Photo Gallery August-October, 2003

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August, 2003

After visits to the eye doctor, time for new prescriptions and eye glasses.

"I like my new Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen fashion eyeglasses!"
"I think my new ones are classy looking!"

"Okay, how do you like my very first pair?"

September, 2003

Last splash of summer
Bubby's picture was on the front page of the Windsor Tribune with two of his buddies for a story of how all 230 sixth graders celebrated surviving the first week of middle school with a pool party on Friday afternoon.

"C'mon, pull! He can't hold on forever!"
Dowdy Lake Campground camp host site.
Roosevelt National Forest, Red Feather Lakes.

A perfect weekend getaway. All the campsites were full, so with the Forest Ranger's permission, we doubled up in the empty camp host's site.

"Wow, look at the view from up here!"
The rock outcropping just visible above the top of Grandma and Grandpa's trailer is where the picture above was taken.

"It's great to be camping again with Grandma and Grandpa!"
"Ahhhh, it's great to relax and just soak up the nice warm sun!"
"We found a cave to explore!"
"Why is it Honey, that every time, I mean EVERY TIME we sit down to eat the wind has to start blowing? It's just ridiculous!"

"Yes Dear, I know...Good catch, Bubby!"
"Ahhhh, we just love campfires!"

"Anyone ready for Smores?"

"I'm ready for Jiffy Pop!"
"Hey Dad, the hats that Grandma helped us knit sure do keep our heads warm on a cold night!"
"Hi Grandpa, the wind died down enough for us to go canoeing!"
"Grandma's turn to go out!"
"Oh Dad, the aspens are turning so beautiful and there's not a cloud in the gorgeous blue sky on this wonderful day, do we have to pack up and head home?"

"Sorry."
October, 2003
After X-Rays and an MRI confirmed that I needed immediate neck surgery, I had to first make the hurdle of changing insurance companies at the first of the month. The whiteboard in my office became the tracking zone for the six entities, contacts, and hoops I had 48 hours to "bird dog" for immediate approval of my scheduled surgery. With the help of a lot of folks, I got my surgery authorization just in time to have my surgery as planned!
My surgery was a "Posterior Cervical Laminectomy". An incision was made in the back of my neck to access a ruptured disc which had embedded itself in my root nerve causing intense pain in my neck that proceeded down my left shoulder blade, my left shoulder, left elbow, left arm and hand. I also had numbness in the fingers on my left hand and tingling in my left elbow, arm and hand. Thankfully, my neurosurgeon reported the surgery was successful!
After a brief hospital stay, my recovery at home was brightened by a gift basket from my teammates in the Student Data and Assessment department. I was also flooded with words of encouragement and support from my colleagues in Information Technology who I work closely with. These brought a much needed lift as I struggled through recovery with bronchitis/pneumonia, a result from a sinus infection I had come down with from lowered immune resistance due to lack of sleep from the pain in the weeks prior to my surgery. Good grief!

"Okay kids, you can quit your begging and dig into the huge cookies now!"  
"Okay, Mom, time to take down the harvest decorations and get the Halloween decorations ready to put up!"
"Yup, we be carvin' pumpkins!"
All dressed up and ready for the middle school costume dance.

"I am a Zommmmmmmmmbie."

"Wow, Mom, great makeup job!"
"I'm Fonnnnnnnnnnnnzie."
"Daddy's spare sunglasses are perfect!"
"My best friend and I dressed up as poodle girls for our class costume party."
"Mommy can sure carve a cool pumpkin!"
"These turned out great!"
It never fails. We can have perfect weather the week of Halloween, like we did this year with sunshine and daily temperatures in the 80's, but as soon as the 31st comes, the temperature dives, and we have either wind, freezing rain, snow, or all three! Brrrrrrrrrr!!!

"Hurry up, Dad, the freezing rain could ruin the camera!"