HOY - HOY - HOY !!!

HOY - HOY - HOY ! ! !

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIKKI ! ! !

Christmas in Spooner

Many traditions lived on at Christmas on Cable Lake. Like the date. We Rechsteiner's avoid December 25th, as everyone else then gets to use it and we don't have to do the "Christmas mid-day shuffle" that so many families try to do. Each visit is short-changed and everyone comes away unsatisfied. Ours, this year was January 4th, But they have happened in July. We are not particular........

....Wendy found this beef tenderloin on sale at the Economart and snatched it up. We did it whole, like a prime rib. It was fabulous, you could cut it with a fork.........

....it was a meal fit for royalty, but buffet style.......

....nothing like food to bring out the spirit of family and the holiday..........

....after the meal, the kids were giddy about the opening of gifts. Like these two..........

....we actually had kids this year. The first grand kids for Wendy, Janelle and Todd's Isaac (left) and Laura and Jim's Owen (right) were old enough to really participate and make the whole day for all.

Christmas without kids is a lot like Arbor Day, you know, just a tree..........

....it was a beautiful day, and soon Ian and the others were playing with the snowmobiles and the ice auger. No fish was safe.........

....well, at least this fish was not safe. He and a friend were selected to be late Christmas appetizers.......

....the intrepid fishermen were Jake, Ian, and Callies' Nick............

....there is a tradition where Hannah kisses the fish, but we are not sure where that started (maybe with the Asti Spumante?)........

....another tradition is the laying out of selected old picture books from the archives for all to look at and reminisce. Usually starts more fights than it settles?............

....another tradition is some off-beat gift from Wendy to an unsuspecting child too big to get out of the van. Here Callie and Nick get a laugh out of their new entertainment center and coffee table. The laughter died down when they read the box and found those most dreaded of holiday words: "some assembly required". These words are the statistical cause of most post-holiday murders and suicides..............

....Jake cleaned the fish volunteers.......

....Jake and Wendy apply the Christmas traditional Japanese Panko bread crumbs..........

....the fish go for a final swim in hot oil..............

....and another Christmas comes to a close with a snack fresh from Cable Lake.........

Uncle Hans

Slideshow Frame

I think Rex mentioned a while back that I am planning to go to Wisconsin for a week in May. One of the major reasons I selected the dates I did is so I can spend my Mother's 88th birthday with her. So what do you get an 88 year old person for a gift??




I decided to get her one of those picture frames that you can put a slide show on. She has said many times that she has great grandchildren that she hasn't seen so I thought it might be nice to get a picture frame and try to get as many pictures of her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren as I can. So this is fair warning that I will be contacting people to ask for pictures!!






This is a picture of the actual frame, it is 8 inches. I sure hope she will like this!!

SONGBIRD HEARING AID

AFTER MARY'S POST ABOUT THE SONGBIRD HEARING AID, I'VE BEEN ASKED FOR A FOLLOW-UP REPORT.

THE SONGBIRD HEARING AID IS A DISPOSABLE HEARING AID THAT COSTS $80, AND PROVIDES YOU WITH 400 HOURS OF SERVICE. IT PERFECT FOR SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THEY NEED HEARING HELP BUT FOR REASONS OF VANITY, COSTS, ETC. JUST HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NOW YOU CAN TRY IT AND SEE HOW A HEARING AID FEELS AND WOULD WORK FOR YOU, AT A FRACTION OF THE COST.

MY FIRST REAL TEST WAS TO A CASINO, WHERE THE BACKGROUND NOISE OF THOSE SLOT MACHINES IS A PROBLEM. WE WERE VISITING WITH SOME WISCONSIN FOLKS, LEFTY & CHARLENE, AND THE HEARING AID ACTUALLY MADE IT EASIER FOR ME TO FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION.

THE BACKGROUND NOISE HOWEVER IS NOW AN AMPLIFIED PROBLEM. TO WEAR THE AID TO WORK WOULD JUST BE MORE OF A DISTRACTION THAN A HELP IN A CASINO FULL OF MUSIC AND CLANKING SLOTS.

THE SONGBIRD HAS A VOLUME CONTROL, AND I FOUND THE EAR BUD TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS.

HERE IS A LINK TO THEIR WEBSITE IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.

THE PUNCH LINE
"Barack Obama said his first act as president will be to pardon Aretha Franklin's hat. ... A big gust of wind blew (it) into the crowd and knocked down 19 people." -- Jay Leno

SNOWBOARDING

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS? SO I GUESS I'LL LET THE PICTURES TELL THE SNOWBOARDING STORY IN TODAY'S BLOG.

