Westlake Walking Trails

March 16, 2024

Westlake has some really great walking trails for wheelchairs although I’m sure that was their intention. We live in Trophy Club, next to Westlake but Trophy Club does not have anywhere near the trail system found in Westlake. Westlake trails are almost all paved trails.

Gwen because of her Progressive Supernuclear Palsy (PSP) is wheelchair bound but she still enjoys the outdoors (In the elder days most of our vacations were planned around hiking venture); therefore she still loves the outdoors. So far the Westlake trail system is our favorite.

While most of the Westlake trails follow streets, for example Dove Road, this hike winds through the bottom land next to a creek.

One minute you are in the wilderness, then you round a corner and are staring at a multi-million dollar estate. Patrick Homes has a place here but I’m sure this one is not it (Not large enough).

Here’s to Westlake for building a wonderful trail system that even allows wheelchair access.

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Posted by molson46

The Pretender

March 5, 2024

The Pretender

The Pretender by Jackson Browne has always been sort of my theme song. In the 60s we started out to change the World.

“Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin’
And you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'” – Bob Dylan

When I was much younger than I am now in 1968 I thought our generation was going to change the World. We were the ones! The 60s were turbulent times, aren’t all time turbulent.

Here’s what went down in the 60s while I evolved from child to adult:

  • The Cold War (the entire decade)
  • First Televised Presidential Debate Airs (September 26, 1960)
  • Kennedy Elected President (November 8, 1960)
  • “The Pill” is Born (December 1960)
  • Bay of Pigs: Failed Invasion of Cuba (April 16-25, 1961)
  • Silent Spring published (1962)
  • Berlin Wall Construction (August 13, 1961)
  • Cuban Missile Crisis (October 22-28, 1962)
  • I Have a Dream… (August 28, 1963)
  • Kennedy Assassinated (November 22, 1963)
  • The Beatles (February 9, 1964)
  • Smoking “Hazardous To Your Health” (January 11, 1964)
  • Civil Rights Act (July 2, 1964)
  • Gulf of Tonkin (August 2, 1964)
  • “Bloody Sunday” – Selma Alabama (March 7, 1965)
  • Johnson Signs Medicare Bill (July 30, 1965)
  • Watts Race Riots (August 11-16, 1965)
  • Summer of Love (Summer, 1967)
  • My Lai Massacre (March 16, 1968)
  • MLK Assassinated (April 4, 1968)
  • Robert Kennedy Assassinated (June 6, 1968)
  • Democratic Convention Opens in Chicago (August 26, 1968)
  • We learned smoking was hazardous to our health (January 11, 1969)
  • One Small Step for Mankind (July 20, 1969)
  • Woodstock: Three Days of Peace, Music & Love (August 15-17, 1969)
  • Two Million Take Part in Peace Moratorium (October 15, 1969)
  • First Internet Packet Transfer (November 21, 1969)

Now 60 years later “we have met the enemy and he is us”. – Admiral Perry

I didn’t change the World. I sold out to the Establishment which I swore I would never do.

What happened?

For me personally – I fell in love, married, got a job, bought a house, consumed, and had children.

Now looking back I wonder how life would have turned out if I had taken a different path?

“Are you there? Say a prayer for the pretender
Who started out so young and strong only to surrender” – Jackson Browne

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Posted by molson46

Bread Haus

February 18, 2024



Visited Bread Haus in Grapevine yesterday. Purchased Cranberry Pecan and Bavarian Rye bread. Both were delicious. Plan on making them a regular shopping stop.

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Posted by molson46

Moved In

January 30, 2024

We moved into our new home at 26 Katie Lane, Trophy Club, Tx. 76262 three days ago on January 28. I’m finally sitting down to have a cup of coffee and relax somewhat.

The place is still a mess but the den, kitchen, and master bathroom are somewhat in order.

Sara and Andy did most all of the planning and work to get us into this place. I never would have been able to handle it and take care of Gwen.

Speaking of Gwen she has been acting very strange, She wants to go to the bathroom on an average of every 30 minutes. Her speech has suddenly become more slurred. She sleeps in the daytime and stays awake at night. Her eating habits are erratic to say the least.

I’m confident, however, she will be okay in a few days.

What about me? I’m tired but then I’m always tired these days so I’m no worse off than normal.

Wish us luck setting up the house and adjusting to the new area.

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Posted by molson46

Our 2023

January 3, 2024

2023 was definitely not a good year for us. In fact, it’s been one of the worst. To be really crude — IT SUCKED!!!

On January 27 Gwen fell and broke her kneecap which completely changed our lives for all time. Because of her PSP she was completely immobile for the first 3 months. Needless to say we did not leave the house during that time period. She is still confined to a wheelchair and will be for her remaining days here on Earth.

Our year did not improve any later in the year: We cancelled our June Baltic cruise, we did not attend any Aggie games, we sold most of our Ranger tickets, and we still stay home most of the time.

