Aging Gratefully

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Viewed: 3/20/2023 Posted: 3/6/2022	Page Views: 1424
Topics: #AgingGratefully
One man's experience of hitting his seventies.

Starting with my coming out of the closet, I've made my life an open book on these pages. It may seem self-serving, but that's not actually the reason I keep it up.

The first reason is to give my grandkids an insight into how it was to live and grow up in the 20th Century and the opening decades of the 21st. The second is to reach out to folks who may be going through some of the things I have, and who could benefit from reading that they aren't in this all alone, after all.

So, now that I've started into my seventies, and since I have concluded my Coronavirus blog, I've created this new section of web site, where I plan to complain about aches and pains but also about my triumphs and overcomings of my age-related health.

I grew up in a house full of, as my sister called them, "old people". My mom had me when she was 39 (not exactly a spring chicken); her elderly father and my step-grandmother also lived with us. We even had Great-Aunt Edna with us for awhile.

And yet, their generation was brought up to "not complain". As a kid, watching my grandfather lose his mobility in his late seventies, I had no context for what was happening to him; and, as a kid, it never occurred to me to ask for any. I wasn't frightened by what was happening; I simply accepted it, as I assume they did.

Now, at 71 myself, I wish I could have learned from them what this journey is all about. But with or without them, the journey is now mine. And if I can save anyone from fearing their aging years, or trying to fight them, by sharing my experiences with the general public—then it will have been well worth it.

Babel

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/20/2023	Page Views: 117
Topics: #Autobiography
My AI assistant just wrote a story for me.

Some 40 years ago I had an idea for a humorous short short story ("short short" is actutally a technical writing term) but to do it properly would have required I learn the proper use of a lot of jargon from different disciplines and I've just never had to time to it justice. But now we have ChatGPT to help with the heavy listing. I decided to feed it the description of the story I wanted to write and see if it couldn't do the research I was too lazy to do. And I have to say I was beyond pleasantly surprised.

A Chat with ChatGPT

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/18/2023	Page Views: 148
Topics: #ArtificialIntelligence #Autobiography #ChatGPT #Computers
It passes the Turning Test. But is it sentient?

I felt experimental this evening and decided to really try out one of those new AI-powered chat bots that claim to be able to write anything you want, from a sonnet to a computer program to a college thesis. So I picked ChatGPT, created a login for it, and hunted for where I was supposed to type, as it's about time for me to get a new pair of glasses. But I found it, and said hello.

Who Domesticated Whom?

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/16/2023	Page Views: 257
Topics: #Autobiography
Humans give themselves too much credit for being the reason for everything.

The scientific evidence that dogs domesticated humans (rather than the other way 'round) comes from the Paleolithic era, as early as 10,000 BCE. The relationship between wolves and humans is well-represented in the fossil record. During this time, wolves, which are as happy scavenging as they are hunting, would have been a natural part of the human environment; and evidence suggests that humans used wolves for a variety of tasks, such as hunting, herding, and protection. This evidence is supported by archaeological discoveries that suggest that wolves were kept in human settlements and were treated as part of the human family.

Goodbye, Apartment

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/30/2023	Page Views: 134
Topics: #Autobiography
I've moved into my daughter's place.

So now that all my personal stuff has been removed from my apartment, my daughter is hoping to rent out the apartment on AirBNB. This is what it looks like.

Gravel

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/26/2023	Page Views: 148
Topics: #Autobiography #Dogs
Fixing up the dog yard.

My daughter's original idea of where to create an outdoor space for the dogs to go to the bathroom, was to use the side yard just outside my room. There's an entrance to it just a short run through the garage, which is also next to my room. However, the rocks covering the ground weren't too amenable to releasing dog poop. So Jenny ordered a finer gravel to cover it.

Red Light Therapy

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/23/2023	Page Views: 143
Topics: #Autobiography #Health #RedLightTherapy
Time to get that glow on.

My friend, Michael, asked me to review a book on Red Light Therapy for him. It was pretty fascinating, and seemed to address specific issues I've been having, particularly with the condition of my skin, especially on my arms, as I mentioned a few weeks ago.

