MINIATURE GOLF

After a month of May with record-breaking seasonal cold weather, featuring high temperatures often in the low 50's, we finally had a warm, sunny day today. Debra and I took advantage of the sunshine by taking Baylee and Rylie to the miniature golf course at the Rogue Valley Family Fun Center.

Rylie, Debra, Baylee and I get ready to head for the miniature golf course.

Three sitting on a bench. Two ready to play golf.

The sun reflects off Rylie's club as she attempts to sink a putt.

Baylee takes a shot as Nana watches.

Debra takes a turn under the eyes of a watchful audience.

Papa putts. Rylie watches.

The scorecard proves that the dwindling self-esteem of an aging man can be significantly improved by playing a game of miniature golf against a couple of little girls and their grandmother.

MAKING A MOVIE FOR CANCER PATIENTS

A few months ago, the staff where I work thought it might be helpful for new patients if we put together a video presentation to acquaint them with the process of radiation therapy from the time they first enter our clinic until they complete their entire course of treatment.

I agreed to take on the project.

I created a sixteen minute video which I presented to the staff. It was basically a rough draft. Strengths and weaknesses of the video were discussed and suggestions for improving the final product were offered.

Part of the presentation involves showing the patient what it looks like when the cancer treatment machine, a linear accelerator, rotates around them during treatment. Yesterday, between the two Cindy's I work with, one agreed to play the part of a patient and she lied down on the treatment table. I attached my camera to a tripod and began filming. The other Cindy found another camera and took a couple of photos of me taking the video shots.

For part of the video, I knelt on the floor to capture a worms-eye view of the rotation of the machine.

Click the play tab below to see what a rotating linear accelerator looks like from this angle.

I also stood on a counter to capture a birds-eye view of another part of the rotation of the machine.

Click the play tab below to see what a rotating linear accelerator looks like from this angle.

Additional editing is still in the future as I venture toward completion of this video project, but the final product is nearly done.

BLOGGIN' ABOUT CLOGGIN'

Last week, while washing dishes, our kitchen sink got clogged. After pouring Drano down the drain, waiting about twenty minutes, then flushing it with hot water, it was still clogged. So, I grabbed the garden hose, dragged it into the house, placed the end of the hose into the sink, sealed it with wet washcloths, turned the hose on full blast, and forced all the junk out of the drain pipe.

Or so I thought.

Then this morning, while doing laundry, I heard a sound similar to that of a water fountain coming from the laundry room. When I entered the laundry room, the floor was covered with a sizable puddle. The drain pipe behind the washing machine was clogged. So, I grabbed the garden hose, dragged it into the house, placed the end of the hose into the drain pipe behind the washer, sealed it with wet washcloths, turned the hose on full blast, and forced all the junk out of the drain pipe.

Or so I thought.

When I resumed my laundry chore, I noticed that the drain pipe behind the washer was still clogged and was not draining water from the washer. I told Debra, she grabbed the Yellow Pages, and within a couple of hours we became a clog-free family again.

The washer.

Approaching the drain pipe behind the washer.

Getting closer.

There it is.

The area marked in pink was covered with water when I entered the laundry room.

Debra found a drain pipe cleaning service in the Yellow Pages, Speedy Rooter, and noticed an Icthus in the lower left corner of their ad.

Speedy Rooter soon arrives.

Kevin, the owner/operator of Speedy Rooter, accessed the drain pipe from the roof vent.

Kevin with snake in drain pipe.

Kevin from another view.

My job was to turn on the kitchen faucet when Kevin told me to turn it on and to turn it off once the unclogging was done.

When Kevin completed the job, he left his card along with a properly functioning drain pipe.

MASTERS IN MOVING

Friday, I drove to Beaverton to help the Weathersbys move from Beaverton to Wilsonville. Lucille, Bethany's grandmother, was also moving from Beaverton to Wilsonville.

We rented two large Penske trucks and about two dozen friends arrived at 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning to provide labor. Half of the team went to Lucille's place where Tim supervised the loading of one truck and the rest of the team remained at the Weathersby's where I headed up the loading of the other truck.

Within one hour we were on the road with both trucks fully loaded. By 11:00 a.m. both trucks were unloaded. Within three hours, two households were loaded onto two separate trucks, transported across town, and completely unloaded. Amazing.

Devon, Silas and Naomi spend their final night in Beaverton on Friday.

Saturday morning before the multitudes arrive.

Three little kids in one big truck.

Silas, Naomi and Devon spend their first night in Wilsonville on Saturday.

The boys' room has mirrored closet doors which they discovered could create the illusion of levitating as shown by Devon.

And as shown by Silas.

And as shown by Papa.

And as sort of shown by Naomi.