Tuesday, June 1st - 9:00 and the guys from lodge just left to buy wood, etc. They are coming back tomorrow to start on the barn. Kim this morning, good. Thought I had Rays this morning, but we were wrong. Decided to skip Rotary so it’s just me and Karen and Krissy and the computer. Karen is on the phone talking to the lady who boards the pony for us about moving him here. Karen went to Carter Lumbar to meet Terry and get the wood for the stall. They are going to start tomorrow. They brought back/dropped off all the wood, etc. necessary and will be back tomorrow. Went to lodge in the evening. Home around 10:00 and computer, then bed.

Wednesday, June 2nd - Rich this morning. Got him caught up on everything. He is not sure when he’ll be back. Computer until left for therapy. Steve really worked me hard. Slept most of the way home. Then I had lunch. Karen had Rays in the afternoon and I computed. After dinner, Krissy and us went to the drug store and library and came home around 10:00 or a little before. Tomorrow is really Pony day. They are building the stall (couldn’t do it today due to morning rain) and the pony is being dropped off here by the owner of the boarding barn. Krissy was real excited. Computed and backgammon till around midnight, then off to bed.

Thursday, June 3rd - The guys from lodge came early, 6:30 and 7:00, to start on the stall. Pony is coming this afternoon. Jeanie couldn’t make it today so Rich filled in for her. He was good. After breakfast, hung out with the guys. Now it’s 10:00 and Karen and Krissy are leaving to buy a mat, some hay, feed, etc. I am going back out. Now it’s 4:30 and the Pony (zip) has been here for a couple hours. They are almost done with the stall. Everybody is happy. Carrie is at her last day of school and isn’t even here. After dinner, had to go out and get more stall mats. Ran a couple other errands and came home. Went to bed early, big day.

Friday, June 4th - Jeanie in AM. Good. Went out in morning with Karen and Krissy and Carrie to see Zip. Enjoyed watching the three of them bond over Zip. Karen had a doctors appointment to see why she has been slightly dizzy and nauseous for the last week. Bummer, she came home very nauseous and said it was a virus and that she was going to bed and to cancel the party. After she slept for a couple hours though, she said she was feeling a little better and that with some help, maybe we could go ahead with the party. Whew. Smoked a few smokes, didn’t know what else to do Very stressful. Went to bed slightly reassured.

Saturday, June 5th - Started out the day in bed. No aid, Carrie went to Cedar Point with a church group at 7 AM and Karen was sleeping. Karen woke up at 8:00 and checked the phone. There was a message from an aid looking for directions, lost. Got it settled and the aid came around 8:20. New girl, Patty, and she was pretty good. Was out having a ½ a smoke around 10:00 and Zip came around the corner of the house, loose. Got Karen up and out there and she tied him up to a tree. He had kicked open his stall door. Now it’s 11:00 and Karen is back in bed. Just me and the computer for a few hours, then PARTY. Something occurred to me this AM while waiting in bed for someone to get me up. Indeterminism (new word?). I think this is what drives most of us. Not being sure what is coming up next or who is calling the shots on what does (i.e. GOD), we are either trying to figure out what is coming and getting ready for it or appeasing the decision maker or avoiding the issue with drugs, booze or habits (good or bad). Hmmmmmm. Now it’s 2:00 and Terry and his family just left. They couldn’t come to the party due to a conflict but wanted to(and just did) come over anyway.. They brought a granddaughter who is 1 yr younger than Krissy. Krissy really enjoyed showing her the pony, her swing set, etc. Now they are true Christians. They prayed last night for Karen to feel better, which she does. While they were here, a few things ran very strongly through my mind. My entry above on “Indeterminism” and today’s “Sayings of Jesus” which is a daily I get over the Internet and the need/importance of making this entry. Let me quote it. “If you love me you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.” John 14:15-17. Or more simply, God is Truth and Truth is God. Now it’s 10:00 and the last people left an hour ago. The party was good, even though most of the invitee’s didn’t show. Jeanie’s in-law passed away, not unexpectedly. She had been very ill and Jeanie had said it was just a matter of time. Since Terry came in the morning, that only left a couple aids or therapists that were supposed to come, with families. They didn’t. That only left Terry from lodge, (the guy who helped with the horse stall) and his wife. So we called up the Strongs, our neighbors, and invited them and they came with their daughter for the cook-out. Their son came over after dinner and fished, without any luck So, counting Krissy, that made 8, which was a good cook-out. No bon-fire though. We’ll have to have that another night, with Jeanie. Terry did fix Zips’ door while he was here. Now, Karen is upstairs giving Krissy a bath and Carrie just called for a ride home at 11:30. Terry (my former aid, not from lodge) already e-mailed me some pictures from this morning and they are great. Computed until Carrie got home, then bed.

