Backyard swimming pool issues. First-world problems, ya know?

My great-grandparents, Heie and Helena Jansen

Good evening, everyone.

It's been raining and storming off and on all day, so not able to get a whole awful lot accomplished.

The Debster and I finally got our pool set up in the backyard the other day. The fifteen-foot diameter monster takes up a sizable chunk of the tiny backyard we have. Anyway, we've been working on getting it filled, and are about 3/4 of the way there. 

We're seeing one issue that we HOPE doesn't turn serious on us. Turns out the yard wasn't quite as flat and level as it appeared. There is about a 6 inch difference in the water levels from one side to the other. So once it's filled, one side will be filled to the brim, and the opposite side will have 6 or 7 inches yet to go. 

The real problem is, the opening for the filter pump is kind of high up on the wrong side. So we're crossing our fingers that the water level will be high enough for the pump and filter to work. If it isn't, then we are faced with draining the pool, and then take on either the back-breaking chore of using a shovel to dig out, by hand, the whole area to level it off, or to turn the pool around to put the pump on the lower side. Problem with doing that is that the pump's electric cord may not be long enough to reach the GFI outlet closest to the pool.

Speaking of that outlet, it doesn't even exist yet. I'm hoping we can tap the existing wiring going to the storage shed. There's a perfect place to put the outlet on the outside wall of the shed, where the wiring conduit goes through. But, we don't know if the existing circuit will be able to handle the load.

My handyman nephew has promised to check it out for me, and get an outlet installed even if he has to put in new wiring or something. The problem is, he is highly undependable. We can never be sure he will show up when he says he will. Today is Thursday, and he had promised to come this past Tuesday. Haven't heard a word from him. 

We may have to fork out some money to have an electrician come out and do this, but when I broached this idea to our landlord, he balked. (He is my brother-in-law and father of the wayward handyman nephew.) Not because we wanted him to pay for it, that's on us. But because he doesn't want "outsiders" to be working on his property. He's an odd duck about that. Always has been.

Well, that's enough of my first-world problems.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to subscribe, and comment below.

Ron out.

A little humor (very little), what I'm reading, good news on health issues, other stuff.

Start off with a little bit of humor

Here are a few links to some blogs I've been reading today:

Toxic Patriotism

A discussion of the difference between toxic patriotism and nationalism.

Russian city removes “untruthful” plaque commemorating thousands of Poles murdered by Soviets

This is a virtually perfect example of the horrific result of the previous post's topic.

Authentic vs Phony Faith

Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

"There is a phony faith that claims to believe in Christ, but is only a fire insurance policy. Phony faith “believes” only to escape hell. It has no real desire for Christ. In fact, it would prefer if he did not come, so that we can have as much of this world’s pleasures as possible. This shows that a heart is not with Christ, but with the world."

2 minute audio clip from John Piper, with transcript.

Oh God, Make Us Angry!

The recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd demand that Christians be aflame with the Godly anger that opposes all things like racism and oppression and abuse and corruption. One caution I would add is that we not fall into the trap of worldly, unrighteous anger. James 1:19-20: Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

There were a lot of good articles today, but those were the cream of the crop.

Moving on to other stuff

Healthwise, things are looking up. I had a chemical stress test done recently, which showed some abnormalities. So, yesterday I went in for a heart catheterization. That went MUCH better than expected! Just some plaque build up, and no stent required. The cardiologist is confident that this can be controlled by diet, exercise, and perhaps a change in my cholesterol meds.

And, then to put icing on the cake, I got a call from the eye surgery clinic today. They can FINALLY get me in for the much needed cataract surgery on my right eye. About time, I'm almost blind in that eye by now. Next Tuesday they're going to do all the tests and measurements, with the surgery the following Monday. Hallelujah!!!

Did a little work on genealogy today, still processing that same obituary for Albertine Formhals Thornton. I should have been able to knock it out in a couple of hours at most, but I keep getting distracted, both by chasing down rabbit holes that it uncovered, as well as by external stuff. (Grrrr! Facebook Grrr!)

Oops, almost forgot. A HUGE shout-out to the Debster. That woman has been really going gang-busters with making sure we eat a lot more healthy and a lot less junk. I should have been all along, what with the diabetes and all, but I think this latest thing about my heart scared her more than she's letting on. Now that's she's helping me control the calorie input, now I have to really bear down on the whole exercise thing. I have to be honest, that is going to be very difficult. But I gotta do it.

Well, as a famous cartoon character said,

That's all for now, folks!

Ron out.

Thinking about my dad on Memorial Day

My dad, Marion Johnson, circa 1943

My dad was born just before World War One, in 1915. He married in 1938, and in September 1943 he was drafted into the Army, at age 28. His wife was pregnant with their only daughter, who would be born a few months later, in December.

Dad had to miss out on the birth of his daughter, her first steps, her first words. He was overseas, fighting in France and Germany. He didn't get to come back home until the war was over in 1945. That was when he first met his daughter, at almost two years old. I can't even imagine what that had to have been like. My dad often wore his emotions on his sleeve, so I imagine there were tears of joy on his cheeks.

Dad's first marriage eventually collapsed, and he remarried. He and his second wife had three children; I am the eldest.

Dad very seldom spoke of his service, and never about the combat. His stories, when I could pry one out of him, were of the "human interest" kind. Running into his younger brother in France, finding a snake in his bivy, his disgust with the open toilet holes in the sidewalks in France. That kind of thing.

