Surgery #3

All reports are that last nights surgery was successful. A second 6 inch plate was screwed into the inside of his leg to stabilize the knee and the wound was finally successfully closed. Pain management for the next couple days and then devise a plan to get him out of here.

It will be 2 weeks Saturday,,, an eye opening exposure to the health care system. A highly technical system of incredibly talented people who communicate intermittently and are woven together with wet spaghetti.

Ryan

Ryan had a second surgery yesterday. They were able to close 80% of the faciotomy wound. Third surgery scheduled for Tuesday to put in another plate and hopefully close the rest of the wound. Next step is the rehab process and getting back to work if only working from home. Coming back was the best and only thing to do and we are playing things one day at a time. Thanks for your words of support.

Connie & Glen

back to Maine

Our son Ryan had a bad skiing accident this weekend. They rebuilt his left knee and lower leg as best they could on Monday and will operate again on Friday. We feel so bad for him and have come back to Maine to help him get through this one. It's a tough one.

Connie flew back on Sunday and I drove with the dogs arriving at midnight Monday. 1542 miles, 29 road hours. It's one way to see the country, but I don't recommend it. The 70 degree temperature differential has been quite a shock, especially to the dogs. They definitely prefer green grass....


And so do Connie and I....


Not sure that this blog will be very active in the months to come. The blog has received almost 3000 hits since the end of October when we started it. Thanks to you all for making it so much fun. And do check back... if we have learned anything over the years it is that Life is a series of bumps in the road, joys and sorrows, smiles and tears, falling down and getting back up. And that in the end, the love of family and friends is what it is all about. Love to all...

Connie & Glen
Sam n' Lu

Norris...

My grandfather was a Pipeliner. Carlton was a Corrosion Engineer for the Portland Pipe Line involved in laying all three lines and introduced my dad into the business. And Frank was a Pipeliner to his core. He started out mowing lawns and docking tankers and worked his way up the ladder. At one point we lived out on the line in Sutton VT. (Mom hated it out there... 2 miles to the nearest neighbor... 10 miles for groceries... I loved it.). I remember not being able to sleep at night when the line shut down and there was no hum from those monstrous pumps pushing crude up the line from the tank farms in South Portland, feeding the refineries in Montreal.

I know dad was proud as punch of me when I worked on the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in the 70's (though he never said so... I could tell by the way that he held his mouth... he was one of a kind and I miss him.).


So when , while walking the dogs the other day, we stopped to speak with a 70 something couple weeding their gardens, I was intrigued when Norris told me he worked in pipeline construction and invited him for a cup of coffee.


He was standing in his driveway at 7:58 and hadn't got much sleep. His 98 year old father-in-law had passed away at midnight and he had been up scheduling flights and communicating with family. He and his wife Arlene were flying out at 4:00 and most men would have canceled on the cup of coffee... ( but then he was a pipeliner). He didn't drink coffee. ordered a glass of milk. The Starbucks kid was dumbstruck. "You want what...?". He grew up on a farm ( 250 acres of sweet corn... "nearest neighbors were 4 girls and one boy who should have been a girl...") and started on the shovel end of the business. For the next hour, before the calls started streaming in from children and grandchildren, we sat outside and traded stories about projects and pipelines and people; about unions and farming and hunting. about family and friends and life.


I hadn't realized how grounded I was in all of this. So thanks for reminding me, Norris. As we say in Maine, you're a wicked good guy....

Naples Beach Club

Everyone is from someplace. Kevin hails from upstate New York and when he's not playing his music, he works his physical therapy practice. We met him at sunset at the Naples Beach Club and can't that boy play and sing. You name it. He can do it. We enjoyed his company on his break and heard about Abbie, the 6 month old love of his life and first child. He described how suddenly his whole world was changed and now he was thinking about security and education and providing a life for his child. It felt so familiar to hear. He asked us about what we were doing and shook his head. This kind of freedom seemed so far away to him. But in truth it's only the blink of an eye.

Two days ago if asked "what's next" we didn't have an answer. We are really enjoying SW Florida. After so many winters shoveling the driveway and raking the roof, we are reveling in the 70-80 degree weather. But finding short term accomodations that will allow 2 dogs is a challenge. Oh, there are plenty of places, but either they prohibit pets or they want a three month commitment or they are outrageously expensive or they are a single wide trailer in a swamp out in Ochecanobee. So we figured we were going to hit the road again and poke our way across the Southern US... except that it's cold and snowing across that area... much better to hole up here in the sub tropical weather for awhile longer.

