Canadian Randomness

The pictures shown here represent the buses that I'm trying hard not to wreck and the traffic here north of the border. Just a few observations about Canada and the people here


Canadians are generally very polite and softer spoken than Americans.
Chinese Canadian drivers in Richmond make the drivers in Puerto Rico look real good.
Lots of very expensive homes and cars in Richmond.
Nobody cooks dinner in Richmond. There are about 25 Chinese restaurants per block and they are all very crowded from about 4 p.m. til Midnight. There are dozens and dozens of restaurants in the Richmond area.
I went into the Gung Hay Fat Choy supermarket in Richmond yesterday. All the signs were in Cantonese with English sub-titles. Almost as much mystery food as the food court at the Valley Fair Mall.
Canadian ketchup is way too sweet.
Only about 1/3 of the folks that frequent the inside of fast food joints like McDonald's or KFC clean up after themselves. Most of them leave all their trash and food leftovers on the table and floor for the $12.00/hr clerks to clean up. That usually happens about once every four hours.
Newspapers are still a major media force in Canada. There are at least 10 daily papers in the greater Vancouver area.
I finally talked to a lady on the bus yesterday that I could really understand. Turns out she is from Salt Lake City. It was good to talk to someone who had reasonable command of the English language.
The freeways up here are a mess. No one saw the need of having them done for the Olympics.
Tim Horton's donut stores are spaced about 2 blocks apart. They always have a long line at the drive-thru and a long line inside. Canucks love their coffee and donuts.
American network coverage of the Olympics pales in comparrison to CTV and the locals.
More later.

Chauffeur D'Autobus

This was the end result of 8 hours of waiting today. The actual procedure took only about 1 1/2 minutes to laminate and affix the obligatory neck strap, but it took 5 hours to get to the Olympic Headquarters from our headquarters(Its only a 15 minute ride) and three hours to get back. there are close to 600 buses parked in the yard and 1000 or more drivers, but they couldn't find a bus or a driver to take us. At any time there are at least 200 buses and 100 drivers sitting around doing nothing. Sunday night I drove a route on Hastings Street. At 2 a.m. a crack-head threw a beer bottle at my Autobus. Several soiled doves waved and gestured at me on my route. Hastings street makes Pioneer Park look like The Plaza at Temple Square. I think I need some pass along cards and several cans of Lysol. In case you are concerned, I did get a full days compensation for sitting around all day. Plus 1 meal and a $45.00 per Diem. More to come.

Oh Canada!

Arrived in BC last evening around p.m. Borderline chaos. We are staying temporarily at the Empty Arms(Ramada Inn) in Maple Ridge which is about 25 miles(40 km) from Vancouver. No one knows what is happening today. Some drivers have quit already...some were turned back at the border and some, like me, are enjoying the confusion.. It is kinda like the ten minutes preceding the start of Sacrament Meeting and no one knows who's conducting or who is on the program. We need a strong Relief Society President up here to get things organized.

MAJOR AWARD!!

As promised a few days ago, I am announcing the contest winner and the major award promised in my blog of 9/16/2008 entitled "Which Line Were You In?". I have included pictures of myself so that all of you unlucky losers can see for yourselves the quality of the prize you missed because of your lame guesses. No the prize is not me...It is, however the suit and belt pictured here. And the winner is that noted Big Apple Barrister that we all know and love.




