Waco

My first post was somehow lost in the great iCloud in the sky.  It was on our trip to of all places, Waco.  Yes, the land of JoJo and Chip.  Oh and Baylor university.  If those two institutions were not there, why would you stop?  To see the Dr. Pepper Museum is of course.  Most places were closed on Sunday so we ended up at the museum with the Magnolia Silos in sight (one block away).

There should be a footnote that Waco is also the site of the Branch Davidians compound of David Koresh and his standoff with Janet Reno.

Did you know that Orange Crush actually tastes better in Texas?  It has a full flavor or orange.  At the museum they do serve drinks made from syrup and carbonated water.  They make it at the fountain.  According to the expert, she prefers the bottled stuff.

Texas Driving:  Frontage roads, they run parallel to the freeway in one direction.  Similar to the Pomona freeway in Montebello.  So if you see something you want to stop at, you get off at the next exit, make a u turn at the next intersection (another mile) make your way back hopefully at the exit before the place you want to visit,

If you are approaching an intersection on a frontage road, the far left lane is the u turn lane and the signs may not agree with the arrow markings on the road.  i was told to follow the road markings.  Two lane highways, the inner lane is used for passing only.  So everyone drives in the right lane.

At times the speed limit was 75mph.  Every try driving a Yaris going 75mph with a semi truck running beside you at the same speed?  At least they are limited to the right 3 lanes.  Yes that is correct, they are only excluded from the fast lane.  You end up playing chicken on the highway at 75mph as you run over the numerous shredded tire remnants along the road.

One thing about Texas, you always know that you are in Texas.  The freeways are imbedded with either Lone Stars or the shapes of Texas.  The above is the Hotel room decoration in Waco.  I'm beginning to understand the obsession with the Dallas Cowboys.

Old age progression

Our first night in Texas was a lesson in Uber.  We have taken Uber before, but not to this extent.  Im preparing for old age fro when the boys take away my drivers license.  It was painless and pleasant.  But when we got the rental car lot, we had to pick out our car, we picked a red Toyota Yaris.  The problem was that it took us 20 minutes to figure out how to start the car.  OK, for those of you who are not familiar with us, our cars have keys and were built in the 90's.  She keeps saying she wants a car built in this century.

Lesson 1:  Keep the FOB close by, and yes there is no key.  Make sure the gear is in Park.  Press on the brake pedal.  Push the start button.  I miss my key.

Lesson 2:  The radio controls are not on screen.  They are either on the steering wheel or on the center counsel below the shift knob.  When did they move the volume knob?  At least it is still a knob.

Digital odometers do not measure in anything below full miles.  Analog odometers have a wheel for tenths of a mile.  When google tells you that the next turn is in .7 miles, you can't judge by the odometer.

Lesson 4:  I actually qualify for senior discounts!!  Hey, I save my $1.  I gladly admit I qualify to get my dollar discount.  I am more used to people holding doors open for me.  Wait, they asked me if I was a senior, does that mean I look like one?

Too Much Information

"Technology brings us more information, but not always more clarity,"    James Rainey
I recently read this article on Fathers day and DNA testing.  How much information is too much information and what did I pass on to my sons?
  https://www.salon.com/2018/06/24/what-genetic-testing-didnt-tell-me-about-my-cancer/

Of course, there is always this legacy:

“I’m a longtime sufferer of AWS (Aggressive Whisker Syndrome); I find it almost
impossible to get a completely clean shave.”                                     David Pogue

Semi-colon

This week was my annual check up with the Oncologist.  Good news, no evidence of cancer.  It happened to correspond with National Cancer Survivor Day.  The article below sums up some of the feelings of surviving cancer.

"But, like so many so-called cancer survivors in so-called remission, I wait for one. I wait, alert, in no-man’s land, the place to which my mind returns in between all its other preoccupations and activities. It is an eerie place, the fear of recurrence. A grenade may whistle into the expectant silence any time – or never at all."

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jun/03/surviving-cancer-is-an-ongoing-journey-of-readjustment-not-a-bumper-sticker

A little extreme, but accurate in how it feels late at night when everyone is asleep and you are left alone to your thoughts with SportsCenter running in the background.

Fear

When ever the grand kids get injured, the Miyoshi side reminisces about their injuries.  Each one has a scar to prove out their story.  But it always comes to the story of Todd and his daughter Michelle that does not involve physical injury.  When she was young she got a hold of a pair of scissors and cut her hair under Todd's watch.  His story was he only turned his back for two minutes.  It looked so bad that even a attempted hair cut by the family hair dresser couldn't fix it.

What we laugh about was that it was the only time his brother Cliff witnessed fear in Todd.     This is the guy who was fearless on the football, rugby and la cross fields of division 3 NCAA against guys bigger, quicker and stronger than him.  How does he face his wife Erin who cried when she saw Michelle's do it herself trim?

Jared did something similar, but we ended up laughing more than anything else.  The hair cut required a #0 hair trimmer guide Marine style.  Cousin Michelle already had set the precedent and buzz cuts on a boy is no comparison to a young girl's beautifully cropped hair with gaps.

Of course none of these events that occurred to the Wada boys were ever on my watch,  knock on wood.  Wait, we are soon traveling to Texas to watch the grandsons.  Cross my fingers......

In Recognition Of

To commemorate my 1 year check up from Colon Cancer: 6 Silent Symptoms of Colon Cancer:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/6-silent-symptoms-of-colon-cancer-you-might-be-missing/ss-AAoPB3U?ocid=ientp


And the American Cancer Society now recommends that Colon Cancer Screening should now start at the age of 45.

http://www.businessinsider.com/colon-cancer-screening-guidelines-2018-5


And lets not forget the Quadruple Bypass event of 2011
This one tends to be a little obsessive as everyone experiences at least one of these symptoms,  But if you are experiencing multiple warning signs, please schedule that Cardiologist appointment.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/20-warning-signs-your-heart-sends-you/ss-AAqfZku?ocid=ientp

Wada Tradition part 2

Just when you thought it was a fluke of nature.  #2 ran into a closet door requiring 2 stitches.  Apparently due to the location and position, the Urgent Care folks had to secure #2 to keep him from moving around.  It looked like something out of a Frankenstein movie.  I'm guessing I can post because they were posted on Facebook.

Of course Grandpa and Grandma sent more bandaids and a more things to cuddle for comfort.   This time he actually has a boo boo to cover.  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime.

Jeff now has to consider opening a family account with the Urgent Care center or think about acquiring the naming rights to the building.  Wada Urgent Care?  

It is noted that both accidents occurred during Jeff's watch.  Hockey helmets are on order.

Uncle Jordan still claims the record for # of stitches.