Settling In

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/16/2023	Page Views: 135
Topics: #Autobiography
Making a new home.

So, since my apartment is unlivable because the fire alarm keeps going off at random times, even though the lease isn't up until March, I've started sleeping at my daughter's rather than be rudely awakened at 3:30 AM. And I'm moving my personal items there as well.

Still Alarmed

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/12/2023	Page Views: 145
Topics: #Autobiography
The fire alarm goes off several times in a few days.

The fire alarm went off again a couple of nights ago. Just for a moment, and I vowed to go bak to my daughter's if it happened again, and eventually I fell asleep. It happened again yesterday, and then this afternoon it started and wouldn't stop. So, once again, I had to pack up the dogs and drive over. (Yes, I put in another maintenance request.)

Don't Be Alarmed

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/5/2023	Page Views: 141
Topics: #Autobiography
Adventures with fire alarms.

What's worse than being awakened in the middle of the night by a fire alarm? Being awakened in the middle of the night by the fire alarm when there's no fire!

It's The Bee's Knees!

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 1/4/2023	Page Views: 135
Topics: #Language
Language is far from static, and older terms often end up misunderstood.

One of my favorite tales of linguistics begins with early Roman explorers who sailed south along Africa's west coast. Around the Congo River they encountered an animal they'd never seen before. It was four-legged, boxy like a horse, but it had a single horn growing out of its head. Since most horned animals have a matching pair of horns, the captain of the expedition named the new creature after its most unique feature: its single horn. The Latin word for "one-horn" happens to be unicorn.

Kenny and the Messengers

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 12/16/2022 Posted: 1/29/2023	Page Views: 178
Topics: #Autobiography
There's nothing like a little live music!

My ex, Michael, invited me to come along to the Nutown, a more-or-less gay bar in Phoenix where his friend, Elias Armendiaz, would be playing bass in a band called Kenny and the Messengers.

Thanksgiving at Jimmy's

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 11/24/2022 Posted: 12/17/2022	Page Views: 232
Topics: #Autobiography
It's my ex-son-in-law's turn to do Thanksgiving.

As do most divorced parents, my daughter Jenny and her ex-husband, Jimmy, take turns hosting the major holidays. This year was Jimmy's turn to do Thanksgiving. Here are the photos.

Dog Food

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 11/16/2022 Posted: 12/17/2022	Page Views: 206
Topics: #Autobiography
The furbabies gotta eat.

Each month, Ella and Lilly go through about 40-50 pounds of dog food. I've tried really expensive dog food (by expensive, I mean, it costs more than my foog) and cheap; and they seem to do best with the cheaper brand.

Partying With The Band

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 11/12/2022 Posted: 12/31/2022	Page Views: 165
Topics: #Autobiography #EagleJamesBand #Music
ROCK AND ROLL!

My ex, Michael, has a friend who plays bass in not one, but two bands! And one of them, the Eagle James Band, had a backyard concert for their neighborhood, and I was delighted.

Visiting the Grandkids

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 11/4/2022 Posted: 11/25/2022	Page Views: 208
Topics: #Autobiography
Grandkids are the Universe's reward for hanging out long enough to get old.

Since my daughter Jenny and her kids live just a couple of miles from me, I can visit often, though I usually wait for weekends when the kids are around to watch and visit with. That's what I did today.

Ripped Hand

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 11/1/2022 Posted: 1/24/2023	Page Views: 165
Topics: #Autobiography
My skin is like parchment.

Possibly the first sign of again I noticed, when I was young, was when my grandmother walked along an old wooden railing and brushed her hand, ever so lightly, against the wood. The skin of her hand simply peeled away where it touched the wood. I am now about the age she was then, and have the same problem.

Dog Hotel

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/30/2022 Posted: 12/17/2022	Page Views: 212
Topics: #Autobiography #Ella #Lilly
It's nice to know they have a home-away-from-home.

My lower back had really flared up, to the point where I couldn't take the dogs downstairs from my apartment. So my daughter, Jenny, offered to have me stay downstairs at her house until my back got better. But she doesn't want the dogs, especially hairy Ella, shedding inside the house. So she fixed her seldom-used side porch into a doggie hotel!

