Why Would Blogger Do This?

 At Forest Retreat RV Park, New Caney, Texas...

For reasons unknown to those of us using this platform to host our blog, Blogger has decided to discontinue at the end of this month (today, I guess) the feature where you can submit your email address and the program will automatically inform you when something has been posted; this, of course, is not very helpful but, apparently, they don't care.

It is painful for me to imagine that you might miss one of my riveting commentaries because of this travesty on Blogger's part, so if you will send me your email address, I'll add it to a notification list that I already have. I promise--cross my heart--that I will never share your information with anyone else. Simply email me at mikemills159(at)pm.me with your email address and I will include it on the list. This system is Proton, a highly encrypted email service based in Switzerland, so no one can see what you write but me. While I may be a hack at writing these posts, the email system is supposed to be invulnerable to hackers. What is not quite clear is why someone would want to do that, anyway.

I was hoping not to switch to a new blog host, because I like Blogger and--probably more important--I'm familiar with it. This is important to lazy retired people (sorry for the redundancy). I also want it to be around when my millionth pageview is posted, (even though it really has already has reached that point, as this blog was begun in 2005--five years before Blogger began counting pageviews).  It would just be nice to see the number show up there on the counter.

Let's see...I seem to have forgotten lately to include some favorite photos of our travels, so let me do that right now. I always liked this log in the Petrified Forest. Although it has every detail of the wooden log it once was, it is indeed now a log of solid rock. Amazing. 

 

I had calls today from two of our RVer friends whom we've met on our travels (thank you, Denny and Richard). They don't know each other, but they and their wives are just a few of the many wonderful people we count as our valued friends. And to think, we wouldn't have met, had it not been for our common interest in RVing; what a loss to us that would have been!

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful life; 

please forgive me if I fail to appreciate it each day as I should.

We don't stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing. 

 ---George Bernard Shaw

"I get up every morning, and I just don't let the old man in." ---Clint Eastwood

Well, We Just Thought Her Surgeries Were Finished

At Forest Retreat RV Park, New Caney, Texas...

Sandy's shoulder surgery went well but, soon afterward, she developed a numbness in part of her left arm and hand. Tests showed that she had a pinched nerve near her elbow and that yet another surgery would be required quickly, lest she lose some use of her left hand.

The surgery took place on June 24 and, thankfully, the procedure was made simpler by a slight deformity in her left elbow that allowed for greater access to the nerve by the surgeon. It also meant that the nerve would not have to be moved to another location in her arm as he had anticipated.

This has been her fourth surgery since October--counting the do-over of her foot. She has remained positive, pleasant and stoic throughout--far beyond my capability to do the same. 

A pleasant distraction has been visiting with the kids and grandsons; I think they provided just the right "upper" to keep us smiling when we didn't feel much like smiling. We've also enjoyed visits with friends, and that always keeps us laughing.  Thank God for these angels in our lives.

We are still planning to spend most of the rest of the summer in Colorado assuming, of course, that all goes well with Sandy from this point. I am dreading our return, however, as knee replacement surgery will be awaiting me. I can guarantee that I will not handle myself as well as she, but I think she understands that most guys are whiners, and I'll be doing plenty of that, especially when the physical therapy begins.

So now you know why my posts have been scarce lately. This seems to be our season for medical issues, and these can take you out of the game for long periods, unfortunately. 

I'll keep you updated with our progress as we work our way through these obstacles, so please don't give up on following along with us. At this point, I would advise you to let no moss grow as you enjoy yourselves without these encumbrances. Fortunately, we already have lots of miles of smiles and memories to enjoy as we work our way through our "overhauls." 

I will try to post a little more regularly, now that our time here in Houston is coming to an end, at least for now.  In fact, I just may have a little surprise for you in an upcoming post, so don't go anywhere. 

 Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful life; 

please forgive me if I fail to appreciate it each day as I should.

We don't stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing. 

 ---George Bernard Shaw

"I get up every morning, and I just don't let the old man in." ---Clint Eastwood