Sunday, June 6th - Patty just left, It’s 9:15. She was good and will be back on Friday, filling in for Jeanie who has wedding plans. She is getting married Sunday. Had Patty read my journal entry for yesterday. She took home a printed version of the whole journal yesterday to get up to speed on me and the job. Krissy is watching Animal Planet on TV and Karen and Carrie are still sleeping. Karen got up and went with Krissy and me to the Mustard seed for their Sunday brunch. Met my mom, sister, ex-brother-in-law, my niece and her fiancée there. Had a good time catching up with my sister. Lots of talk about the wedding, getting ready for it, etc. Home from Mustard Seed and computed until around 4:00. At 4:30/45 went with Krissy and Carrie to David’s to pick him up for Church. Carrie and David are not bf/gf (so they say) but since Carrie’s 1st boyfriend broke up the relationship (yesterday) they have been spending a lot of time together and on the internet and telephone with each other almost constantly. He has gone to church with us for the last month or so. Church was good, as usual. So was our Bible study group afterwards. Stopped for fast food on the way home and dropped off David and got home around 9:30/10:00. Computed a little then to bed a little early.

Monday June 7th - Jeannie in AM for last time for a week or so due to wedding and honeymoon. She’ll be back next Thursday.. Karen and I are going to the wedding. Sounds like a good time. After Jeanie, water therapy. Fill in for Steve was same as a month ago. Commented very positively on my progress. Interesting thing was, as she was stretching my left ankle and as I was placing my left foot on the floor, I swear that I could feel my left heel touching the bottom of the pool. 1st time ever. Cool. Got home around 1:00 to meet with girl from the agency that provides me aids. Have met with her before. She was very positive, as was I. Her and Karen agreed that I was ready for more therapy. Plan is to get Edwin Shaw to re-evaluate my therapy and my chair (have had some problems with it too) with a Dr. and salesman there. Then, hopefully, to go to physical therapy right before my water therapy, maybe in a new chair. She was here about a half hour. After her, computer. Looking for/at PDA’s. Scoop is, now that Sony is out of the market (discontinued the very successful Clie line of PDA’s this week) due to future plans/products, that wireless phones/cameras/handheld computers (all-in-one) are the future. Interesting that Sony partnered up with Erricson this year. Hmmmm. Guess I may hold off on a PDA as my “birthday wish”. Now it’s 5:00 and Karen is napping. Barb is here with Krissy. Now it’s 8:00 and we are grilling out chicken, yum.

Tuesday, June 8th - Kim just left. She’ll be filling in for Jeanie on Thursday. She was good, as usual. It’s now 9:00 and 70 degrees, cool. Karen and Krissy are just stirring upstairs. 10:00 was Rays, talked a lot about religion. Turns out he counsels a few ministers. Good session. 11:30 was Rotary. Ham for lunch. After Rotary, went shopping for my birthday and bought a HP handheld computer. Spent most of the night playing with it, then computer/Internet and bed.

Wednesday, June 9th - Vicki filled in for Jeanie. Good. Had water therapy at 11:00. After lunch, I played with my handheld. Got it synched with my desk top computer. Need John Strong to figure out how to use it to surf the internet. They have classes to teach it if I need them.. Then I went to our last membership class at the Chapel. Was Cool. I am now a church member. Stopped on the way home for a late take home dinner from Kentucky Fried Chicken. Now it’s 10:00. Just came in from a smoke. Haven’t talked about it much here lately, but I am down to a couple smokes a day with no patches. Been that way for about 1 week. The key is going to be not increasing or smoking more.

Thursday, June 10th - Happy Birthday, to me. Kim in morning. Good. Then I got a shower. After some computer, went to Applebee’s for a late lunch. Now it’s 8:30 and John Strong just left. He finished hooking up my handheld and showed me how to use it to surf the internet. Now it’s by the bed, charging. Will get to use it later, to surf the internet, bedtime and AM. He says there is a “hotspot” right by the grocery store so I’ll be able to surf the internet while I wait. Cool. Karen is on her way home from Gymboree with dinner. Had dinner with chocolate cake and pie for dessert. Had candles in the cake and everyone sang happy birthday to me. Played with my Ipaq for a while then cards with Karen, I won. Went to bed around midnight.

Friday, June 11th - Kim again, for Jeannie. Woke up at 6:00 and played with my Ipaq for a while, checked my e-mail, the news, etc.. Rainy day. Played a lot of backgammon and with my Ipaq. Trying to figure out how to do both, backgammon on the Internet on my Ipaq. Need a different version of Windows, I think (maybe Windows CE?). E-mailed their technical support and asked. Now it’s 6:00 and we are headed to Montrose for dinner and window shopping. FYI - my e-mail is jcook2@neo.rr.com. Just added that, here and in the prologue. In case you couldn’t tell, Since my TBI, my priorities have changed. Now, helping others is a priority, as far as I can, within the bounds of reason. Karen, Krissy and I went to the Olive Garden for dinner. Karen even had them sing me Happy Birthday. I had steak, twice baked potato and Chocolate cake, my favorite dinner. Came home and played with my Ipaq and beat Karen at cards, then bed.