Kids' Bounce House

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/29/2022 Posted: 1/17/2023	Page Views: 164
Topics: #Adrienne #Autobiography #John #Kyla #Willy
My son lives about 20 minutes from me so visits can be frquent!

Today I was invited to visit my son with his partner, Adrienne, and their kids Kyla and Willy. It was low-key, which means it was delightful without much emphasis on the photo op.

Dog Park Memorial

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/26/2022 Posted: 11/25/2022	Page Views: 206
Topics: #Autobiography
This end of the Rainbow Bridge.

The park I usually take the dogs to is Cosmo, the one with the lake they can swim in. However, today was a little too chilly for swimming; so I decided to try another park. It's called Crossroads, and is just a half-mile from Cosmo. So, having found it on Google Maps, I decided to give it a shot.

Hiking with Grandchildren

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/23/2022 Posted: 11/1/2022	Page Views: 174
Topics: #Autobiography #Dominic #Ella #Giamma.Zachary #Lilly
A beautiful walk in the Superstitions with beautiful youngsters.

My arthritis has kept me from hiking as much as I used to. But there was no way I would turn down an easy hike with the grandkids!

My Second Medial Branch Block

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/3/2022	Page Views: 136
Topics: #Arthritis #Health #LumbarSpinalStenosis #MedialBranchBlock
The placebo effect can go either way.

On the 18th (two days ago) I had my second medial branch block. This went much better than the first, primarily because I didn't have a migraine for this one.

Photos of Cats

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/16/2022 Posted: 11/1/2022	Page Views: 168
Topics: #Autobiography
Who doesn't like to look at photos of strangers' cats?

Recently two of my offspring, my son, John, and my daughter, Jenny, went on (separate) vacations and asked me to look in on their cats. John has two, and Jenny has a varying number. In any case, I usually take photos of their furbabies to sent to their owners, to let them know they're all right.

Exercising

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/12/2022 Posted: 11/1/2022	Page Views: 182
Topics: #Autobiography
Getting enough exercise is tough when you have arthritis.

My apartment comes with a nicely-equipped and never-crowded gym. I've been wanting to make use of it for some time. Finally, I did. Here's photographic proof!

My First Medial Branch Block Pain Diary

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/3/2022	Page Views: 316
Topics: #Arthritis #Health #LumbarSpinalStenosis #MedialBranchBlock
Hey, who needs those nerves anyway?

Today was not the best day for me to have the first of my medial branch block tests. I had a lovely weekend road trip with friends, but didn't pay proper attention to my hydration and so, this morning about 4 AM, I awoke with a nasty migraine headache. (Are there any migraines that aren'tnasty?) Still, this test has already been postponed (some of their equipment had broken down or somwething) and I didn't want to put it off any further. After all, the longer I wait for the tests, the longer I'll have to tolerate this back pain, regardless of how the test turns out.

Dog Potty

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 9/19/2022 Posted: 1/23/2023	Page Views: 147
Topics: #Autobiography
When they gotta go, they gotta go.

I love my apartment and I love the view from my balcony. I also seriously need whatever exercise I can get, despite the pain in my lower back. But there have been times when my back was really too stiff to take the dogs, one at a time, downstairs to do their business. So my daughter got a "doggy potty" for them.

State of the Lumbar

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 9/7/2022	Page Views: 279
Topics: #Arthritis #Epidural #Health #LumbarSpinalStenosis
There's nothing so annoying as a pain in the back.

Today was the follow-up appointment for last month's epidural injections. The purpose of this was for the doctor, and the insurance company, know whether those injections worked.

State of the Prostate

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 9/6/2022	Page Views: 250
Topics: #Cancer #Health #ProstateCancer
Unlike Marie Curie, I shall not become radioactive…yet.

Today I had scheduled a phone visit from Dr. Chowdhury, the oncologist to whom I was referred for prostate cancer after a routine prostate exam turned up a "nodule" with just a "little bit of cancer" in it. The phone visit was scheduled for 11 AM, but at 9:40 I received a call from his accounting office, telling me that something about my health insurance policy had changed, and I was no longer covered!