NICE BOARD.......

SINCE BOTH MY BROTHER'S ARE DOCTORS, AND DEAL WITH X-RAYS OFTEN, I'VE INCLUDED THIS PICTURE. THE X-RAY IS BEING HELD UP ON A GLASS PATIO DOOR, SO THERE ARE BUILDINGS IN THE BACKGROUND. THE CIRCLE SHOWS THE BREAK.

AND HERE IS OUR UNHAPPY VICTIM.........

WAITING ON HOLD TO TALK TO ........

THE PICTURES TELL THE STORY, BUT IF YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE, I SUGGEST YOU CONTACT PAULIE. LOOKS LIKE HE'S GONNA HAVE TIME TO TAKE YOUR CALLS?

THE COOKOUT

TODAY WE HAD A COOK OUT TO CELEBRATE THE JANUARY BIRTHDAYS. WE HAD TO PUT IT OFF UNTIL WE HAD A DAY OFF.

FIRST THING WAS TO GO GET GRANDMA, THE GUEST OF HONOR. HEY WHILE WE'RE HERE, CHECK OUT HER AMARYLLIS FOR THIS WINTER.....

IT SURE IS PRETTY, AND THEY GROW AND BLOOM SO FAST.

MEANWHILE, ON TO THE COOKOUT. RIB EYE STEAKS AND HALIBUT ON THE BIGG gASS GRILL, WITH LOT'S SUNSHINE......

I THINK GRANDMA ENJOYED THE DAY OF GRILLING, SUNSHINE, AND VISITING WITH STEVE & MERYL, THE NEIGHBORS.

BIRTHDAYS........

AS YOU KNOW I HAD A BIRTHDAY LAST WEEK AND TURNED 60. I SUPPOSE I SHOULD BLOG ABOUT THAT.......

I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD LOOK BACK AND TELL YOU STORIES OF MY WEEK LONG 40TH BIRTHDAY BASH, OR LOOK FORWARD AND PUBLISH A "BUCKET LIST".

IN REALITY TURNING 60 IS A LOT LIKE TURNING TWELVE. AT TWELVE YOU'RE STILL NOT A TEENAGER, YOU STILL CAN'T STAY OUT AT NIGHT AFTER THE STREET LIGHTS COME ON, YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO GET A JOB, AND YOU CAN'T DRIVE A CAR.

AT SIXTY, YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO BUY A NATIONAL PARK LIFETIME PASS, TO EARLY FOR MEDICARE, STILL HAVE A JOB, AND SOCIAL SECURITY SEEMS LIKE A DREAM.

AM I OLD? NOPE, MY GRANDMA RECHSTEINER DIED JUST BEFORE SHE TURNED 106 YEARS OLD, SO I'LL CONCEDE THAT I'M OVER THE HILL AND HALF DONE.

AM I GOING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES? NOPE, I'VE LOVED CAMPING SINCE THE DAYS OF THE OLD RED TENT, CANYON CAMP, AND THE SHADOW CRUISER.

AM I HAPPY? YUP,COME ON OVER AND LET'S HAVE A COLD BEER AND HEAD ON OVER TO HOOUCH'S FOR TACOS !!!

"SUNNY & 80" (ALMOST)


THE PUNCH LINE
"More players on smoking side of bench than nonsmoking." -- From David Letterman's "Top Ten Signs You're Team Won't Be Going to the Super Bowl."

Cell Phone Brain Cancer

I first got this video in an e-mail from a friend. I was shocked.



Pop Corn téléphone portable micro-ondes
Uploaded by sassiere

I had read little blurbs in the press about concern over microwave induced brain cancers from cell phone use, but they did not seem too alarming, and the consensus seemed to be “something to be followed but no clear danger at this time”. I decided to do some research into the literature. My favorite site, both for my own curiosity and for use in my work as a surgeon, is http://www.pubmed.gov/ , which is a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Nearly every journal of any medical discipline is represented in this search engine and you can find any article there. I looked under “Cell Phone Brain Cancer” typed in the search line. There was one article from Sweden that raised some concern. The rest were pretty unconvinced that there is a relationship. Several raised the same, somewhat scary point, however. The best studies only go back about 10 years. And other cancer causing agents can take up to 40 years to be fully effective. Radiation, for example takes many years. I have treated two patients with lymphoma (a lymphatic cancer) who had their exposure in the military, occupying Hiroshima in 1945. Their cancers did not happen until the 90’s. We had a similar scare with saccharine artificial sweetener in the 60’s. Some said, “Just wait 40 years and see what happens”. Well nothing has happened in the case of saccharine, it’s use has proven safe.

