KARDAS - Accbar Pita

* Chapter 19 *

1 June 1997

1 June 1997

Hello again,

Sorry about the length of Chapter 18 -- this one will be shorter, I hope! Several people complained that they could not even download the last one -- perhaps because they have too little memory allocated to aol. I have 9990K allotted to it on my computer, a couple thousand above what they suggest.

Monday morning, after putting the American flags out in front of the house in two planters on yellow brick posts (flags are kewl), I painted the wrought iron handrail at the front steps and the three metal poles supporting the bird feeders. It always bothered me that that job was not yet completed.

And I finally got around to priming that new door separating the first from the second floors!

The last kitten died! Cause unknown. Weird! And Shiva, the mommy cat, seems awfully thin for some reason.

Since I usually have a barbecue on good weather holidays, I invited Mark to this one -- otherwise it would have been just Tracey and I! So I did hamburgers, munching away on the stone patio beside the lower koi pond. Was fun, as usual, and the weather was warmish.

Tuesday Mark invited me for dinner to a new Chinese restaurant nearby -- well, sort of, in Ewing. It turned out to be a self-service style place which surprised me -- had never been to a Chinese self-service before. I had loads of stuff -- which is not unusual when there is a lot of food present! Must have filled my plate at least four times! I know, I should not have!

My fortune cookie said,

Good things are coming to you in due course of time!

[ I can't wait! ]

Plus my lucky numbers are:

27, 25, 13, 3, 35, 31

-- if any of my readers plays them and wins, try to remember me with a couple $$.

I spent a couple hours cleaning out the pond filters -- a weekly event to keep the water clear enough to see the fish. It is remarkable how much junk the filters catch, although I still have to use a vacuum type thing attached to the water hose to get the bottom debris from the big, top pond.

The fish are really eating -- feed them cat pellet food -- is a lot cheaper than koi food! Even throw in some tent catepillars when I find them and the fish seem to find them delicious. Must be loads of protein.

Wednesday I scraped, spackled, and replaced missing glazing on the three windows facing the ponds, then primed them with oil based primer. It was fun -- always liked painting and such menial activities -- gives me a refreshing pause in my usual routine. Plus I was tired of seeing the old ratty windows with the paint peeling when I was at the ponds.

The rose bushes beside the side entrance door, also facing the ponds, are enormous, climbing the brick walls along two trellises, arching over the door and spreading on either side. Loads of red roses this year!

Since one of the windows I was doing is beside the rose bushes, I got a lot of scratches while scraping and painting. What good is beauty without the thorns! Or joy without sorrow! Dumas, in The Count of Monte Cristo, wrote, There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss.

Thursday I went to the Trenton Board of Education to see why the Pension people have not yet received the accident report from 19 December, last. They swear that they sent it in, and will forward it once more! I also received my first paycheck since Christmas! It was for the previous two pay periods = four weeks. Remember I was suspended as of 20 December 1996 due to the crazed tolalitarian whims of my principal, Mr. Michael M. Rothstein. Once the suspension was over I should have been getting paid even though I was not actually teaching -- you explain it to me! -- sounds totally stupid! Not that I really mind or anything, B U T it does not seem like a logical way to run a business! As I mentioned in a previous chapter, Rothstein's folly was the absolutely best thing that could have happened during this period of cancer diagnosis and treatment!!

My heartfelt thanks

to you,

Mr. Michael M. Rothstein.

B I T C H !!

(May his matzas always be leavened!)

So I was able to send in payments for a lot of credit card bills that have been piling up! One should NEVER rely on credit cards to live off of!!

Had that appointment with Dr. Williamson. She actually took out the Catscan films and explained to me where things had changed since the first ones in January, last. The cancerous mass had shrunk somewhat in the lower rectal area, but vestiges were still present in a Northerly direction. She suggested that I have another endoscopic exam during which another biopsy would be taken to see if the remains were cancerous or scar tissue.

IF cancerous (which she thinks they probably are), a follow-up round of radiation (like a week) was suggested -- did not catch whether that included chemo.

I suggested that, since they were associated with the University of Pennsylvania which was probably much better equipped than Trenton, that I might like to have the biopsy done in the City of Brotherly Love, my home town -- which would give me an excuse to go there! She is checking to see if my HMO would allow/cover this possibility and said she would get back to me when she knows.

I also mentioned that the day before they did the last Catscan that I had a shot glass of >DER LACHS< Original Danziger Goldwasser -- a liquor, not unlike schnapps, that has flakes of 24 Karat Au (= gold) floating in it. Long ago I remember reading that this drink (and the other "medications " containing colloidal gold) was supposed to be good for various bodily ailments due to the gold content. I wondered whether the minute flakes of precious metal would show up on the Catscan -- although she found the "diversion " interesting, we did not really search the film for possible flakes! Maybe she thought that I was flaky enough without looking for more?!

Friday, raining again, I finally took the van I use for the flea market to get inspected at a nearby CHEAPO service station-- they always have the lowest gasoline prices in the area. It was supposed to get inspected last December(!) but, as you might recollect (just dial 1-800-REcollect!) that is when the adventures of ACCBAR PITA started.

No word thus far from The New York Times concerning the possible publication of those language musings included in Chapter 18.

I finally decided to begin cataloging the books in my library using File Maker Pro, which I have been using for many other record keeping tasks. So after I composed the format, including what I think is necessary, I was up until am of Saturday morning working on it!

Saturday I FAXed and sent another email to Mrs. Grant because I did not yet receive the cheque she promised me!

Read The New York Times, as usual after I got up. They did that piece on languages, B U T all of the inclusions were very short! Needless to say none of mine were included. Perhaps it should suggest to me that what I write is too long for the average reader?!! Maybe you have noticed?!!

Went to Sam's Club to finally stock up on food. Now at least I can eat for while longer!

Continued working on the books. It takes much longer than I had imagined, and I was up too late again. I really get wrapped up in whatever I do!

My health has been OK, I guess. Still feel sort of down, but perhaps that will go away someday. Still waiting for that call from Dr. Williamson about what must be done next. I do not look forward to whatever/whenever it may be.

Today, Sunday, I did not feel up to the flea market -- was too tired. So I continued working on my books, finally entering 179 titles:

13 on Joan Miro

16 on Willem de Kooning

43 on Dali

79 on Picasso

the rest on varied artists

And I only have at least 9 bookcases, each having some 6 shelves, to do yet!

Fabiola, the female Sphynx cat is expecting, soonish I think.

OK, enough for this chapter -- hopefully one of the last!

Weight: 205#.

Until next time,

Sonny