A Full Thursday

Today started with Betty and me going to visit with Dr. Schomer, the surgeon who's going to do the cutting on me next Thursday. We asked him all kinds of questions, especially the most important - "How much is it going to hurt?"

I didn't like his answer, but as you know by now I'm a wimp when it comes to my own pain. I can deal quite well when someone else is in pain, but, on boy, don't let me hurt.

I guess it will be worth it.

Then early this afternoon, we trimmed our bushes in the front and side yard. We still have to clean up the cuttings, but all the bushes are trimmed. This was one of the big projects we wanted to get done before my surgery. My trimming technique is to use a power trimmer and cut the heck out of the bushes. I don't go for quality as much as I do for quantity. My back was hurting when I finished. Planting those bushes shortly after we moved in seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I don't know...

As I finished the last bush our farrier drove up to trim our horses' hooves. That went well as all three of our horses have good ground manners and don't give him any trouble. They stand quietly. Fortunately, all three horses have great hooves. We believe in horses going barefoot unless there's a strong reason for shoes. A barefoot horse who's healthy, well taken care of, and gets regular and good trims usually has stronger, healthier hooves - just our opinion.

Finally, tonight we head to church to lead a training course we're starting. We're training couples to do the same kind of pastoral counseling we have done. With the growth of our church and as we've gotten older, we need to train people who can do this. We're not getting any younger you know.

It's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow and we can use the moisture.

Today is March 12 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Frank Catalano (jazz saxophonist), Darryl Strawberry (pro baseball player plagued by drugs), James Taylor (singer, "You've Got a Friend"), Liza Minnelli (actress/singer/dancer, "Cabaret"), Al Jarreau (jazz singer), Barbara Feldon (actress, Agent 99 on "Get Smart"), Andrew Young (politician), Edward Albee (playwright, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"), Jack Kerouac (author, "On the Road"), and Gordon MacRae (actor/singer, "Oklahoma").

On this day in 1789 the U.S. Post Office is established. In 1850 the first $20 Gold piece was issued. In 1894 Coca-Cola is sold in bottles for the first time. In 1912 the first Girl Scouts of America troop was organized in Savannah, Ga., by Juliette Gordon Low. In 1933 President Roosevelt delivered the first of his radio "fireside chats," telling Americans what was being done to deal with the nation's economic crisis. And in 1969 Paul McCartney married Linda Eastman in London.