It just seems common sense to me that constant exposure of our brains to the kind of power seen demonstrated in this video over 40 years will cause some kind of damage, whether it is cancer or hearing problems, brain damage, whatever. Some studies warned against lots of use over many years. I feel good that my exposure started in my 40’s and is moderate (about 2000 minutes/ month, according to my billing statements). I see these kids today with the phones practically permanently attached to the side of there heads and I worry. I have started using the “speaker” option in the car, where I use mine the most. I don’t know the first thing about Blue Tooth technology. It is some sort of device that goes in your ear and talks to your phone, moving the phone away from your head and allowing you to be “hands free” (probably hugely safer by a factor of 1000 than any possible cancer danger). But that device must use some microwave to talk to the phone and is that safer? I don’t know.

The cell phone has radically improved my life and the lives of everyone who uses one. But there must be some risk over time and we all need to think of ways to reduce those risks.

Uncle Hans

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA RECHSTEINER !!!

Happy Birthday Rex!!

Happy Birthday to Rex....January 22, 1949. Oops, guess that means today marks 60 years. So what do you get the guy that has everything for his 60th birthday? Ummmmmmmm, last year I have him one Belize point ($25.00), but for 60 that just seemed not to have the immediate gratification I wanted for him. So this is my solution:

Based on Rex's lack of hearing ability, I thought this would be a useful gift.

This is what it looks like out of the box and in it's cute little carrying case.

This is how it looks on his ear. Be sure to get a good look at this picture, because based on how it's going, this will probably be your only chance to see it on.

Happy Birthday Rex!!

WEEK # 15

THE WEEKLY COUNT DOWN CONTINUES, AND WE ONLY HAVE 15 WEEKS LEFT TO WORK FOR THE SEASON. WE'VE BEEN KIND OF WORRIED ABOUT OUR JOBS AT LAKE TAHOE. OUR COST OF LIVING IS SO MUCH HIGHER THERE, BUT IN THE PAST OUR TOKES HAVE BEEN HIGHER AS WELL.

IN THE "GLOOM AND DOOM" OF THE NEVADA ECONOMY, AND AFTER TWO BAD SUMMERS, JOB WISE, AT LAKE TAHOE WE'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THE SUMMER OF '09. LAST WEEK WE WERE INVITED BY OUR BOSS AT THE AVI TO SPEND THE SUMMER WORKING HERE IN LAUGHLIN.

ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE A PLAN "B", BUT WE WILL PUT OFF THAT DECISION UNTIL MID-APRIL WHEN WE CAN PHONE LAKE TAHOE TO GET SOME KINDA FEEL FOR WHAT THE SUMMER WILL BRING.

ANOTHER TOPIC THAT COMES UP BETWEEN MARY AND I IS, GOING HOME TO WISCONSIN. MARY PREFERS TO RETURN TO WISCONSIN IN THE SPRING AND FALL EACH YEAR TO VISIT HER MOTHER AND KIDS. OVER THE YEARS SHE'S HAD HER DAUGHTERS, AND EVEN A GRANDDAUGHTER, JOIN HER FOR THE LONG ROAD TRIP. LAST YEAR SHE SKIPPED THE SPRING TRIP, AND WE BOTH WENT IN THE FALL ON OUR "SPRINT".

THIS SPRING I'M HAPPY TO SAY MARY HAS FLIGHT RESERVATIONS IN MAY, AND WILL BE HOME FOR A WEEK TO CELEBRATE HER MOTHER'S 88TH BIRTHDAY AND MOTHER'S DAY AT HOME IN MT HOPE, WISCONSIN.

THE PUNCH LINE
"In Maine it got down to negative 50. It's so cold in Maine, lobsters are actually asking to be boiled and dipped in melted butter just to get warm." -- Jimmy Kimmel

DAMN IT'S COLD

A FEW BLOGS BACK I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT SPENDING $20 A WEEK FOR LP GAS TO STAY WARM? FOR THAT, I APOLOGISE, WITH THE FREEZING COLD TEMPERATURES AT HOME IN WISCONSIN I BET THEY'RE PAYING $20 A DAY FOR HEAT.

BESIDES HERE IN ARIZONA WE'RE HAVING ONE OF THE WARMEST JANUARY'S EVER. OUR DAY TIME HIGHS HAVE BEEN FROM 65 DEGREES TO 72 DEGREES AND LOWS IN THE MID 40'S. WHEN WE GET HOME FROM WORK, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, WE TURN THE FURNACE ON AND HEAT IT UP TO 70 DEGREES, TAKES 15 TO 20 MINUTES, AND THEN SET THE THERMOSTAT ON 59 OR 60 AND GO TO BED.

