Stacking Firewood while dealing with shingles

December 30, 2019

Firewood that I stacked on Saturday & Sunday while suffering the the pain & itch of shingles.  

I got all screwed up this year laying in firewood. I usually have all I want delivered and stacked by the end of June. Anyhow, the load you see in this photo didn't arrive until mid September. One thing leading to another, early snow & cold, lots of rain, I only goy about a third of it stacked by October.
 I spent Saturday & Sunday, (December 28 & 29) finishing up the chore. We had 2 nice days for the job. Cold, but pleasant enough outside for such an activity. I took it slow & easy. I probably put in 2 hours Saturday, about 4 hours Sunday. All the while accompanied by the pain and itch of the shingles disease. What torture that has been. I can't sit around all the time because I get restless. I love to get outdoors every day. Thats a big part of what I like about burning wood.

December 30 2019 Shingles update: I go on prednisone

I get a 7 day supply of prednisone to help fight the pain and itching of shingles. I came down with shingles the day before Thanksgiving. 

Monday, December 30, 2019.  Today I went to the docs and let them know how miserable I have been with the shingles itch & pain. I prescribed a 7 day dose of prednisone. I have been on that stuff before, quite a number of years ago, but I don't remember exactly why. Hopefully this stuff nocks out the itch, the pain, and maybe it will not come back. If it des, I am too I will need more aggressive treatment.

The itch and pain from shingles began a week ago, DEC 22nd. I don't think I have ever experienced such discomfort before, and for such a pro-longed period.

December 22, 2019 Shingles itch arrives

I came down with shingles the day before Thanksgiving Ovrall there has been a lot of pain associated with it. Much can be found on the internet about pain and itching. However, I experienced my first itching a couple days ago, December 22nd. Itching before ti hs been minimal to non-existent. However, n the 2nd right through now as I type this the itching as been intense and extreme. Along with it there is some sharp pain. It is not continuous. It comes and goes. Thee are 3 distinct spots on my anatomy that the itching appears. It is intense and deep. meaning that touching or scratching has no effect. It's like the itch is deep beneath my skin. It has been about 5 weeks since the shingles onset. I don't wish this on anyone.

Christmas Eve 2019 Chaumont NY

View of our Chumont NY house on Christmas Eve, 2019. We had a lovely evening. 

It is Christmas Eve, 2019 at our house in Chaumont NY.  I spent the day taking care of last minute odds & ends. Delivered gifts for my kids families to my daughter's house in Watertown. She will take th3m to her mother's house tomorrow morning. I made a lot minute gift purchase at Home Depot fr the Bettr Half. A couple of pairs of pliers for her personal tool box. Standard pliers and needle nose pliers.
I dropped off a coulee of inexpensive gifts for brothers Ron & Al, & nephew Tim.

In the evening we watched a couple of Christmas movies. A Christmas Story, the tale of Ralph and his dream of getting a Red Ryder BB gun rifle.A great, perfectly made movie. The other one was Charles Dicken A Christmas Carol, the newer version storing George C. Scott as Ebenezer scrooge. Two great films. For food we had Hanky Pankies, Spinach Artichoke dip with corn chips, and some olives and carrot sticks.. I had Shiraz red wine, the better half hade Mike's Hard Cranberry lemonade.

November 17, 2019 Shadow from the roof top, selfie photo

My shadow cast on the house next door to where I am doing a roof job. iPhone 6 selfie photo. It was a cold day.

November 2019 has been a colder than we usually experience here in northern New York. A few days ago the temperature was 4 degrees in the morning and warmed up to only 9. Anyhow, my brothers Ron & Al and I have been putting a new roof on my ex's house on Mustard Rd., Brownville. A few years back, in November, my brothers and I did a roof job on my Franklin St apartment house working in short sleeves. It was that nice out.  While up there I spotted my shadow falling on the house next door. So I snapped it. Technically it's a selfie.

I visit Will Salisbury, Omar's Man of Steel, today

Friday, December 20, 2019 .  I dropped in on Will Salisbury today. I have dubbed him Omar's Man of Steel. He lives in Omar, NY. He is a sculptor and is mostly known for working with steel.

December 21, 2019 shingles still bothering me

It is now 4 weeks since I came down with shingles. My skin in the region of the rash still feels numb to my touch, yet painful when I put on a shirt. My lower back and my front abs feel sore as if I have been doing many sit ups. The pain / discomfort has been continuous since day before Thanksgiving. When it first came on my pain level was a 9, maybe even a 10. Now I would say this lingering pain is about a 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1-10).
For the first time today I feel like I might be improving. I cannot describe why, I just felt better in some way. Perhaps it's just psychological. A couple of places where the rash is/was feels itchy. This is the first time I can say there was a definite itch. I have resisted scratching it.

I read that pain and discomfort can linger for 4 months. Sometimes it can take an entire year to fully recover. And even longer. For years. Yikes.

I come down with shingles Wednesday, November 27, 2019

So the day before Thanksgiving 2019 I came down with shingles, the disease that breaks out in one who has had chicken pox as a kid. It would be days later when the rash broke out that I learned what I had.

It was Wednesday afternoon and I had been out all morning doing yard work and feeling normal. I felt a sudden pain in my lower right back. "Whoa, what is that," I wondered. CouldI have suddenly hurt my back?