Layers of Reality

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 8/25/2022	Page Views: 273
Topics: #Metaphysics #QuantumEntanglement #Science
Galaxies and atoms follow the same natural laws, but not in the same ways.

Today's topic is one I've been wanting to cover for a number of months, now. It requires the reader to willingly view things from a different perspective, yes, even different from what you think of when you think, "different perspective". In fact, we're going to try on several different perspectives. But first, I must ask you to spend 9 minutes watching this short film, which I first viewed in the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum. Trust me, it'll save a whole separate pre-essay on the topic of very large and very small, all by itself.

Dogma vs. Science

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Posted: 8/24/2022	Page Views: 316
Topics: #Metaphysics #Science
Like parachutes, minds function best when open.

As a kid in Catholic school, attending catechism class, I first encountered the dichotomy of dogma versus open-mindedness, in that some teachers taught dogma—that these are things we must believe, or go to Hell—while others taught us to think for ourselves, albeit within the constraints of the approved belief structure. The problem with that approach, of course; is that the constraints are soon seen for what they are: artificial blocks to being truly open to wherever the pursuit of knowledge might take us. Thus, I left the Catholic Church at 19, and Christianity shortly after that.

Bro Mask

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 8/18/2022	Page Views: 269
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
If I could turn back time…

I'm actually not the vainest person who ever lived. I barely get haircuts, much less indulge in the use of all those products so many other gay guys seem to rely on. Still, now that I'm a 71-year-old former lifeguard and hiker with sun-damaged skin, I decided to see what the shooting was all about and got a box of rejuvenating face masks and an at-home chemical peel set…that I finally put to the test today.

Oh, My Brain!

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 8/15/2022	Page Views: 306
Topics: #Aging #Amnesia #EEG
Apparently I had amnesia, though I don't remember it.

About 11 years ago, a spider bite led to a two-day coma, multiple surgeries, and a six-month hospitalization with necrotizing fasciitis. While there I was, understandably, traumatized and in great pain, dimmed only slightly by the morphine and other pain killers I received intravenously. To try to dull the anxiety, they gave me large doses of an anti-anxiety drug called Ativan. I didn't know it at the time, but on its list of side effects, Ativan reports users suffering from memory problems after extended use.

Back Injection Report #1

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 8/12/2022	Page Views: 249
Topics: #Aging #Epidural #LumbarSpinalStenosis #SpinalStenosis
Results so far from lumbar epidural for a pain in the back.

This past Monday I had epidural injections done in an attempt to alleviate my constant back pain due to lumbar spinal stenosis. This is simply my take on how I've felt since.

Do Not Get A Lone Little Doggie

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 8/9/2022	Page Views: 280
Topics: #Pets
If your house will be empty for more than an hour or two at a time, do not leave your dog alone.

The poignancy is presented by this poor dog who has, presumably, been sitting at the door for 8 or 9 hours, waiting for its human to return. The cruelty is that this is completely unneccessary. Please allow me to consolidate the rules for having a relationship with dogs.

Oh, My Back!

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 8/8/2022	Page Views: 376
Topics: #Aging #Epidural #LumbarSpinalStenosis #SpinalStenosis
In which I get a lumbar epidural for a pain in the back.

This past April, I learned that I had lumbar spinal stenosis. Today, four months later, my insurance finally came through for a procedure that may help relieve the pain. The procedure is called a lumbar epidural, and it is a shot (or, in my case, a pair of shots) that place a steroid into a space in the spine. The injection is named an epidural steroid injection because it involves injecting a local anesthetic and a steroid medication directly into the epidural space that surrounds the spinal cord and nerve roots.

Dinner at John and Adrienne's

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 8/7/2022	Page Views: 249
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
So nice to be invited for dinner by one's offspring.

My son, John, lives with his partner and children about 20 minutes' drive from my apartment. Today I was invited to come by for dinner. It was lovely spending time with their Littles, who are the same age as my daughter's two youngest (5 and 7). Nothing exciting; just an excuse to share some photos.