This sort of stoic "I'd rather not talk about it." attitude was widespread among the veterans of that war. But what they accomplished in overthrowing Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the Japanese Empire, and a few assorted allies of theirs, was nothing short of stupendous.

Then, there was the post-war period, as Americans helped Germany and Japan to rebuild their destroyed nations and their economies. Now, those two countries are not only economic powerhouses, they are also staunch allies.

To bring it forward, I doubt that,when we finally fully disengage from Iraq and Afghanistan, those nations will be allies of ours. Perhaps on paper, but not serious allies.

Today, we solemnly remember those who have given their lives in the service of our country. In that respect, this post should be for Veterans Day, not Memorial Day. But, considering everything Dad lost during his service, especially the chance to really bond with his baby daughter, I'm going to say that part of my father did die in that war.

Well, I'm done here, for today. Stay tuned, my friends. Please, comment below, and don't forget to subscribe!

Ron out.

Sunday at home (like every day these days)

Well, this morning the Debster and I logged on to Harvest Bible Chapel South's on-line service. But, before I go on --

One thing I have to put out there right up front. I find most contemporary Christian music to be vapid, silly, shallow, and completely lacking any depth Biblically or theologically. It seems to be written and performed to appeal to the lowest common denominator, emotional entertainment for people wanting to have their ears tickled. I grew up in a traditional Lutheran Church Missouri Synod church, learning the beautiful old and deep hymns of the faith.

With that said, Harvest has seemed to have found a vein of contemporary Christian music that is soundly Biblical and solidly theological and that really does praise the Lord.

Pastor Micah Mathis's sermon this morning from Acts 19 was about how Jesus is bigger than our ignorance. "Jesus Is Bigger Than" has been his theme for awhile now, as he preaches through Acts. This week, he showed how Jesus and the Word of God can overcome ignorant beliefs. In verses 1-10 disciples of John the Baptist are taught the complete gospel and about the Holy Spirit. Syagogue Jews are taught about the Messiah. In verses 11-20, Micah showed us that Jesus is bigger than our ignorant and/or false practices. Some charlatans were given a serious drubbing by a demon-possessed man for attempting an exorcism. It was enough to cause many new believers in Ephesus to turn from false "magic" and burn all their books. Books that were worth a whole awful lot of money went up in smoke as these new Christians sacrificed these pagan beliefs.

Later in the morning, I managed to get a little genealogy done, still working on the Formhals family from Alton, to whom I am indirectly related through my paternal grandmother's family.

Mostly, I've been processing obituaries.

Pauline Formhals obituary
Alton Evening Telegraph, 17 Oct 1918, Page 5

Obituary for Albertine Thornton nee Formhals
Alton Evening Telegraph, 4 Dec 1920, Page 1

The Debster's cousin and her husband were planning on coming over and helping us set up the pool, but it's been stormy all day, and supposed to be like that all the rest of the evening. Maybe tomorrow.

It's been a long time, hasn't it? Sorry about that.

Well, good afternoon to all my wonderful readers! I know, I dropped off the map for quite some time.

To catch up, my health has deteriorated a little. I'd been having some mild chest pains off and on for a long time. Not drop-me-to-the-floor pain, just kinda sharp discomfort that would go away after a few minutes.

Well, finally, after waiting for months, I was able to see a cardiologist for a chemical stress test. It was determined that there was some damage to the heart from reduced blood flow, called "ischemia". So,  I'm having a catheterization test done next Tuesday. We'll know more after that. I may have a stent implanted, but that is uncertain until after my cardiologist completes the cath procedure.

Around the first of the year, my eye doctor found a severe cataract in my right eye. I was sent to an eye surgeon that specializes in laser repair of cataracts. However, once he got me on the table, he found that due to various things, laser repair would not work.

So, I was referred to a different surgeon, one that does the surgery the "old-fashioned" way, with scalpels and such. However, they were booked up so far in advance that my appointment was set in late March. Which of course means that by that time the pandemic had caused all "non-essential" or "elective" procedures to be postponed indefinitely. I finally got called in a few weeks ago for the consultation, but the doctor is so backed up that he couldn't even give me a date for the surgery. A few months at least. They'll call me. In the meanwhile, I've gone virtually blind in my right eye. My depth perception is gone. My glasses are so old that even the vision in my left eye isn't as good as it was, and my ophthalmologist won't prescribe new ones until the cataract gets fixed.

Corona virus / Covid-19 

So far, so good. Being a severe introvert, and maybe mildly enochlophobic - that's what they call a fear of crowded places - the quarantine hasn't been that big of a deal. The Debster, extrovert that she is, is champing at the bit to be out and about. So far, to my knowledge, we haven't had any close relatives or friends get infected, although a couple of the Debster's acquaintances have, including one that wound up on a ventilator for a time, but all have survived. There have been about a dozen deaths in the Debster's home town/county, but no one is saying who they were. Most of them were residents on one particular nursing home. It's possible some of them were Deb's acquaintances or distant relatives, but she hasn't heard anything.

Well, that's enough for the moment. I plan on telling you about a few books I've read and a few other things.

I also hope to be able to insert a few humorous things, as well as links to some of the better blog posts I'm reading, like this one:

The Clouds of Heaven

Doug Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow Idaho is one of my favorite bloggers. In this particular piece, he tries to define and shed some (post-millennial) light on the subject of "the clouds of heaven" that surround the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as he comes in glory.

Go in peace, my friends!

Ron, AKA Just An Old Fart Doing His Thing