Near the end of the year her PSP progressed to a point where she could not focus her eyes and thus she is now basically blind. (Note, this is common with those unfortunate people afflicted with PSP.)

More bad news, Austin, our youngest grandson was diagnosed with Perthes disease in which the hip bone dies because blood stops flowing to it. The nine year old is now also in a wheelchair. It is curable but takes two to four years.

On a brighter note, the Rangers did win the World Series bringing much joy to our lives!

Continuing on with good news in mid-December we purchased a home in Trophy Club so we can live closer to our youngest daughter, Sara.

That’s really all I have to say about 2023. I’m glad it’s gone and hoping 2024 is better.

There’s a line in an old John Denver tune “Some days are diamonds, some days are Gravel”. 2023 was definitely Gravel. Here’s hoping 2024 will be Diamonds.

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Posted by molson46

Christmas Memories

January 1, 2024

Yesterday one of my favorite Christmas songs played on the radio, Silent Night, and brought to mind a couple of my favorite Christmas memories:

I grew up on a farm in Northern Illinois and was a brought up in the Lutheran Church. Every Christmas Eve the we had 11PM services to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The service ended at midnight with the song Silent Night. Invariably as we left church a light snow would be falling — so beautiful.

One Christmas morning when we were really young we came downstairs to find Jim had opened all the presents. I only remember the surprise as I walked off the stairs and looked into the living room with all the presents opened and Jim laying there asleep

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Posted by molson46

We bought a new, for us, home

December 20, 2023

We closed on our new, for us, home in Trophy Club a week ago. Now the hard part begins:

  • Move into the new home
  • Prepare our current home for sale
  • Selling the house – mostly stress and waiting

The Number 1 reason for our move is to be closer to our youngest daughter and her family who promise to help with Gwen more. Briefly Gwen has fairly advanced PSP (Progressive supranuclear palsy).

Off the top of my head here’s a few other good reasons for the move and also some reasons we should have stayed in our current home:

Good

  • Easier access for wheelchair – Can get in and out of minivan in the garage
  • No water heater
  • No pool

Bad

  • View from back yard not as good
  • Loved our neighbors
  • Very familiar with the area
  • Costs us $$$

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Posted by molson46

My new iPhone 15+

December 18, 2023

It’s been a week now since I gave up my old iPhone 8 for a brand new iPhone 15+. After using it a week I’m wondering why I waited so long to upgrade. It’s like I transitioned from a VW Bug to a Bentley.

Features I love so far:

  • Replacing the home button with Face ID was brilliant.
  • The increase of speed is very impressive.
  • The battery life blows me away. Of course the iPhone 8 was 6 years old which is equivalent to 90 years in human terms.

I had been backing the iPhone 8 to iCloud so setting up the iPhone 15+ was a piece of cake except for I am having to log into all the apps again except of course for the Apple apps. Maybe if I had used the Apple keychain this part would have been easier.

I picked up the new iPhone at the AT&T store and am paying it off interest free for 36 months.

When I was growing up on the farm back in the 50s and 60s we had a huge phone that hung on the wall. Our service was the Burgess Community phone service. There were 15 of us on the same party line. Everyone’s phone rang for each call. However, each of us had our own ring so we knew the call was for us. Now I have the equivalent of a Cray Computer in my pocket. Sometimes progress really is good!

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Posted by molson46

Ever Day is a Gift

September 28, 2023

I heard Every Day is a Gift on Good Morning America this morning. It’s been whirling around my head all day.

A little background: My Wife has PSP which has confined her to a wheelchair. On top of that she can’t really use her arms or hands. Also, her speech is hard to understand especially when she is “antsy” as she would put it.

Needless to say I’m her caregiver which has completely changed my life as well. The past few days I’ve been feeling sorry for myself. But now I’m pretty upbeat about having another day to enjoy life.

In the future every morning when I wake up I’m going to recite at least the following:

  • Every Day is a Gift – Reese Whiterspoon on GMA
  • Stay Curious – Steve Jobs from Stanford graduation speech – Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish, Stay Curious

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Posted by molson46

One hot Summer

September 8, 2023

Today, September 8, the high temperature in DFW was 109. Overall, this is our third hottest Summer in North Texas since we’ve been recording temperatures in 1898 according to the National Weather Service. I find it interesting the local and national TV newscasts state this is the second hottest Summer on record

I’ve lived in the DFW area through all of the 5 hottest Summer:

Year/Avg Temp

  1. 2011/90.5
  2. 1980/89.2
  3. 2023/88.7
  4. 1998/88.3
  5. 2022/88.2

Lack of rain also accompanies hot weather here and this Summer was no exception. If you don’t count the .2 inches of rain DFW received, which we did not we’ve gone over 60 days without rain. (The record is 84 days).

The photo below was taken on one of the walking trails in our neighborhood. A typical August/September day in North Texas and everything is brown except for trees.

Walking Trail

 

Although the temperature was 109 today the humidity was 19%. I felt more comfortable outside in the shade today than at Cardinal games in 90 degree, 90% humidity weather.

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Posted by molson46

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