Our friend balvenie

Good to see that happy face, Robert! Now you'll just go on like a Timex - nothing can stop you.

Looking good in that gown! Never mind what it was doing in the back. The pretty lady is facing forward and looking proud of you! Way to go!
Glad you are home and lunching with DW again! And I know she is glad, too.

Three cheers for Robo-pal!!!

So glad you're up amigo. It was very cool to hear your voice and know, for sure, that all was as good as it could be. Down here in the land of horsie poop and roses, we are always thinking of you my friend. Catch a few good old movies while your sitting. I might suggest anything by Kurosawa as you certainly exhibit all of the finer qualities of a true samurai.

We'll be sending some books up soon about Yucatecan cooking. At this rate of healing you'll eating Habanero salsas in no time on the beach in Champoton, Campeche.! the heartburn, full speed ahead....lol. Calakmul is calling with a cardio workout only about 1700 years in the making.

be well amigo,
don

Gee Whillikers, it must have been hard to stand sideways like that. (snicker)

Lol! Yes, that sideways pose!!

Robert, so glad to hear that you're back home and doing well. Big hugs to you!!!

After the hurricane comes the hurricane lillies. You've had your "hurricane", I can only imagine what is coming next for you, dear friend. Much love to you!

Thank you Mary. The lily is gorgeous. That Donald is quite a guy, turning the world on its side.lol
Just looked in the mirror and my chest and arms are a beautiful shade of purple and lavender, all dressed for Halloween, well that pale Northwest where's-the-sun color wasn't much to begin with. Some of that nice Texas heat would be appreciated.
Best thoughts and wishes to you and family.
robt

Hey Robert! You look like an Arabic Potentate in that outfit....where was your head towel?

I am in Tenn....visiting my son and family....just had a wonderful time at the 3 day KY RU...came home with lots of fudge!!

I am very glad that you are on the mend...keep smiling, dear heart! Jo

Jo,

I caught you word FUDGE!! Don't eat it! I take it away from you (crackled laugh!) lol.... I'm crazy for fudges but load of sugars! lol.... :)

Rusty....At my age Sugar is what keeps me moving!! LOL Jo

okay...what happened to the low carbing?!

I low carb on Thursdays....Jo

Hey Robert, you look darn good for just up on your feet! I'm late sending good wishes, haven't been checking the forum like I ought to. But I see you didn't need mine anyway, look at the length of this thread and look at you -- home and kicking!

Seems you have good doctors, be sure to keep on what they tell you for rehab. We want you 110% and able to do everything you're used to!

~'spin!~

Thanks Spin, the outpouring of good wishes has been wonderful. Each day sees some improvement. Only hangup is DW refuses to let me re-roof the house. lol

I'm with your DW Robert, no reroofing for awhile!

Yeeeaah...I think you might want to put that off for just a while....

...but feel free to do some more wood siding sculpturing ! LOL

Glad you're doing so well !

Robert - You were so kind to me when I first joined DG. I will never forget your kindness. I hope every day finds you stronger than the day before.

Otis says to live each day like a dog. Make messes, live in the moment and let people wait on you hand and foot. Oh ya, and take lots of naps whenever you want. Give a crooked smile (like him) every once in a while. It makes people wonder what you have been up to!

Hugs Elaine and Otis

Balvenie taught me to make (I try anyway!) to make constructive comments....I am very glad to see all is well.

Got some news!

Robert has indeed decided to re-roof the house, yet he's having trouble getting his doctor up there and the scalpel is a poor substitute for a hammer. Three cheers for Robert, health, and Barb.....and a fourth cheer for a good blunt instrument when a sharp instrument just won't do.

Now for some real news......As the stock market was in a free-fall today, RoboRobert decided he'd prop it up single-handedly. With some brute strength and a chainsaw he was last seen cleaning up Wall Street by shredding golden parachutes with one hand and preventing an 800 point implosion with the other. RoboRobert, may I have your autograph?

This message was not sponsored by Red Bull.....maybe some other type of Bull.....but no red ones.

Askew of spherical,
don

I've been totally out of touch, mired down in the world outside my front door.

[b] A twenty one gun salute for Robert's recovery.*

And a hurrah for RoboRobert's chain saw sculpture work.

~Blooms

*that was supposed to make bold type for Robert. dang! too long away from the net.

Hey Bloom,
That world outside your door sure takes away a lot of time from 'real life' doesn't it.

Thanks for the salute. Good thing I had my ear plugs in at the time, the echo made it all the way over the Cascades.

Jenks, I'm so pleased that anything I may have said might have had a positive effect on anything. Thank you for the nice comment, I really appreciate it.
robt

How are you doing, Balvenie? We need regular updates, you know.

Yes, for sure, I've been thinking about you and hoping you're recuperating quickly.

Hi Folks,
Thank you for asking. Each day brings a little more progress. Yesterday, for the first time since September 13th I didn't cough. That in itself was a milestone. Coughing irritates the sternum which is trying hard to 'glue' itself back together and hurts like the dickens. Still taking thirty or more pills each day. Hoped to quit some of them Friday at the cardiologist appointment, but he was delayed at the hospital all day on an emergency so it will have to wait for another two weeks. POOH ! Lungs are improving, mostly because I can walk longer. Did a little over a mile yesterday with only one rest stop. Sleep is on again-off again in my wonderful Stressless recliner from Norway. Hope to be able to sleep in bed before long. The scabs from the incision have fallen off and most of the bruises (boy were they vivid) are fading and much of the retained fluids are gone. Thats probably a lot more than anyone wanted to know, but all in all things are progressing very well and as predicted, I'll be up and ready to carve the Thanksgiving turkey, and even go out Trick-or-Treating. DW just came in and said it isn't raining so lets go for a walk in the park.
Best wishes to all of you
robt

No Robert, that wasn't more than we wanted to know. I'm so glad to hear exactly what's been happening, and the healing that's taken place. I'll bet those bruises were some really pretty colors, lol!