Saturday, June 12th - Victoria in morning, good. Played with my Ipaq. Bummer, can’t play backgammon at my favorite site, will have to change sites. Was sunny so went outside to enjoy it. Pond is too far away from house to use my Ipaq. Garage works fine though. Lunch, surfing the net and outside with Krissy until around 4:00, then to my moms for a birthday dinner. Got a gift certificate to CompUSA from my mom (on top of her helping for my Ipaq) for a present. Katie, Grant, my sister Anne and Walt (her ex) came too. Home and played with my Ipaq until bedtime.

Sunday, June 13th - Vicki again in AM. Good. Went to brunch at the Mustard Seed with the same group as last night. In the afternoon, Karen’s virus was acting up and she wasn’t feeling well so we didn’t make it to Jeannie’s wedding or church, bummer. She slept most of the day and was feeling a little better in the evening. I was tired and went to bed early.

Monday, June 14th - Kim In AM, good. Had water therapy at 11:00. Steve thinks it’s time for me to go back to physical therapy to learn to walk. He thinks I have progressed far enough with water therapy to go on. Cool. Karen made an appointment for Thursday with the doctor to get his agreement and prescription for the therapy. So next Monday will be my last water therapy. We are going to stay with Edwin Shaw for the PT though instead of Wadsworth Rittman hospital like we used to do. They are clearly more competent with rehab. No doubt about it.

Tuesday, June 15th - Rich this morning. Good. He’ll be back Thursday for Jeanie. I think she’s coming back Friday. Woke up early, as I often do, and instead of laying there, waiting, played with my Ipaq. Karen took Carrie to the store. It’s now noon and I’ve spent most of the morning on the computer catching up my journal and playing backgammon. Carrie has a horse show tonight. Karen and Carrie spent most of the day getting ready for the horse show. Carrie didn’t do well. Most of her classes had 10 horses and the best she did was 7th. Need more practice, I guess. She has moved from juniors to seniors because of her age, tougher competition. Home late, to bed.

Monday, June 28th - Yes, it’s been almost 2 weeks, 2 busy weeks. A lot has happened. Went to the Dr. two Thursdays ago and got a direction to have my wheelchair evaluated, hoping to get a new one. Overall, my general health is OK. Did have my last water therapy last Monday, was good. Looking forward to physical therapy. My niece, Katie, got married last Friday. Rehearsal dinner was Thursday. Sisters and families were/are in town. Going to my moms tonight for my sister Ann’s 53rd birthday dinner. Went over there for a wedding celebration Saturday. Whole family, including cousins, etc. was there, like they were at the wedding and reception at Fairlawn Country Club on Friday. Lots of catching up. Everyone was generally happy/assured with my progress. I gave a toast at the reception. A passing of the gauntlet of child rearing for my family to the next generation. Katie and Grant remind me of Karen and I in how well they relate to each other. Hope they get 25 years like Karen and I have had. They only went for a short honeymoon and are going for a longer trip later in the year. They are both new dancers with the Ohio ballet now and will be dancing in the parks here this summer. I’m looking forward to that a lot. They even moved back to Karen and mines old neighborhood, in west Akron. One bad thing, I have been smoking too much. Everyone in our family (OK, a lot of us) smokes. The smoking lounge at the country club was very busy. I was there also. Even bought some. Have to quit, again, next week or in the week after. A few days ago, John Strong came over and got my computer to show TV. Got the ability when we bought it earlier in the year. I am now listening to the news while I type and can watch it on my monitor with the click of a button. John just left, he came over to re-arrange things so I could us the remote also. Cool. Went to the Fairlawn fireworks last night. As always, they were great. They lasted about 20 minutes. It was me, Karen, Krissy, Carrie and David (her non-boyfriend). Home around 10:30. Computed, then bed.

Tuesday, June 29th - Rich in the morning, now every Tuesday. Good. It’s not just a squint anymore, my right eye defect now is causing me to have a head tilt. One which, thank God, goes away pretty much when I close my right eye. Have to look into getting a black contact, like I had before and, wrongfully, decided I didn’t need. Either that or a patch, or both. Contac is expensive though ($100) to replace. Several people at the Wedding/reception commented on it (the ‘Tilt”) and that made me more aware of it. Karen, Chrissie, David and Carrie went to a 4-h horse show tonight and Carrie did a little better than last time. It’s 11:00 and Karen has just left to take David home. Stayed up late, got involved in a backgammon tournament on the internet. 1st one. Won 1 game, then lost and was out. Bed around 1:00.

Wednesday, June 30th - Vicki this AM - good. Went to Hubbard Valley park for lunch and stayed for a couple hours, Weather was glorious, 70's and sunny. My mom came over in the afternoon, as she usually does on Wednesdays, so Karen could take a nap. Beat me at cards, not the usual. Lots of backgammon to pass time, outside also to enjoy the weather. Now it’s 7:30 and 87 degrees. Heat wave, 1st one of the summer. Dinner is on the table. Now it’s 9:00 and I just came in from watching the sunset out by the pond. Cool.