Long story short... posted on www.craigslist and got a call from a really nice family from Long Island ( even if they are Giants fans....). On Monday we are headed to a sweet little house only a block from one of the most beautiful beaches you will ever see... on Marco Island.


In the words of Mr. T of the infamous "A Team"... I love it when a plan comes together. We're flying by the seat of our pants and the view is spectacular...

Editors note: Listen, if you're reading this blog please post us a comment or an email. We'd enjoy hearing from you. Our email is gdfoss@gmail.com.

Sam n' Lu

Richie's baby...

We stopped by the Naples Community Hospital to walk through the "Garden of Hope and Courage". Richie was one of the landscape architects who designed and constructed this remarkable place.Everywhere you looked there was something unique and beautiful. From the flora...

to the fauna...

to the reptiles...

And remarkably, as we walked through the children's play area, Connie noticed this in the kids sandbox... ( can you see it? Someone wrote Rich in the sand with a heart next to it...)

Our sentiments exactly. Well done, Mr. Houghton...

Our favorite Canadians...

A wonderful reunion with good friends... We met Bill and Jenny at MIT in 1986. They lived in Montreal, then British Columbia and now Miami! So Saturday morning, Bill "flew" across "Alligator Alley" in his Volvo and we spent the day laughing and catching up on life.

We ate lunch on the water at Tin City and then walked 33rd Street beach. Dr. William Lindsay is one smart guy, but for the life of me I don't understand his choice in footwear...


You can take the boy out of Canada, but you can't take the Canada out of the boy ...Eh?

Just a great day!!!

Jane's Memorial Scenic Highway thru the Everglades...

Down Oil Well Road through the orange groves and south on Rte 29 through Rock Island to Jerome and onto Jane's Scenic Highway. We didn't know it was 20 miles of single lane dirt road through swamp country or Connie would have jumped ship. The road closes at dusk to protect the wildlife. A flock (gaggle? bunch?) of vultures were feasting on a wild hog in the ditch. How often do you see that....We're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy...

Even the road signs were foreign to us...

The fading light over the swampland, the amber and yellow colors , the hum of the insects, a remarkable place.

And back onto the Tamiami Trail just as the sun set over the Everglades...

We stopped at the first place we came to which was "The Iron Rhino Saloon", a biker bar for senior citizens. It was Karoke Night. The food was unremarkable, but the beer was cold and we had a basket of fried alligator (tastes like chicken... rubber chicken). Before we left, Connie had made friends with an off duty waitress from Ft. Collins CO names Amelia.

It's all about the people... and the alligators.

Ryan's baby...

Ryan designed the DeLorme PN20. Read all about it at http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=160259&ac=iHerald

Well done Mr. Foss!

Goodland Florida

They describe themselves as "a drinking community with a fishing problem". About 30 minutes from Naples, down Route 92, through the Everglades, across the bridge onto Marco Island... and take a left.

Connie's good friend Donna picked a random restaurant off the Internet (because she liked the name Goodland.... good, good, good, good good...) and had them call to inform us we had been gifted with a night on the town... in Goodland. The young woman who called introduced herself as Jenny and said "Is this Gdog?" Long pause... tentative "yes...?". She said "What's crankin', Gdog! When are you coming for dinner?" I said, ".... talk to Connie...".

We showed up mid-afternoon and poked around. Down on the docks..." Sorry dahlin, no fish today. The boats are still out. Got stone crab though.." Through the trailer park " Drop Anchor". A stop by the local U.S. Post Office... now that was unique. All the inside cinder block walls were covered with colorful paintings by local artists and the Post Mistress, Judy, spoke with us at length about the town and the people. It was 4:00 and she was locking up for the day as we left to continue exploring among the narrow back streets and canals around town. We were just turning around on a dead end road when we saw her driving toward us waving out her window. She pulled up next to us and parked in the middle of the street to say, "I forgot to tell you you've GOT to stop by 'Stan's" for happy hour with the locals...". 45 fascinating minutes later after discussing her story (she is a spiritual teacher AND a US Postal employee...) and ours, we went to Stan's for a pitcher of Yuengling ($5) before dinner at the "Little Bar" next door. Huge bowls of free shrimp on ice...

Jenny seated us on the sun porch in this eclectic, historic, backwater establishment (http://www.littlebarrestaurant.com/ . Stone crab, tuna, snapper, Irish coffee...delicious.