IN THE MORNING THE FURNACE GETS TURNED OFF. HECK BY THE TIME I GET UP, AROUND NOON, IT'S WARMED UP TO 70 DEGREES INSIDE JUST FROM THE ARIZONA SUNSHINE.

SO NOW INSTEAD OF 7 GALLONS OF LP GAS A WEEK, IT'S CLOSER TO 3 GALLONS A WEEK TO HEAT THE CAMPER. IN LESS THAN A MONTH IT WILL BE BACK TO "SUNNY & 80".

THE PUNCH LINE
"Freezing cold today. ... So cold, Bernie Madoff had his hands in his own pockets." -- David Letterman

INVERTER

STILL THINKING ABOUT THE BOONDOCKING THING, I DUG OUT MY TWO EXTRA BATTERIES FROM THE BACK OF THE PICKUP. ONE OF THEM WAS TOTALLY SHOT, SO I REPLACED IT AT WALMART.

I ALSO BOUGHT A 1000 WATT INVERTER.

YOU HOOK UP THE INVERTER WITH THE BATTERY CLAMPS TO A CAR BATTERY AND YOU HAVE 110 AC POWER JUST LIKE AN OUTLET IN YOUR HOUSE. COOL....

OK, LET'S TEST THIS OUT. I HOOKED UP THE TV AND SATELLITE DISH TO SEE HOW LONG IT WOULD RUN BEFORE THE BATTERY DIED.

THE DIGITAL DISPLAY SHOWS THE VOLTS OF POWER IN THE BATTERY.

AND IT SHOWS HOW MANY WATTS OF POWER YOU ARE DRAWING DOWN OFF THE BATTERY.

THE TEST WENT WELL, WE RAN THE TV AND DISH FOR 5 OR 6 HOURS BEFORE THE BATTERY RAN OUT.

NEXT PROBLEM? RECHARGING THE BATTERY SO MARY CAN WATCH MORE FOOD NETWORK AND HGTV. HERE IS THE LIST:

1. PLUG IN YOUR BATTERY CHARGER

2. PUT THE DEAD BATTERY ON THE TRAILER AND LET THE CONVERTER RECHARGE THE BATTERY, BUT THE TRAILER NEEDS TO BE PLUGGED IN.

3. FIRE UP THE HONDA GENERATOR TO RECHARGE THE DEAD BATTERY.

4. PUT THE BATTERY ON THE TRAILER, AND IT WILL WILL RECHARGE OFF THE TRUCK'S ALTERNATOR WHILE PULLING THE TRAILER DOWN THE ROAD.

5. USE A SOLAR PANEL.

THIS IS MY OLD 5 WATT SOLAR PANEL, WHICH I BOUGHT YEARS AGO IN THE YELLOW RIVER DAYS. IT'S SMALL, VERY SMALL, EVEN IN THE ARIZONA SUN IT WILL TAKE THIS SOLAR PANEL AT LEAST TWO WEEKS TO FULLY RECHARGE THE CAR SIZE BATTERY.

HMMM......

THIS GONNA TAKE MORE TESTING AND PLANNING. WE HAVE THREE SYSTEMS TO FIGURE OUT:

1. LP GAS SYSTEMS

2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

3. WATER SYSTEMS, FRESH, GRAY, AND BLACK

STAY TUNED FOR MORE TESTING......

THE PUNCH LINE
"I sent in early for tickets for the Obama inauguration, but I got lousy seats anyway. I'm right between Govs. Spitzer and Blagojevich." -- David Letterman

Honeycrisp Apples

One of the fun preparations for the long winter on Cable Lake is the apple picking. We have four trees surviving out of 8 planted. They kinda take turns producing. This year we had normal rainfall after several years of drought. The trees all enjoyed the rain and the crop was the best ever................

......the trees are bred to be short, which is good because the picker is short..........

.....for the high ones we shake the tree and they fall. Then we pick up the ones we like and leave the rest for the deer. The deer start sleeping under these trees in about September, waiting for their treats..........

....long arms and a ladder come in handy................

....Rena patrols the perimeter so the deer don't attack us while we are picking. A pack of ravenous and aggressive deer may scare some dogs, but not Rena............

....we got about two bushel. They are organically grown, and not perfect in shape, size and color. But they are Honeycrisp, a recent and very popular variety. A local orchard was advertising them for $95.00 per bushel. Two bushel is more than we can eat so we give some away, feed Hannah's horse some, and fend off packs of attacking deer with the rest.....

Uncle Hans