Throwback Thursday - Hogs and Pigs

My grandfather Fieldon Tipton with his favorite hog (the one his has his right hand on)

My father grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina.  His family left their hillbilly haven in 1930 or thereabouts when my father was a mere ten years old.  One thing my father said he always remembered from his childhood was the annual slaughter of a hog in the fall to store that meat for the winter.  Since there was no refrigeration (or electricity or indoor plumbing) this was the main source of their family's protein during the cold winter months.

My father finished his childhood on his Uncle Don Byrd's farm in southern Chester County (Pennsylvania), along with his ten brothers, picking fruit and vegetables. Yep, he and his brothers were cheap farm labor.  That was the way of the world back in the Depression of the Thirties. 

In 1940 he got a job at the local steel mill.  Met my Mom and then I happened (born in 1941). But all during those years my father had a yearning to have his own pig or pigs. Brought back the childhood memories I guess.

In the late Sixties he realized his dream and built a pig pen on his three acres of land in East Brandywine Township, Pennsylvania. He bought a half a dozen piglets and raised them.  His favorite was one he called "Rosebud."  He is pictured below with Rosebud.

"Pop" (my father) with "Rosebud."

Well, we never had to worry about where to put our garbage, the pigs loved it.  

We all enjoyed raising the pigs.  And you may not know this but pigs have personalities, similar to other domestic pets like cats and dogs. And pigs are actually smart, really.

Miss Piggy - a very famous smart pig

Then came the fall day of reckoning.  Time to take the pigs to market ("this little piggy, that little piggy, etc".)  

The ramp was attached to the pig pen. Rosebud and the other pigs were ushered up the ramp into the back of the truck to their fate. Reality strikes.

About ten days later Rosebud return.  Actually, part of Rosebud return in the form o frozen pork chops, bacon, and scrapple.  Later the ham would return after it was cured.

Now the next question is "Did we eat Rosebud?" 

Answer: "Yes."  

I remember specifically asking as my Mom set a plate of fried pork chops down in front of me "Is this Rosebud?"  My father said "Yep!"  

Reluctantly I took my knife and fork and cut into the "Rosebud" pork chop.  Well, I have to tell you it was the tastiest pork chop I ever ate.  But I also have to tell you, I didn't feel good about this.  I felt like a cannibal. 

So the moral of this tale is, if you raise pigs don't eat them.

Second Day of Physical Therapy and Other Thoughts

Just returned from my second day of physical therapy for my injured leg. 

I am so happy because with one day of PT under my belt, they have noticed I can bend my leg more. Exhilarating! Improvement!

Each day, progress!

I am still being transported in the back seat of my car.  I still cannot sit in the passenger seat of my car because I have to continue to wear my leg brace. That will be the next big step, bending my leg enough that I can sit in the passenger seat of my car.  Bill still would have to chauffeur me but at least I can drive up front with the big people.

I am so impressed with the physical therapy that I am now receiving.  These people know what they are doing and they are so nice.  As I mentioned in earlier posts, the last time I had physical therapy on my leg (the other one) was when I was in the Army.  I had dislocated my right knee.  The physical therapy at that time was Army conducted.  Maybe not so nice but they got the job done because I've been walking, running, and jumping on that dislocated knee leg since 1962.

This is my goal with my current return to physical therapy for an injured limb. You know, every now and then when I feel myself starting to feel sorry for my self with a "woe is me", I think of those folks who lost limbs at the Boston Marathon. All those soldiers who have lost limbs in that War of Choice in Iraq.  Then I think of my situation and think "How lucky I am."  

Actually, my fall on the ice and subsequent change of life is turning out to be a great learning experience for me.  Not only am I grateful that I wasn't injured more seriously, I realize that again, I have dodged a bullet by being more seriously injured.  And I am getting well.  I am not permanently injured.

And something else has significantly changed in my life.  I realize how vulnerable I am, how we all are, to just one misstep.  Again I thank my lucky stars that I have Bill in my life.  Who else, I ask you who else would do for me what Bill has?  Who has devoted the past fifty years of his life to caring for me? 

Sure, Bill and I have had our differences over these past half century but Bill is the one person I know who makes me the number one priority in his life. This isn't to criticize others in my life who are my friends but they have other priorities and I understand that. 

Thank you Bill for being the chauffeur in my life. 

