Wow - How time flies.

1st order of business is to replace that winter pic to something more pleasing.  Yup - Spring has actually sprung here on the mountain.  A little late, but it here.  Nights are still a little cool and we've had a couple temps last week that dropped into the high 30's at night/early morn.  Of late we're getting high 40's and low 50's at wake up time, day break.  Been a lot of meals and happenings since our last post.  So - it's update time.  Friends of our, Bob and Kathleen, whom we have known for over 40 years throughout our Navy days, recently purchased a house about 15 miles from where we live.  They were living in Dallas, Texas for a number of years then relocated to North Carolina when Kathleen's job transferred.  They've been visiting us for a few years and really liked the area and decided to settle here when Kathleen retires.  It's only about 6 hours to drive from their current home in NC so they take short vacations here every once-in-awhile.  It'll be great having them here cause they're just like family.
     On April 17, Cathy had shoulder replacement surgery.  This osteoarthritis really sucks.  So far this disease has caused her to have a hip and knee replaced, then lower back surgery and now her right shoulder.  I gotta hand it to her, she's a trooper and keeps marching along.  At times she gets really  frustrated about what she can't do but keeps striving for progress in mobility.  I don't think I'd have the patience that she does but, together, we'll make it through and hopefully, God willing, Cathy will gain some of the earlier capabilities so we can start taking our walks again and enjoying our retirement more.  It just seems like every time we  seem to be getting one problem fixed, another crops up.  Osteoarthritis is like that tho - it's been working on her joints for years and now we're starting to see affects of bone deterioration.  We both found this last surgery to be unusual and interesting.  The surgeon did what he called a "reverse shoulder replacement."  He explained that because of the arthritis and her rotator cuff condition, he put the ball for the joint in the scapula where the socket would normally have been located, and put the socked on the arm.  The parts are the same, just put in the reverse.  Apparently they've been doing this type of replacement surgery in England for a number of years and we finally adopted it cause it works in the worst cases.  We're both really thankful for the procedure because the alternative was not acceptable.  Right now Cathy is doing some shoulder/arm exercises the surgeon showed her to do until the healing process is far enough along, then she'll begin full physical therapy to get back the strength and range of motion.
     I'm still plodding along just a little more girlie-man work to do with Cathy unable to use her right arm.  Still piddling with her honey-do list and right now I'm installing new interior doors that are solid pine, 6 panel doors.  They look soooo much better than the older luan hollow core doors.

  My friend Bob and I are gonna put in the attic stair that I bought so I can have better access to the attic and while I'm up there, I'll be installing can/pot or recessed lights in Cathy's kitchen.  Right now it's like working in a cave over there.  Once that's done - I have to install two exterior outlets on the front and back porch so I don't have to have 200 foot extension cords when I need electric power outside.  Then I'll be working on the back deck, replacing the deck boards and adding stairs to the deck, which do not exist now.  Like I said, still plodding along.   That's about it for now.