Apartment

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 7/29/2022	Page Views: 272
Topics: #Aging
I may find myself in a beautiful house.

I finally got some art on the walls. They are canvas prints made from some of my favorite photos from Maui. So here's what my apartment looks like now, starting with the inside of the front door.

Cosmo Again

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 7/27/2022	Page Views: 272
Topics: #CosmoDogPark #Ella #Lilly
Back to the dog park with the lake.

I try to bring the dogs to the lake park at least every other day. They need the exercise! But it's been very hot here lately, so I have to bring them early in the day before the temperature exceeds 100°.

River Float with the Rizzos

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 7/24/2022	Page Views: 358
Topics: #Dominic #Gianna #SaltRiver #Zach
I go down the river with my grandkids.

I haven't made a visit to the Salt River since before I moved to Maui. It's not that I haven't thought about it; but with my weakened ankles I wasn't confident in my ability to navigate the rocky trails. So I didn't try; but today I was invited to go with my daughter Jenny and her family and I was very grateful to go!

Pooltime with the Littles

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 7/20/2022	Page Views: 278
Topics: #Dominic #Gianna
I love hanging out with my youngest grandkids.

I dropped by to hang out with my littlest grandchildren. At first, it was just the very youngest, Dominic.

Father's Day

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/19/2022	Page Views: 318
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Dinner AND a shirt!

Having just returned from a pre-Father's Day vacation in Costa Rica compliments of my daughter, Jenny.

Dogs

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 6/10/2022	Page Views: 310
Topics: #Dogs #Ella #Lilly
More photos of my dogs. Yeah.

I live with two dogs, Ella (a Golden Retriever) and Lilly (a cattle dog). They are so sweet that I take far too many photos of them. Here are a few.

Cosmo Dog Park

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/28/2022	Page Views: 310
Topics: #CosmoPark
Living their best life.

One of the things I miss about living on Maui is on behalf of my dogs, Ella and Lilly. On our property, they had free run. The cabin door was always open, so they "walked" themselves when they wanted. Here in Arizona, they must stay on-leash outside. Luckily there's a really nice dog park with a lake for them to swim in.

Sleep

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/23/2022	Page Views: 354
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Sleep: I'm in favor of it.

A few weeks ago, my daughter Jennifer got me one of those smart watches. And it may have already saved my life.

No More Pool

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/2/2022	Page Views: 315
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Ella loves to swim. She also sheds…a LOT.

So my daughter, Jenny, lives just a mile from me, and she has a lovely back yard with a beautiful pool. Since Ella, the Golden, sheds a lot, she isn't allowed inside Jenny's house. But Jenny fixed up the yard so I could let the dogs into it without going inside. And then Ella immediately jumps into the pool, and spends her entire visit just swimming, back and forth.

Life Inside My Apartment

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 5/1/2022	Page Views: 333
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
It's nice to be able to go out, but it's also nice not to have to.

I moved into this apartment about 3 and a half months ago, and have definitely taken my time in arrnaging it to my liking. But I've pretty much done so by now.

Dog Days

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/30/2022	Page Views: 320
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
You can't really be lonely if you live with dogs.

You'd think my dogs, Ella and Lilly, would miss Maui. But no; as long as they're near me, they seem to be happy as clams.

Research Scam

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/24/2022	Page Views: 284
Topics: #BigPharma
Con artists approach from every direction.

Most of us want to be good citizens. And if we understand science and modern medicine, it can be very tempting to volunteer for a vaccine or other medicinal study. And to sweeten the pot, it's normal to pay study participants. After all, if the new medicine turns out to be effective, the pharmeceutical firm stands to make billions of dollars; and they can't make a penny if sufficient volunteers cannot be found. I've done a couple myself.

Smoothies

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/23/2022	Page Views: 287
Topics: #Recipe
We are what we eat. And drink.

A lot of people have noted marked improvements to their health following adding green juices or smoothies to one's diet. Thanks to my personal blender, it's become pretty easy for me to make these. And they're delicious!

Basketball for Easter

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/17/2022	Page Views: 298
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Easter eggs give way to sports balls.