Back to Stan's after dinner with the dogs to listen to the duo "Hot Damn"... from Lewiston, Maine. Norm and Deb Pelletier made us feel right at home and dedicated us with the Dick Curless song "A Tombstone Every Mile" about the Haynesville Woods in Maine. We sat next to "Bear" and Bud Allen, a lobsterman from Bailey's Island, Maine. After 5 minutes of slurred conversation we determined we were likely related (Great Gram Willard was a Bailey's/Orr's Islander) and left it at that. He and Bear , along with their wives(?) had departed Toronto 3,500 miles ago in their 60' fishing/cruising trawler on their way to Turks and Caicos and had stopped by to listen to the group....

Thanks so much for a delightful, extraordinary, unique, totally enjoyable evening, Donna and Peter. Wish you had been here to enjoy it with us...

News Flash from SSI

Breaking New!

Confidential sources (that wish to remain anonymous) have reported that Master Fisherman Steve is at it again. This fishing machine has taken on the task of educating yet another Maine Yankee in the fine art of Georgia back country Sea Trout fishing (and Corona drinking).


When asked to comment he responded, "It's a big job... but somebody's got to do it." He went on to say," My current student, Brenda, is much sharper than my last student. He was numb as a pounded thumb... "


His final compliment to Brenda, " Look at that skill... one handed!!"

Freezing in Florida??

Yup... coldest temp on record for this day.. It hit 32 degrees... OH MY!! The "Snow Birds" are beginning to show up. You can notice it in the super markets and on the roads. Lots of non-English speaking folks; Spanish of course, Italian's, lots of German's, Brit's, Israeli's, Indian's. Back home, we are really very insulated which is a two-edged sword. Many of us depend on the media and television in order to form our world view... big mistake. Of course, we have only been out of the box for a couple of months now and we've only traveled the East coast so we're no experts. Don't claim to be. But we have found that most people, regardless of their country of origin or race or the language they speak or how much money they might or might not have... will smile at a couple small, white dogs and that their children delight in patting them gently. Often total strangers will want to tell us all about the dogs that they have had and how much they loved them. So many people will express their profound grief for the loss of a pet. We learned just yesterday that the local Hospice Volunteer organization has just begun a support group for grieving pet owners. What a life giving thing to do.

New Years Eve was on the beach watching fireworks and swatting gnats. It was 81 degrees that evening. A bottle of Korbel Champagne and to bed by 9:00. Happy 2008 all...

News from Home

Our newest Waterville, Country Way friends; Chris, Kori, Nolan & Kira, sent us this picture. AWESOME!! If there's going to be winter, then let it be WINTER. They moved to Maine from Florida last year and they love it!! Especially the snow days with no school, right Nolan & Kira?

Now what was Al Gore saying about global warming? Reminds me of that old joke Q."How do you know if a politician is lying?" A."His lips are moving..." Ahhh, the stench of politics. So glad to be away from it.

More news from Central Maine... Sister Gail, Roland, Kim, Dan and Lauren went sledding at Colby Hill after Christmas and then to Big G's for brunch. When they came out a jeep had parked next to them. Look at the picture... You can probably see the Rottweiler in the drivers seat and if you look real close you might just make out the COW in the back seat. Ya gotta love Maine.

Mainers are special. Just yesterday coming back from Publix (the Shop n' Save of Florida... there are 16 of them in Naples!!) I pulled into the garage and a station wagon pulled right in behind me with an elderly couple from Augusta. They had been following my Maine plates. Nice folks, cousin to Sumner Lipman, worked at Lipman Poultry, knew the Gellers of Waterville, lived on School Street in Augusta and knew the Murphy family, know Kim Lipman from Kate's soccer activities, just the nicest people. I'm sure if we had talked for 10 more minutes we would have been related. Hope they are reading the blog and will keep in touch...

Several people have asked about the blog posting asking for prayers for the pictured young couple. Ben and Erin Hayes are family friends. Erin is a Tebbetts (classmate of Ryan & Eric in high school, twin sisters Elise and Lauren are Kate's great friends, as are Ron and Nancy to Con and me.) Tragedy struck just before Christmas and Ben has been hospitalized with a very serious injury (broken neck...extent of the injury is still to be determined...current status is paralysis, breathing and feeding tubes.) They are headed for Atlanta and one of the world's foremost facilities for this type of injury. Prayer has great power... so pray greatly for this young family ( including beautiful baby Izzy, 6 months old... )

Just moved into our friends condo up the street from Rosie's place. It was so kind of Ray and Carol to provide us another 3 weeks in the sun ( although it was 45 degrees this morning and everyone was bundled up... except us.) It was like May in Maine and they couldn't understand why we were wearing shorts and tank tops.


OK, enuf for now....