"Your ride awaits sir!"

First Day of Physical Therapy

What a glorious day! I just finished my first session of physical therapy on my injured leg. I am one happy guy!

The session lasted an hour. Everyone who attended, instructed and helped me was professional, kind and knowledgeable. There were just nice.  The facility is nice. The weather was nice.  What a great day!

I wanted to take more pictures but of course, since I was prone, and there were other people in the center, I couldn't very well without causing disruption.  But I did ask on of my physical therapists to take this short video of me.  I was embarrassed to do so but I did want to get my first visit on record.  

As I said before, they were very gentle with me, taking one step at a time.  They showed me a series of exercises to take with the instruction to stop when it started to hurt.  No one was to repeat that to me, I always stop when it hurts, whatever the scenario.

They also showed me exercises I could do at home, which I am doing right now as I type this quickie blog entry.  All the exercises have the goal to get me to bend my knee more until I have full use of my leg.  Right now I can bend my knee about 30% which is a lot more than I could bend it last week.

There was one other picture I wanted to take, me with both legs on this giant blue beach ball.  I didn't want to push my luck today with too many special requests.  I laid the groundwork through that I do keep a blog and want to keep my followers informed of my latest "adventure".  Maybe next time (which is tomorrow at 3 PM) I'll ask one of the therapists (not a shrink but an actual physical therapist) to take THAT picture.


Oh, by the way, right off the bat "Rich" told me "I know you're going to do well because you have a positive attitude."  Wow.  That made me feel so good.  I do have a positive attitude.  To me there is no other choice.  You give up and you might as well die.  And folks, I'm not ready to die yet.  Oh no, not by a long shot.

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The Next Step: Physical Therapy

Me in front of the physical therapy location in Milton DE where I will begin my month long regimen to complete the healing of my leg injury

Just got back from my doctor's.  He said I'm ready to begin physical therapy.  The tissue has healed enough in my leg for me to begin a routine of physical exercises to I can bend my knee and build up my quadricep muscles.  I'm ready!  Oh am I ever ready.


I got lucky by having an up to date, modern physical therapy center right in Milton, just up the road from where I live. I knew I moved to Slower Lower for a reason. I was given a choice of multiple physical therapy centers but chose the one closest to me because I just don't want to fight that Route One traffic. Especially now with the tourist season coming up and all those crazy assed drivers coming down here from the north.  You just have to stay out of their way because they are always in a HURRY.  I don't need to have another accident.

The physical therapy center has to verify my insurance and then they will call me to arrange my three times a week visit for physical therapy.  Now for the hard part.  When I dislocated my knee way back in 1962, I also had to undergo a month long physical therapy routine three times a week.  What I remember most about that time was how hard it was at first to get that weakened and stiff leg of mine (it was the other one that time - I'm an equal leg injury kind of guy) to MOVE.  Then, after the initial pain and frustration, the PT just got boring.  One memory I will always have, was that while I was doing PT with weights on my leg, the news came over the radio that John Glenn had just circled the earth in a satellite, thus becoming the first American spaceman (the Russians had already beat us to that title but hey, just a footnote to our history books, right)?  

Eventually my leg got back to normal and I was off and running. Which is what I hope happens this time around.  It better because Pat is coming down on the 23rd of April for his annual visit to Lower Slower.  We have big plans for that week.  I want to be able to move around like a normal person.  I am so tired of being loaded into the back seat of the car with my stiff leg.

By the way folks, those of you who thought I should have had physical therapy sooner - my doctor told me that the tissue had to heal sufficiently on my leg first before I could begin physical therapy.  And oh, by the way, I still have to keep my leg brace on which I thought I would.  I don't feel safe without it.  And my doctor said he didn't want to take a chance of me falling again and undoing all the healing that's taken place over the past six weeks.  I don't either!

Last Day?

Last day on this earth?

Me yesterday in front of my neighbor Barbara's weeping cherry tree - correction - me and my leg brace

Last day of the sale?

Armageddon just around the corner?

Oh what could Ron be referring to?  

Well folks, I think today, is the last day I'll be wearing this damn brace on my leg.  

I've been wearing this brace since I fell way back on that dark zero degree night of February 18th while leaving work.  And I'm here to tell I am TIRED of wearing this brace.
The novelty has definitely worn off.  And I have extracted every bit of pity possible from friends, co-workers, neighbors and strangers as I've been hobbling around these parts with this hideous brace for the last two months.  

