60th BirthdayParty

Eldoris and I attended the 60th birthday party for John Stonework and Wayne Lawrence at 6 Degrees Restaurant in Albany given by their wives Diane and Merle.  Old friends going back to high school in Ohio attended. That goes back a long way. What a great crowd!  After eating so much good food at the pinochle party earlier, I went through the 15 course meal. To make up for the over indulgence, I skiped dinner yesterday. I am still three pounds lighter than before surgery, but I am rapidly closing the gap. 

I am enclosing some photos. I took 61 photos, so if someone wants more please call me at 510-638-4650. One might also see my other blog http://spaces.msn.com/OaklandSavant.

HD television

I finally purchased my first HDTV. It was on sale at Costco. What a wonderful improvement in the picture. Since we have 10 televisions, I can not replace them all, so I wanted to wait to see what Comcast was going to do when everything goes digital on February 17, 2009. I fear they will require a setup box for each TV. Of course each setup box rents for over $8 per month, a real rip-off. Eldoris is delighted with the picture quality, so I may move faster in replacing some of the TVs. Like many we have some TVs 15 years old.

We are considering sending our usual Christmas letter rather than Christmas cards. Please let me know which you prefer.

I am trying to keep to my exercise schedule given by my physical therpist. I still can not rotate or reach down to comfortably tie my shoes. Rehab is hard work.

Happy Holidays.

Recovery

I am recovering from my hip replacement surgery at a good rate. I am walking on a regular basis. I now take three 10-minute walks each day, but expect to increase to four a day. One unintendent consequence is that I lost my appetite. For about three days, I eat almost nothing. I have lost weight, of course. Currently I am eating about half what I used to eat. On the other hand, I have bowel problems. If nothing goes out, nothing should come in. The stomach is tight. Growing old is not a piece of cake.

Hip Replacement Surgery

It now seems that I will have hip replacement surgery on October 7. I will spend my birthday at a rehab center recovering. I will be taking physical therapy for several months. It takes about 6 months total to recover. I have had a limp for several years. My sister, a nurse, as well as friends advised taking this course. There is no cure for artritis and the condition only gets worse. I will post other info as it becomes available.

Seattle/Vancouver Vacation

Eldoris and I took a week vacation to Seattle and Vancouver, BC. This was my first visit to the cities and the first in 30 years for Eldoris. We were impressed with the beauty of these cities. I had the best clam chower ever on the ferry towards Bainbridge Island, off Seattle. The free bus fare in downtown Seattle helped and seniors normally only pay $.50. The skyline is peppered with luxury condos. The fact that there must be 5,000 Microsoft millionaires in the area helps.

This is a rich city with a real downtown. If we did not take the bus, we walked. I discovered new muscles. Now I know I need to walk more.

In Vancouver, we were met by the husband of cousin Petit. Lyn and their three sons gave us a great tour of the city. The seafood platter dinner provided by Lyn at a waterside restaurant was the best meal of the trip. Real estate is no bargain in Vancouver. Thanks to high tariffs and the cheap American dollar, this is an expensive city. We took almost 800 photos and we have posted a few. Please see my other blog http://spaces.msn.com/members/OaklandSavant.

Family Reunion

Eldoris and I joined other Cupp family members for a reunion at the home of Lynn & Louis Cupp at their beautiful home in Fairfield. While it was hot we really enjoyed the occasion. The food was outstanding, so good we all eat too much. The kid ventured into the swimming pool. We hope to visit Maurice and Cathy in Reno next year.

Rotary Christmas Party

Saturday was the evening for the Piedmont Monclair Rotary Club Christmas party. And what a fine party. It seems that everyone came. To preserve this occasion, please see the attached photos. Also see my other blog http://spaces.com.members/OaklandSavant. Thanks to all for providing such a fine evening.