Today is Easter, and my daughter Jenny invited me to spend the day with her and the Littles. By the time I arrived, Gianna had already found her eggs and run next door to play with her friend, Brinkley. I did get to catch Dominic's booty, though.

A Leap of Faith, A New Dog Park, and Spinal Surgery

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/13/2022	Page Views: 338
Topics: #LumbarSpinalStenosis
A quarter-century-old mistake comes back to bite me in the spine. Also, dog photos.

Many of the health issues aging has brought me are of unknown origin. For example, I have no idea why my Achilles tendons suddenly became so inflamed when I was living on Maui. However, I just found out I have Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, and, as it happens, I know exactly when and where my own actions caused it.

Mushroom Rice

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/12/2022	Page Views: 317
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Here's how lazy single people manage to eat well.

As Richard Nixon once said, "I am not a cook." Or maybe it was Melania Trump. Either way, neither am I. But I do like to eat. Hence, I have become quite expert in preparing delicious, fresh-tasting meals out of frozen and pre-packaged ingredients. Tonight I'm just having chicken nuggets, but the "side dish" is what you'd want to write a blog page about: whole grain rice infused with sauteed mushrooms, minced garlic, and black olives. (To be honest, the nuggets are almost unneccessary.)

My Birthday

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 4/8/2022	Page Views: 295
Topics: #Birthday
Somehow, I turned 71.

Of my four kids, only two live near me in Arizona. Dorothy and Karen, the other two, called me for my birthday, of course. Jenny and John had me come to a restaurant birthday dinner!

A Little Like A Dog Park

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/28/2022	Page Views: 306
Topics: #AceroatColleyStation #Dogs #Ella #Lilly
The dogs teach a lesson in making the most of things.

My apartment complex, Acero at Cooley Station, boasts as one of its amenities, a dog park. So I've been meaning to check it out, but hadn't gotten around to it until today. But my goodness…could they spare the space? It's basically about the size of my living room.

Sultry Skies of March

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/10/2022	Page Views: 299
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
Postcards from the ledge.

Part of aging gratefully is having time and opportunity to enjoy the sunsets. I get to sit on my 2nd floor balcony in the afternoons and enjoy the show Nature puts on here most every night.

Movie with the Littles

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 2/12/2022	Page Views: 327
Topics: #Coronavirus #Maui
My Spidey-sense tells me there's fun ahead!

My daughter, Jennifer, invited me to see a movie with her two little ones (whom we call "The Littles"). I'd have gone, anyway; but the movie turned out to be Spider-Man: No Way Home. I know it was all over the Littles' heads, but it was funny and there was lots of action and no super scary moments; so they enjoyed it.

My Trips

Buying Me A Gift?

If You Like My SiteYou'll Probably Like My Books

Highly Recommended Sites

Babel

A Chat with ChatGPT

Who Domesticated Whom?

Goodbye, Apartment

Gravel

Red Light Therapy

Settling In

Still Alarmed

Don't Be Alarmed

It's The Bee's Knees!

Kenny and the Messengers

Thanksgiving at Jimmy's

Dog Food

Partying With The Band

Visiting the Grandkids

Ripped Hand

Dog Hotel

Kids' Bounce House

Dog Park Memorial

Hiking with Grandchildren

My Second Medial Branch Block

Photos of Cats

Exercising

My First Medial Branch Block Pain Diary

Dog Potty

State of the Lumbar

State of the Prostate

Layers of Reality

Dogma vs. Science

Bro Mask

Oh, My Brain!

Back Injection Report #1

Do Not Get A Lone Little Doggie

Oh, My Back!

Dinner at John and Adrienne's

Apartment

Cosmo Again

River Float with the Rizzos

Pooltime with the Littles

Father's Day

Dogs

Cosmo Dog Park

Sleep

No More Pool

Life Inside My Apartment

Dog Days

Research Scam

Smoothies

Basketball for Easter

A Leap of Faith, A New Dog Park, and Spinal Surgery

Mushroom Rice

My Birthday

A Little Like A Dog Park

Sultry Skies of March

Movie with the Littles

If You Like My Site
You'll Probably Like My Books