Although her guess was not right on the money, it came closest to the actual card I traded,which was my weight loss card. I still have my terrible singing voice. I am still folically challenged. I have, however managed to lose lots of weight. I think I like being a babe magnet rather than being able to carry a tune or comb my hair.
Now before any of you bad mouth this major award, let me explain the possible multiple uses for this prize. As the winner is quite trim and fit, the prize has very little use in its current form as a suit. It would be easily converted, however, into a six person camping tent. You would need only to purchase several lengths of 1/2" PVC from your local hardware store to use as poles and stakes. There would be no need to make alterations to the suit as there are already plenty of button holes, pockets, openings and snags in which to erect and secure the tent. Also there is a zipper flap the could be used as the tent flap. There are multiple pockets in which to store your granola and wild hickory nuts and other healthy food additives. As she is in to outdoorsy travel and fun, this is a great prize for her. She could use it on her return to Iceland, South America, the Middle Fork of the Salmon, or even Vernal. She could even make it part of her 72hr. kit. Now in case she already is in possession of such a fine tent,(doubtful) there are other almost equally fine uses for this suit. If she ever buys another automobile, it could be used to cover and protect the vehicle in case no garage space is available. If she is ever appointed as a judge, she can dye the suit a dignified shade of black, cut it up and have it made into numerous judicial robes to last her through her lifetime appointment to the bench. If she is ever disbarred, she could use it as a tarp to cover lawn clippings in the back of her 1968 Ford pickup truck that she will using in her lawn-care business. Many don 't know that yard care was her second career choice. Also, I am throwing in the generously proportioned belt made to order to use as a towing strap when the pickup truck needs to be towed.
I can feel the disappointment among the rest of you in you lack of success in this contest. Rest assured there will be future contests with equal or superior awards.
As I am posting this, the Prize Box should be being delivered to the Law Firm of Fleecum Hoseum & Gypum in NYC where the winner is employed.

And The Winner is...

Next Monday, I will be posting the winner of the contest I sponsored in my blog of 9/16/2008 entitled "Which Line Were You In?. Please tune in next week to see if you have been picked as the lucky winner.

2009 Year End Retrospective

I do not want to see 2009 end. It has been one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of my 62+ years on Mother Earth. I can't envision 2010 being as good or better. While there have been a few low spots during the year, and other years have had bigger high points, overall the year 2009 was the best ever. I will highlight a few things that made it so.


January. I went back to work. Short lived , however, as I got terribly ill while working in Park City. I think all of the "Beautiful People" I was transporting were carrying some really ugly germs.
I think my immune system was a little weak because of the surgery I had undergone in October,2008. By this time I had dropped about 60lbs.

February. Still feeling the effects of three infections. Had to terminate work. The medicine I was taking said I was not to operate machinery while ingesting the drugs. I wasn't sure but I think a 45' bus constituted some type of machinery. I also decided to stop running the vacuum at home. I did, however, continue to operate the microwave oven. I went to the fatso Dr. and by the middle of February, I was down 89lbs from my surgery date. I was taken off one of my blood pressure medications. I was starting to feel real good.


March. A great month. I have dropped to below 300lbs. I still throw up if I eat the wrong things, or eat too fast, or don't chew everything to the consistency of yogurt, but I am feeling well. Highlight of the month was a family trip to Disneyland. We had a blast. I rode all the rides, did not obsess about food, walked all over Disneyland about 37 times and could have done more. I even went swimming. For the first time in decades, I was being eye-balled by some of the fairer sex. The fact that these women had obviously been on social security for many years and most likely had cataracts, did nothing to dampen my temporary euphoria.


April. Still losing weight. Feeling better all the time. For the first time in about 7 or 8 years, I am mowing my lawn. The previous years, I was unable to complete this task on a timely basis. I hired it out or Rhonda did it. Keep in mind, I really like to mow and do yard work. When I
started mowing again, I enjoyed it so much, I mowed it 2 and sometimes 3 times a week for the entire summer.


May. Still losing weight. Still feeling better. Enjoying simple tasks that use to be almost impossible. I feel better than I have for many, many years.


June. Follow-up with fatso Dr. Officially am down 136lbs. Weight 6/9/2009 is 266lbs. That's down around 140lbs. Still throw up on occasion. I'm glad of that.


