
It's just over an hour from the house and we're supposed to be there one half an hour early for any paperwork we haven't already submitted for my first visit.
From there we need to drive about 1.5 hours to Noah's school in Tallapoosa, Alabama to attend his school band concert. I hope to squeeze in some supper before we get to the concert and I heard a rumor of an ice cream stop after the concert. The time change to Georgia will offer a challenge to the schedule.
I think the busy schedule calls for us to spend the night (in Gabe's room) Then, I guess we'll get up, grab a cup of java, and head for home. I guess my Wednesday workout (a 2-mile run) will happen sometime later in the day instead of the usual first thing in the morning.
Cinco de Mayo
Published for Tuesday - May 07, 2024
Written Sunday - 05/05/24 1:00 PM
Well, as I write it's Cinco de Mayo. And as Patty has supper cooking in the Crock-Pot she has one of my favorite home cooked Mexican meals going.
That Cracked Chicken dish of hers (that was passed along to us from our daughter, Allie) is as good as it gets. Although I must admit that Allie had us over recently and her homemade tacos are also very good!
We're headed into a very busy season and it all starts off today with the Grocery pickup that I did earlier today. It follows tomorrow with the yard crew coming over to do the yard thing.
I'll follow-up here on the blog with the next few busy days as we get to them. Should be interesting...
Oh, and there's one other thing that's important about Cinco de Mayo. We moved to Lighthouse Point in Crawfordville, Florida on that same day in 2017 and wound up eating at their famous El Jalisco Mexican restaurant there on the main road just before they moved to their current location which is also on the main road there in Crawfordville.
Mystik Dan
Published for Monday - May 06, 2024
Written Friday - 05/04/24 6:15 PM
Well, they just ran the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. The winner was Mystik Dan and boy was it close!
I have no idea who the horses were that came so close, but they came out of nowhere and almost pulled it out. Lost literally by a nose (or less.)
I watched the race on NBC's free streaming service. I didn't have to enter a credit card number but was only given 30 minutes of the service which was plenty of time to watch the race as it happened.
I may have to check out the price on that local NBC streaming channel since I'm sure my lovely bride would like to watch the local news and weather. We'll see...
Fitness, Diet, and Weather
Published for Sunday - May 05, 2024
Written Saturday - 05/04/24 6:45 AM
Well, 2 miler coming up. It's Saturday morning as I type so no weight training regimen today.
Only dropped 2/10 of a pound last night so nothing to write home about. Pretty good considering all of the food (and sugar) that I consumed.
Not so sure about what I'm consuming. So much in terms of protein and so few carbs.
Doesn't seem like I'm getting away with much according to the scales. Just eating too much and still fighting sugar consumption.
Looks like we got some rain last night (finally.) Only about .25 of an inch according to the rain gauge. It's still sprinkling but due to leave the area very soon according to the online and local weather map.
Tulsi Gabbard
Published for Saturday - May 04, 2024
Written Friday - 05/03/24 6:35 AM
I've been reading the new Tulsi Gabbard book. It's entitled, For Love of Country with a byline of Leave the Democrat Party Behind.
It's a real eye-opening read. And like so many other books I've read on my Audible account, I'm sure a lot of research must have gone into it.
The comments and scoring by other readers were literally perfect with many claiming it was the best book they've ever read. I would tend to agree.
The book is read alound on Audible by the author. And while we come from very different places, I have really had my eyes opened to how much we have in common for two people who have been on such different journeys in life.
From Amazon:
Tulsi Gabbard was the rising star of the Democrat Party. But the growing wokeness, fomenting racism, and intolerance were more than she could stomach, and she left. This is her story and a call to action to Americans who love our country and cherish peace and freedom.
Today’s Democrat Party is controlled by an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by woke ideology and racializing everything. They are a clear and present threat to the God‑given freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.
A soldier, former member of Congress, and a former presidential candidate, Tulsi loves her country: “I answered the call to serve and swore an oath, dedicating my life to supporting and defending the Constitution, both in uniform and in public office. I have always been an independent-minded person but became a Democrat when I first ran for office because I saw a party that stood up for the little guy, free speech, and civil liberties. That party is no more.”
Today that party is unrecognizable: undermining free speech, antagonistic to people of faith, hostile to the police and law and order, suspicious of law‑abiding Americans, supporting open borders, and using our national security apparatus to target political opponents.
Now an Independent, Tulsi calls on those who love America to stand up for peace, defend freedom, and protect our democratic republic from those seeking to undermine it at every turn. It’s time to leave the Democrat Party behind.
Jesus Revolution
Published for Friday - May 03, 2024
Written Thursday - 05/01/24 6:25 PM
Just watched Jesus Revolution again. This time I also watched the many 'making of' segments.
I was blown away with how many other big productions the team has made and I was also blown away with how many other big productions so much of the cast had done.
I had no idea that an entire hour of footage would wind up on the cutting room floor. Like the directors said, I have no idea how they were able to leave so many of those beautiful scenes out of the film, just to whittle the length of the movie down close to 1.5 hours.
Life
Published for Thursday - May 02, 2024
Written Wednesday - 05/01/24 7:15 AM
Just finished a 2 miler. Those things are getting more and more difficult.
I've had spiritual matters on my mind a lot lately. It's just a matter of being so grateful for all that life has brought my way.
Even with my balance challenges I've felt front and center of all that God is doing in my life. And there has been much to be remembered and for which to be grateful.
I have a Dysautonomia doctor's appointment a week from yesterday with Dr. Paula Moore in Birmingham. I would love it if she can find something but I'm not very optimistic about it.
I guess the truth is I don't want to be let down. Perhaps I should take on more a posture of optimism but I'm beginning to see more and more evidence of Parkinson's and wondering if my exercise regimen has delayed any major onset of that in my life.
Either way, I'm thinking that the balance challenge is something with which I'm going to have to learn to live. It may be a life-long thing and if so I can think of a lot worse problems to carry for the rest of my life.
Of course balance challenges are not fun, especially when they seem to be a 24/7 item in my life. But like I said, there are plenty of other matters (some are life-ending) that could be a greater challenge. For example, I haven't lost a limb and I don't have cancer.
That's a different way to look at things. But in the midst of these challenges, I've been giving those matters a lot of thought and remain very grateful that I'm not carrying those burdens.
May 2024
Published for Wednesday - May 01, 2024
Written Sunday - 04/29/24 12:50 PM
We've arrived at May of 2024. It's a new month and with it comes all of the monthly changes here on the website.
We're just over a month away from 2 years in our new (new to us anyway) home. It's really been something to work on the improvements.
And it's been amazing to get the new ham shack built and operational. What an honor it's been to have Jonathan assist with getting the hexbeam up and operational.
I never imagined I would get to enjoy such an addition to the ham shack. For that matter, I also never dreamed that I would retire with such a nice ham shack. Thanks to my sweet wife for that honor.
Copyright © 2024 Hutch DeLoach