Summertime

[Laser Man]

For those of us in the northern hemisphere, summer is almost here.  For Americans, Summer began last Monday with Memorial Day.  What are you planning to do this summer?  What are your favorite things about summer? 

I'll start.  I'm looking forward to a two week vacation on a small island off the coast of New England, lazy Sunday afternoons, cookouts at the grill, being able to come home from work and change into shorts and a T-shirt, enjoying a cold gin and tonic, and feeling like time is moving just a little slower.

For our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, join in even though you are heading into winter!

[Sir Harry]

I will probably spend some time volunteering at the nursing home and the war veterans home......I will be participating in a couple of bowling tournaments in July, but aside from that, it will be doing some home improvement....especially in the backyard!

[slymyke]

Started a new job on April, so no vacation time for me yet... But will take a weekend trip to Philly for The 4th of July. 

[K5mow]

Mostly I will be working as usual but I do plan on a two-week vacation to Yuma Arizona to visit my parents.

Roger

[Mike E. P.]

I'm a teacher so summer is especially nice. I'm done in three weeks. I'm taking a course at Columbia University right when school ends. Then I'm mostly chauffeurring my kids around. My wife and I are going to st. Thomas in August. First vacation without kids in twenty years.

[Semi-Sly]

Well:  I had big BIG plans for this summer which included, among other things:
- Taking my new bike to Sturgis for Bike week
- Driving to Nevada to attend my first Burning Man
- Flying my newly built RV-12 to Oshkosh for Airventure
- serving as crew aboard a new Tall Ship
- etc
-etc.

All things on my Bucket list and my way of rebelling against turning 60 in a couple of weeks.

AND THEN; came news which may end it all.

Last year my Summer activities were all thwarted because I tore a meniscus and had to have most of it removed.  Then, in September I had my shoulder overhauled, (rotator cuff shaved, SLAP repair, joint reduction) and the big deal "Great and Wonderful Oz" of a surgeon decided to do a biceps tendenesis as well.  He "said" that it would prevent me from having problems in the future but I suspect that he does it because he bill for an additional surgical procedure as well.  My insurance paid over $5,700 and I had to pay $2,500.

Last Sunday I was lifting up a Coleman portable gas grill and I heard and felt a "snap" in my arm.  Then on Wednesday when I crew for some well-off folks who race their sailboat, when I was the Starboard "Grinder" I heard another "snap".  I looked at my left arm and saw a "golf ball" laying in the bottom of a "bag" where my bicep ought to be. 

I went to my Physical Therapist on Friday who confirmed that the bicep tendon has snapped off of where they relocated it last year.  He said that "IF" it can be repaired it will have to be done right away or it will shrink up to the point that they cannot reattach it.

I called the surgeon's office.   The Great and Powerful Dr. Romeo, (this guy even has his own publicist), is only working one day a week for the Summer and can't see me, even for something this urgent until June 12.  His PA said that even if it is not fixed I will still be able to use my elbow, I just won't have much strength in the arm, and that because of this the doctor might have to declare it to be an "elective" repair, ---- so insurance won't cover it.

If they do the surgery I will have to keep the arm strapped to my body for 4 to 6 weeks.  No volitional movement at all.  No driving.  And no motorcycle, no driving a stick shift car, no sailing and no flying for at least 3 months!

I have the worst luck!  My GF doesn't even like to fly on the same airplane with me!  She always says;  "I am never afraid of losing track of you in a crowd.  I just look for the little black cloud and know that you will be directly under it"!