July. I had my annual physical with my primary care physician. He said he was "thrilled" with my results. My blood work was very good. All the other poking and prodding went well. Two of the nurses in the office made a point of telling me how good I looked. (No, they were not male nurses). Another highlight of the month was a trip to Las Vegas. I spent the better part of two days in the swimming pool. I spent no time at the buffet line. I felt like a kid again at Lava Hot Springs. It was wonderful. It should also be noted that again I was being eyed, but not suspiciously, by some of the female swimmers. This time, however, they were not members of the cataract club. They appeared, for the most part, to have their own teeth. I saw no walkers parked at poolside. None of them were tethered to a portable oxygen tank. Other that some ill-placed sags and stretch marks on these middle-age tarts, it was quite flattering . It was a great month.


August. Highlight of the month was motoring to Yellowstone on August 25th. When I arrived at Park Headquarters, I ponied up the requisite $10.00 for a lifetime pass to all National Parks, Monuments, Historic Places and other such places. Rewards start coming you way at age 62. Also, if you fake a good limp, sometimes nice people will let you ahead of them in line at a buffet.

Sept. Still losing, but at a slower pace. Still feel great. Still mowing my lawn at least two times per week. Also mowing my Mom's lawn. I'm such a good son.


October. Big month. Annie and Dan hauled Rhonda and yours truly to France and Italy with them for 15 days. It's a good thing I re-introduced myself to walking over the summer otherwise I would have never made it. A couple of times I felt like I was at a try out for the Bataan Death March. I've been in enough churches to last me through the eternities. I eaten enough mystery food to last me for a long, long time. I've crowded into enough subway's with hygienically challenged people to last forever. But it was a great trip. It made me appreciate home even more. One of the highlights of the trip was meeting Sister Angela, a Catholic Nun, who Annie met while on her mission. What a wonderful woman. She lives in a convent in Florence, Italy. I lost another 2lbs while traipsing all over Italy. Italian women are very attractive. Too bad they don't spend a little less on mascara and a little more on deodorant.

November. It was another memorable month. We went to California at thanksgiving to spend time with my uncle and aunt and cousins. What a great time. No, I did not pig out. I tasted a few thing I have not eaten for some time but I still lost weight during the trip. It is great to have family members who we are so close to. On my way home, I was alone. Rhonda had to be back to work the day after Thanksgiving, so she got on a plane and flew home. I was left to drive across the wilds of Nevada by myself. Speaking of wilds in Nevada, I think I observed the wildest thing in Nevada at a coffee shop in Fallon. Her name tag read "Angel". I think that was wishful thinking on her parents part. This waitress was way too attentive. She kept asking if I needed anything else while imparting a double eye brow lift at the same time. She is the one that actually needed something.. I think about 10 botox injections around her mouth would do the trick. I left in a hurry. I left lots of food on the plate.


Dec. For the second year in a row, I loved Christmas. We had a great time with family, friends and generally having the Christmas spirit. We got a new snow blower and a new front storm door for Christmas. The real present Rhonda got is that she has not cooked a meal in 15 months. I'm still doing my own cooking. We also let Red Lobster cook for us. My total weight loss is now around 190lbs. I'm still losing but very slowly. Another 2 years and I will have a better idea of my long term success potential. I have a new wardrobe(mostly from the DI). I have a new outlook on life. I have a great family, especially Rhonda, and I have much to look forward to. That's it for now. I have to go now and compile a list of the sisters in Church who have been looking my way the last few months. As I believe there will be polygamy in the hereafter, I feel it's not too soon to compile a list of candidates.

October First

Today is a day that has some deep significance in my life. October 1st is a day that I remember for more than one reason.

October 1, 1896. This is my Dad's birthday. If he were alive today, that would make him 113 years old.He died of a stroke on March 16, 1958. He was only 61 years old when he died. I was ten. I have always felt a profound sense of loss for not having him longer. My Father was a well-respected businessman, a great Father, neighbor and friend. In the fifty plus years since his death, numerous times I have had people tell me they knew my Dad and what a great man he was. I sometime feel cheated that I didn't have him here longer to mentor, guide, and love me. It was a different time in 1958. We were not allowed to talk about his death. We were discouraged from showing any emotion about his passing. His death caused a split in the family, one that was not mended, at least partially, for over forty years. I don't know for sure but I attribute at least some of my weaknesses to the fact he was not there.