Hope you enjoyed your walk in the park.

Not the sort of autumn color we were talking of on the "fall" thread, but very welcome as it means you're on the mend!

Thanks for the very encouraging update, Robert.
It's amazing how the body, your body, wants to heal and be normal and thrive. I know you must have enjoyed your wonderful walk with DW!!!! Good going!

Good to hear from the man himself. Sounds like you are minding your Ps and Qs like a good patient and we are glad to hear about your progress.

So glad you are getting so much better, and doing what the doc. says if, not you are at least your DW will make you. Ha Ha
Hugs

Hey balvenie: Haven't seen any posts lately by you; maybe I just haven't been in the right forums.
How's your R&R going?

Just met with the cardiologist this afternoon. In another week I see my "regular" doctor and expect he will also say to stop the 18 pills per day then. Fluid on the lungs has dissipated, long walks are a piece of cake now, chest and abdomen pains from being split open and wired back together should be gone soon (not soon enough) and hopefully the next blood test will show all the stuff is pretty well back to what it should be. Now if I can only keep the 20 pounds I've lost off I'll be a happy camper. Even have a neighbor on strike from Boeings who said he would do trimming and yard work for us while he is off. Much cheaper, I hope, than hiring a Landscape Contractor, and it helps his family too since strikers don't get paid much. I'd say that all in all the Bovine valve replacement is working and the recovery is a hundred times better than the last by-pass surgery.

Now how is your tiling coming along ?

YEAH! That's great news! Thanks for the report! I'm sure the walks with your LW are great in more ways than one. It's always fun to see what's going on in everyone else's gardens, and the autumn colors where you are must be really pretty now. My boss in the '70s was one of the very first pig-valve recipients. He was also the person who introduced me to succulents and epiphyllums, BTW. He was a real sweetie, and it was so great to see him get healthy!

My tiling....well, hmmmm....My landscape contractor finished the Saltillo in the courtyard last Wed when I was at work, and with fear and trepidation I lef the last 4 sets of handmade inserts for him to mortar. I figured "they've got 4 sets I did 2 feet away to look at to see how I've done them, and they're clever professionals---they'll get it right." Sadly, NOT so much.

I just pitched a hissyfit (privately) when I got home and saw the spacing---the grout lines were so big that they just looked like 4 tiles plunked into a hole; the design on each tile had totally lost its relationship to the other 3. But it's a small thing considering all the great work they did, and just another lesson learned on my part.

I fear I have morphed into an artiste......a frightening prospect.

My DH routed the grout out this morning, and popped all 4 sets out so I can redo them PROPERLY this weekend, bless him.

Hey, balvenie! Can you hear this way down here?? Wondering how you're doing...recovered? Busy with new projects yet?

This message was edited Dec 3, 2008 5:12 AM

Hi ya Sherry, Doing well thank you. Weather hasn't been the greatest, but much better than many other places. Still suffering from old age, but often wonder if perhaps that might not be better than suffering from 'young age'. Too cold, dark and wet to work in the garden so indoor activities prevail. Started another stained glass piece for the garden colonnade. This 2' X 4' one is a froggie dangling over a limb. I think it will be pretty cool when finished. Down to four pills twice a day, which is about what it was before they're interest in remodeling my innards. It really is amazing what a difference that cow's valve made, were I not so lazy I'd be running races.

Hope all of you down there are staying warm, free from fire and storm, and having a wonderful Holiday season. I can't wait to get back to your Southern climes, maybe February if the economy leaves me solvent.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
robert

Well, you know we're having a Roundup at kaperc's in March...will you be down here then? I'm not going to make any jokes about "are you moo-ing yet?" Though I'm sure someone must have said it already...lol...yes, I know how it is up there in December. One Thanksgiving on Whidbey we tried our usual barbecued turkey...had the small porch wrapped in plastic to try to keep the BBQ going and the torrents out. Glad you're doing well and it's great to hear how much better you feel. It's good to have indoor projects to work on through the winter.I'm still waiting for it to warm up a little out there before going out and tackling today's work.
Many hugs from us down here to you up there!
Sherry

Love froggies, Robert - be sure to post a picture. By the time the weather is better, you will be chomping at the bit - don't overdo!

I'm aware of the mini RU in March and had thought about coming to it. Was trying to make a trip in January but DW has plans that made that unavailable so it was moved to February, then, fingers crossed, I hope to make it to Don & Pam's gathering in May. Wish I could make it to all three, but that's a lot of traveling for this old stay-at-home body.

While looking for a particular photograph yesterday I ran across some memorabilia from childhood growing up in the Dominguez area of Long Beach (I think) with all its oily smells, Los Angeles, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Burbank and several locations in Riverside. Many hard times and lots of heat, but it is still a part of my life I treasure. It is always great to be able to visit again. Who can forget Ruby's Drive In in Riverside ? I suppose now, some 55 or 60 years later, they may have put on a couple coats of paint. lol

Froggie is still in the 'cut out' stage, but this is what he will look like later, sort of.

Great, Robert - look forward to the finished project. I think we will have a "Here in Spirit" board at the RU in March - Roadrunner is unable to make it also. So we'll think of you and see you at Don's!

Hi Bobbie!! I have you haven't gone to munching on grass!! (not the smoking kind either)_....I'm so glad you are doing so well...Hugs.... Jo