The leg brace was put on to keep my leg straight while the tissues of my quadricep muscles that I ruptured when I fell in the ice.

Quadricep Femoris Muscle

For those of you who don't know what a quadricep muscle does here is a description:

All four quadriceps are powerful extensors of the knee joint. They are crucial in walking, running, jumping and squatting. Because rectus femurs attaches to the ilium, it is also a flexor of the hip. This action is also crucial to walking or running as it swings the leg forward into the ensuing step. The quadriceps, specifically the vastus medialis, play the import role in stabilizing the patella and the knee joint during gait.

What I ruptured was the part of the leg at very top of this illustration, quadriceps femoris. After I fell, I couldn't swing my leg forward.  My left leg was useless, dangling like a piece of dead meat. 

Now I can swing my leg forward. I can now bend my leg about 20%.  If I bend it back any further it locks and I don't want to force anything. I believe the muscle tissue is still healing.  But every morning I get up and use my leg, I feel I can bend it even a bit more. I hope that's not just my imagination or wishful thinking.

This has been some ordeal folks. I think this is the worst health situation I've ever had because it has made me realize how vulnerable I am to being totally helpless with one fall.  Thank God I had Bill here or else I would still be in a rehab center.  

I still can't drive or even sit in the passenger seat.  I need to have the ability to bend my leg more in order to do that.  But at least I can walk unaided with a cane and I can swing my leg forward, which is crucial to walking.  I'm still a little unsteady on my feed without the cane but I'm way better than a month ago when I was totally dependent on a walker in getting around.

Guess what I did yesterday?  I planted plants.  Of course I couldn't get on my knees and plant those alyssum plants but I managed.  And I could only plant one flat, because I was exhausted.  I don't want to push my luck.  But I do want to get back to my regular routine.

This morning, for the first time since my accident I vacuumed cleaned.  Hooray!  Now to clean my wood floors, although this time I will do it with a dust mop instead of on my hands and knees like I usually do.

Yesterday, when I laid down to take my nap the realization came to me that I have a little more than a month to go until I'm back to normal.  And I'm here to tell you folks, I actually got a little excited.  This ordeal has been a long row to hoe folks.  I would love to have a few months or even years of just good health so I can enjoy like before the Grim Reaper comes to collect his due.  

So get out there folks and enjoy this wonderful spring day.  That's what I'm going to do now because I have that other flat of alyssum plants to plant.

Smiling more these days folks!

Glorious Spring Saturday Morning

 Good morning folks! This is what life is all about, this glorious spring Saturday morning. This is what I live for folks.

Bill and I just got back from Pepper's Greenhouse.  I had to by some alyssum flowers for my oval planter.  

Alyssum is usually the first spring plant that I buy.  This delicate, aromatic flower thrives in cool temperatures.  I can plant it in my oval planter and it will last all summer up and until the first frost and a few weeks thereafter.  It doesn't like the heat of summer and goes go into a bit of hibernation but quickly recovers during the cool fall temperatures.  

Each year I have to make sure I get to the local greenhouse early enough to purchase my alyssum.  One year I got there too late and they were out and I was out of luck.  I had to go the whole spring and summer season without my "carpet of snow."  

Of course this morning was a chore getting to Pepper's.  Bill still has to load me into the back seat of the car.  My leg doesn't bend enough, with this leg brace still on, to sit in the front seat.  But I'm hoping my doctor advises me to ditch the leg brace and advising me to bend my leg (knee) more.  

While we were at Pepper's we ran into my co-worker Lou and his lovely wife Eileen (I think that's here name).  

Bill, Lou and Eileen at Pepper's Greenhouse this morning

 Small world around here folks!  That's what I love about living in Delaware, especially southern Delaware. Look at Bill, he looks thrilled doesn't he? He still has to follow me around, pushing a cart and making sure my leg doesn't give out.  Oh it was so good to get out this morning and at least start back on some semblance of my regular spring routine of visiting Pepper's.  I also brought to parsley plants.  The danger of frost isn't over yet and parsley is one of those plants that can take a mild frost of two.  Later on when the danger of frost is past (after Mother's Day or May 15th) I'll buy some basil, sage, cilantro, and other herb plants.  