Although I was always one of the tallest kids at school, after he died I really started to struggle with my weight. Food became a very important part of my life. I ate too much, but while I was younger, I was active enough that I was only marginally to perhaps moderately overweight through my school years. After I got married that seemed to change. The weight piled on. In 1975 just after Lizzie was born, I joined Weight Watchers. I weighed in at 293lbs. I was embarrassed beyond recall. In the space of about 9 months, I lost 100 lbs. I kept it off for about 2 years but then the old habits returned and I started gaining again. By the early 80's, I was over 300lbs. I went to the Diet Center. again I lost over 100 lbs. Again the weight started back. A couple of years later I tried a medically supervised fast. Again I lost over 100lbs. But each time I lost, the weight came back faster than before and usually about a 20% increase. Phen-fen came and went. I lost about 80 lbs. that time and re-gained about 100lbs in the twinkling of an eye. I stayed at around 370 lbs for a few years. I had always wondered if there was a maximum weight for me. A level beyond which I would not go. When hanging around the 370-375lb. level for a few years I thought I had found the answer. Then about 3 years ago, I decided I wanted to go to Alaska and work in the summer. This would necessitate losing some weight, so I went back to weight watchers. In the space of about 5months I dropped about 60 lbs and felt pretty good. I left for Alaska but returned withing a few weeks because of several concerns, not the least of which was my physical condition and the ability to do my job. I came home and although I tried to watch what I was eating, The weight began to return. I worked in Park City for the Winter and wanted to return to Alaska and try again. I did return to Alaska and again lasted only a few weeks.. This time, however, the reason I came home was mainly I was scared that I couldn't do the job because of my obesity that in turn leads to terrible insecurity and in my case wanting to be a full-time recluse. It is quite difficult being a tour-guide and a recluse at the same time. Lots of factors come into play when it comes to obesity. My fathers death when I was only 10 years old was not the sole cause of my weight problems, but I am sure it had some effect in this area. I still think of food when I am tired, lonely, bored, upset, discouraged, etc. I think for over 50 years, food was one of my best friends.

FAST FORWARD October 01, 2008

Another important October 1st.

7 A.M. I enter LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City , Utah. In just under 2 hours I will under go elective surgery.I officially weigh 402 lbs. I was as High as 412.5 lbs about 10 days earlier but dropped about 10 lbs before surgery at the surgeon's request. It makes it easier for the Dr. to work around the liver. I am having an RNY. It is Gastric By-pass surgery. They will take my stomach which is now about the size of Rhode Island and cut it to the size no larger than a golf ball. The opening from my esophagus to the new stomach will be the size of a dime. I will have seven incisions in my heretofore unscathed(except where Rhonda has scratched me in fits of passion over the many years) chest. There should have been only six incisions but they found my gall bladder diseased so they took it out for free. I was in surgery for about one hour. I went to the recovery room for a couple of hours. When I started coming out of the anesthesia, I thought someone in there was suffering from terminal turrets syndrome, but then I realized it was my voice. I'm glad Rhonda and the Bishop were not in there. They then took me to my room. I would spend the night in the hospital. That was a first for me. I had never been hospitalized before in my life. The next day I went home. Rhonda took me home and I sure she was wondering just as I was, what had I gotten myself into. Please bear in mind this was not a spur of the moment decision. I had be researching, studying, and learning as much as I could about weight loss surgery for about 4 or 5 years. It was not a decision that was easy to come by.. People have had bad complications from this surgery. People have died from it. Your life changes forever because of it. That being said, let me give you an Update:

October 1, 2009. My one year surgiversary. I have lost approximately 170 lbs. My shirt size has gone from a 5xl to a XL. My pants size has gone form 56w to 42w. My shoe has gone from 12 1/2 to 11. I am now able to wear my Dad's wedding ring from his first marriage. I am still losing weight although at a much slower rate. I'm now losing 1/2 to 1lb. per week in contrast to last winter when I was dropping 5-7 lbs per week. I would like to continue losing about another 30 lbs.

