Roses

Roses are blooming on the rose bush outside my apartment.  After such a hard, snowy winter, I wondered whether the thing would just die, but it obviously hasn't.

The outer part of the bush is still just sticks, but the inner core has red roses.  Maybe new life will continue to spread up and out.

Pacers Still Kicking

The Pacers eked one out last night, staying alive in their playoff series.

I'm not sure any team could beat Miami three games in a row, and the Pacers certainly haven't showed the consistency to do it.  However, if they win in Miami to get the series back to Indy, who knows?

Replacement Aide

I had a replacement aide for the overnight shift last night.  The company doesn't seem to know where my regular aide is.

Last night went just fine.  That aide had worked here before, and she's very good.  I don't know who'll be here tonight, and I don't like that uncertainty.

Another Aide Issue

The aide who was supposed to be here overnight last night didn't show.  Team leader Jeff Davies had to fill in.

This sort of thing, when it happens, generally involves the other company.  I certainly hope such lack of dependability doesn't spread.

Plugging Away

I queried another literary agent about one of my mystery novels yesterday.  Hopefully it will lead somewhere.

I've read novels not better than mine, in my opinion, which is frustrating.  We'll see what happens.

Philip

While I was eating supper last night, my aide Philip had what seemed to be a fairly severe pain in his right side.  I was concerned, first because he's a good guy and secondly because he's now my main daytime aide.  He's here virtually every day.

He seems fine today, though.

Home Games

Watching baseball on MLB Network is fun, but it has an odd definition of home game.

I don't get to see home games of the Reds, Cubs, or White Sox on MLB.  I assume it's because Indianapolis is considered to be in the home market area of both Cincinnati and Chicago.  Anyway, I am getting to see more Pirate games, which is good.

Pacers Fall

Well, the Pacers lost at home last night.  They play all season to get homecourt advantage in the playoffs, then they can't hold it.

The good news is that the Pacers have shown they can win on the road in the playoffs, including in Miami last season, as I recall.  Now, they'll have to.

Another Aide Issue

The aide who was supposed to do my dinner shift last night forgot to come.  When she finally arrived, well over an hour late, she apologized to me several times because she knew I needed the bathroom, and she made me a nice supper.

However, she was still here when the next aide arrived, and she told him had she known he was coming so soon she wouldn't have come at all.  That would have left me without the bathroom for about another hour.  That statement didn't strike me as being entirely consistent with her apologies.

Folorunso

My aide Folorunso is due to come back to work tonight after his trip to his native Nigeria.

The aides who filled in for him were just fine, but I'll be glad to have Foley back.

Pacers Prevail

The Pacers were able to beat the Wizards last night, winning that series.  Now they have what they seemingly have been wanting all season, a rematch with Miami in the conference finals.

The Pacers, at their best, have shown they can beat the Heat in big games.  The problem is they haven't played their best in a while now.  Maybe the Heat will bring the best out in them.

Getting A Shower

I asked one of my aides to give me a shower Tuesday, and it turned into a struggle.  He was willing, but he didn't know how to use the shower chair.  We got that worked out, but then he couldn't get hot water in the shower, which has happened before, so, since his two hour shift was running out, we abandoned the effort.

Next time will be better.

Pacers Blow It

The Pacers could have wrapped up their playoff series at home last night.  Instead, they were blown out.

Sometimes, this team simply doesn't seem interested.

Getting Out

My aides and others often urge me to get outside, but the current schedule seems to make that tough.

As I understand it. aides from the company here during the day can't go outside with me-- yes, it's a bizarre rule-- and the aides who could go out with me are only here overnight.  That limits the jaunt options.  Hopefully, the next schedule will restore the evening hours to the aides from the right company so I can go out more.

Pacers Win

Well, I started watching the Pacers game last night, and they were getting blitzed again, so I switched over to baseball.  I switched back, though, in time to see the very end of a Pacers victory, giving them a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.

Hopefully, such a loss, at home, will break the spirit of the Wizards, and the Pacers can wrap up this series quickly.

Geese

We're getting towards mid May and the weather is heating up, but I still hear and see Canadian geese.

I thought they spent the summer in Canada, and they still might, but at least some of them are still here.  Maybe they're race fans.

Pacers Pull One Out

The Pacers are struggling through the NBA playoffs after being the best team in the league for much of the season, but they won a big game last night.

Hopefully, they're struggling because they're looking ahead to Miami, and they'll play better then.  If not, if they get past Washington, the Heat would blow the Pacers out.

Doing Better With The Mouse

For a while, I was having a hard time manipulating the computer mouse.  It was becoming a chore.

Recently, however, I've been doing much better.  I've found it's partly a matter of where my chair is positioned.  It needs to be over near the mouse so I don't have to reach for the mouse.

Odd Question

This happened again at supper last night.  When I turn the television to, say, a baseball game, an aide will often ask me if I like baseball.  Or football. or basketball, or westerns, or whatever.

If I didn't like baseball or whatever, why would I put that on my television?

Shopping

Jeff Davies and I went shopping SAM's Club Friday.  By car, it only took a couple minutes to get there.  I could get there in my power chair in a reasonable time except there aren't any sidewalks along the way, and the connecting street seems fairly busy.

Maybe there's a back way.  We'll see.

Citizen Yodit

My aide Yodit and her husband were sworn in as U. S. citizens yesterday.  She told me the government holds such swearing in ceremonies when there are enough people to justify it.  It so happens she didn't have to wait too long for hers.

Yodit is happy, and I'm happy for both of them.

My Bucs

My beloved Pittsburgh Pirates made the playoffs last year after twenty years of losing seasons, but they're struggling so far this season.  They aren't hitting.

Hopefully, they'll get things turned around.