When I woke up this morning the swelling on my injured leg was almost nothing.  I was swimming in my brace, moving my leg and knee around almost like normal.  

I can feel normalcy returning folks!  Isn't it amazing how the body heals itself?  Life is amazing. And I treasure every moment I have.  

This morning I was thinking about my friends Ed and Wayne who died earlier this year.  No more will they experience the special joys of spring. So sad for us who have been left behind but, hopefully, wherever they are they are happy and enjoying eternal bliss.

Here's to you guys, you are missed.

Ed Cage - died January 27th 2015

Wayne Juneau - died February 17th, 2015

Mulholland Drive to Hollywood Sign

There it is! The famous "Hollywood" sign - we have arrived!

Good morning folks!  Back to California this morning. Oh I do have a lot of photos and videos to post of our adventures in Los Angeles this past January.  By the way, yesterday Pat finalized his plans for visiting me here in Delaware at the end of next month. Hopefully my leg is back to normal then. So now I have my plans finalized for visiting Pat in Tornonto at the end of August and of course next January we're back out in Los Angeles to pick up where we left off this past January.

Today's installment of "Ron and Pat's Excellent Adventure in La La Land" takes place on Mulholland Drive.  That's right folks, the fabled Mulholland Drive.  To actually drive, walk and see these famous iconic landmarks of Hollywood history was such a thrill for both me and Pat. Every day, a new adventure. Today we wanted to see the Hollywood sign.





First we had to drive up Mulholland Drive to get to the top of the hills to see the Hollywood sign. We weren't the only ones driving up the Hollywood hills that beautiful, sunny, glorious, spectacular January day in Los Angeles.  What a wonderful way to have a vacation, no set plans, no particular place to be on a certain day, just get up and take off wherever we felt like it. What a pleasure it was to travel with someone like Pat who didn't have another agenda to meet someone else and had all the time in the world to spend with me.  Someone who appreciates the same things that I do, like visiting all these Hollywood landmarks. 




One thing that surprised me where we visited was all the hills in Los Angeles.  I guess I've just gotten used to the flat coastal plains of Delaware where I live now.  When Bill and I took our trips south we encountered mountains, very little flat land.  Los Angeles is interesting because there is this vast valley and the hills (Hollywood) surrounding it.  I may have this wrong so feel free to correct me for those of you blog readers who know more about Los Angeles (Tony, Jon) than I do.




We were looking for a place to park at the end of this day so we could see and take our pictures of the Hollywood sign.

We finally found a place to park.  Then we continued our trek to the top of the mountain to get a good view of the Hollywood sign.  We were at the end of a perfect weather day and we wanted to see the sign before the sun set. 

 

 The last time I climbed a "hill" like this was when Bill and I visited the Pisgah Mountains of the hillbilly country of western North Carolina to see my great grandfather Isaac Lewis's grave at the top of the mountain. Just about killed me then to climb that mountain as it did this day. Pat didn't seem to have any problem though bounding up the "hill." All that yoga training he's had was paying off.  

We're at the top of the hill! Pat points to the Hollywood sign.

And then we finally arrive at the top of the hill and see the sign.  What a magnificent view!  Look at all those homes in the Hollywood Hills.  What a wonderful place to live.  Of course there is drought of the century going on in California now.  They're running out of water but hey, look at the view.  Don't they have fires up here too because of the dry brush?  Oh well, at least they don't have to worry about hurricanes like I do here in coastal Delaware.  Everywhere you go in the United States, even Hawaii there is some risk.  But one thing is for sure, those Hollywood Hills sure are beautiful.  




I guess if you lived there, you would get used to it. I don't know though, I think I would luxuriate in this beauty every day and never take it for granted.  I am so glad I took Pat's suggestion to visit Los Angeles and disregarded all those who advised me against visiting L.A., most with the common refrain "There's nothing to see and you'll need a car!"  Well, we got a car and had a LOT to see. So there you naysayers (you know who you are). 



Of course we weren't the only folks on top of that vantage point in the Hollywood Hills that day taking in the views. I'm pretty sure all of the other people up there were young folks. Pat and I were the only two old geezers who made the climb that day. Proving yet again that although Pat and I may be as old as the hills, we're still young at heart and always will be.

One of the young people that day doing his Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic "King of the World" impressions