Am I cured of my food addiction? Absolutely not. But this is the best tool I have ever had to help me. If I eat too much, I throw up. I threw up about 50 times the first 6 months. If I do not chew enough, I throw up. If I eat the wrong things, I throw up. The throwing up has diminished greatly the last few months although I still hurl when I see a picture of Barbara Streisand or have to listen to Neil Diamond singing Christmas songs.

I still have mental and physical issues with food. I struggle at night time. I miss ice cream, cake, pasta and other things. My diet now is supposed to be about 70% protein and 30% vegetables. I need to stay away carbs and refined sugar. No more soft drinks. EVER. Fruit is something to be avoided. Per Doctor's orders, I have incorporated a little bit of some of these less than desirable foods back into my diet, but I have to be very careful. My treat for the week is at Sacrament Meeting. When looking over the bread tray, I will try to go for the biggest piece or see if it looks like two or more pieces are stuck together. I don't care if it is white, whole wheat, stale or fresh, it is one of the highlights of the week, not just from a religious standpoint.
I eat lots of fish now. I love it. I generally don't like steak or chicken, although I will try some about once a month. Hamburger is OK. I'm tired of cheese and eggs although I tolerate them well. I also do very well with pork cracklings. (Pig skin and pig fat). Also I eat a small portion of Wendy's Chili several times a week. I am learning the concept of eating to live, not living to eat.

My sleep apnea is gone, my blood pressure which ranged generally around 155/90 while taking two medications for it now averages 105/65 just by taking one very low dose medication. My back no longer bothers me. I don't get Charley horses in my legs and feet anymore. My edema is 90% gone. Routines and habits of a personal nature are better than they have been in 20 plus years. Mentally, I have not been this well for years and years and years. I do not dread most social occasions, I enjoy going into stores. I have to go to the grocery every week,because I do all my own cooking. Rhonda has not cooked for me in 365 days. As a family, we all went to Disneyland several months ago. I could not even dreamed of it a year ago. I rode all the rides. I kept up with everyone and I did not suffer from fixating over food. If I die tomorrow, the last six months have been worth it. My family has been very supportive in this endeavor and other than my immediate family, my Stake President ,and Katie's Mom and Pop-in-law, I told no one I was having this procedure done. I had done my homework and I didn't want to hear all the reasons from people who would try to talk me out of it. Is bariartric surgery for everybody? I doubt it. It takes a major commitment to change. It is a decision not to be made lightly or with undue pressure from well-meaning but ill-informed friends and relatives.

October 1, 2009

Another important October 1st. Rhonda, Annie, Dan and I are leaving today for France and Italy today. Again, something that was unthinkable just a year ago is very much a reality now. I do not need a seat belt extender. I have ordered a special meal(seafood) for the flight. I do not have to be concerned about extending my oversize girth out of my seating area into another passenger. I was worried once when I flew on Southwest that I would be designated as a COS(airline jargon for customer or size..I.E. too large for one seat)and be charged for a second seat. (this is Southwest's policy). I will fit nicely now. I am really excited to go. Life is good.

Where will the next years take me? I'm not sure. I'm still VERY worried about regaining weight. I still struggle with the mental addiction to food. I still think some about what I'm not eating and sometimes feel sorry for myself. But things are good right now and I believe I can handle it on a day to day basis.

I've included some pictures of myself. Some were taken on 9/29/08 and some on 9/29/09. I'll let you take a look at them and see if you can decide which were taken on which dates.


P.S. I hated that suit even when it was new. It is a size 60.

P.P.S. I couldn't have done this without Rhonda.