The afternoon wore on and the pain became a steady ache. 

Thanksgiving morning it was more distinct. Noticably worse. We had some family over, had dinner, drinks, the whole deal and the pain got worse.

By the evening it was severe. Pulsing & stabbing in my lower right back. It kept me mostly awake all night. This was the worst pain I have ever experienced. On a scale of 1-10 I gave it a 9.

Friday morning I go to the emergency room at Samaritan. Googling my symptoms I thought I might have kidney problem of some sort. Maybe kidney stones. Blood & urine tests and a CT scan showed nothing. It was most likely muscle spasms r other muscle related issue. One doctor commented that I appeared to be "The healthiest 65 year old alive." Oh dear, I hope he didn't jinx me.

Got 2 prescriptions, muscle relaxer and an anti-inflammation drug. within a couple days the pain was more bearable. Down to a level 5.  The drugs however, weren't agreeing with me a whole lot. I was very sleepy. My urinary & bowel habits changed. I was very miserable. 

Tuesday evening, December 3rd, I discovered an ugly looking, wide spread rash on my lower back where the initial pain started. The rash wrapped around to my front abdomen area, and part way down right buttock. 

Urgent Care Wednesday morning & diagnosed with shingles. Started a regimen of valacyclovir, and anti-viral med. 

Storm damage photos. Pine tree blown down at our Chaumont NY house

Last night, Halloween 2019, the giant pine tree in the backyard of our house came down in a wind storm. I really liked that tree. Over the years I watched as it lost branches and limbs with every big storm. Last nights 60 plus mile an hour winds were too much and it snapped the trunk 5 or 6 feet above the ground. It destroyed an outdoor glass topped table that I hadn't put away for the winter yet, and also ruined our large smoker/grill that I've been using for at least 10 years.

Elton John's Your Song for Fingerstyle Guitar

Here is a video I made a few weeks ago. It's a nice arrangement for classical guitar of Your Song by Elton John. The arrangement is by St. Louis guitarist Larry Beekman. I played my 1984 Guild Mark V classical guitar. I bought the guitar new from Dr. Guitar in Watertown, NY. I made the video in the lesson room where at Dr. Guitar.

I play Elton John's Your Song on classical guitar

Here is a video I made a few weeks ago. It's a nice arrangement for classical guitar of Your Song by Elton John. The arrangement is by St. Louis guitarist Larry Beekman. I played my 1984 Guild Mark V classical guitar. I bought the guitar new from Dr. Guitar in Watertown, NY. I made the video in the lesson room where at Dr. Guitar.

Your Song for Classical Guitar played by Gary Walts.

Bagpiper plays at Campbell's Point 100 year celebration in Sackets Harbor NY

July 27, 2019- I was hired to play guitar for a dinner party on Campbell's Point in Sackets Harbor NY. Afterwards there was a bagpiper playing at sunset. I snapped this phot of him with my iPhone 6s.

Bagpiper plays at Campbell's Point centennial celebration, Sackets Harbor NY.  photo copyright Gary Walts

Earlier in the day I worked scraping paint off the front porch of our house in Chaumont, NY. I am using a Porter Cable heat gun to strip away the paint. I only put in 2 hours when the better Half decided we should go to our favorite swimming hole in Cape Vincent with her daughter H & son in law D. WE returned home about 3:00 and had a delicious pop chop dinner with green beans from our garden. At 5:00 I headed to Campbell's Point and had a wonderful time playing guitar for a couple of hours. I got many compliments and was paid well to boot.

Wooden Sailing ship off Cape Vincent Ny, Sony a6000 & 500mm f8 Minolta lens

We were at our favorite swimming spot at Wilson Bay, Cape Vincent NY and saw this wooden sailing ship way off on the horizon. We could barely see it. I snapped a photo of it with the Sony a6000 and a Minolta 500mm f8 auto focus mirror lens. It was very hazy. I had to do quite a crop and then play around with photo shop to somehow make the photo interesting. This is what I settled on.

3 masted sailing ship on the horizon, Lake Ontario, off Cape Vincent NY. Sony a6000 & Minolta 500mm f8 AF lens. photo copyright Gary Walts 

Guitar playing at Channelside Restaurant in Clayton NY

Wednesday July 10, 2019.
Had wonderful time playing guitar from 6-9:00 at the Channelside Restaurant in Clayton NY.

Earlier in the day I mowed part of the lawn. I had to stop because the cable that engages the self propel feature on the lawn mower broke.

It's a Toro walk behind mower.

Here is a photo I snapped from the parking lot of Sam's Club in Watertown NY a few days ago. I think it really says Summer.

Summerday in northern NY. Photo snapped with Sony a6000, 200mm f2.8 lens from parking lot of Sam's Club, Watertown.  photo copyright Gary Walts

Busy day today and old Tri-X negative copied with Sony a6000 camera

Monday, May 6, 2019

Had a terrible nights sleep last night.Truly lucky if I got a solid 4 hours. Sometimes that happens. Very little guitar practice this morning. However I had a productive day. I worked quite awhile cleaning the garage. It is packed with about 30 years worth of disorganized stuff ranging from personal memorabilia to a variety of odds and ends gathered for various art projects that never got off the ground and it's doubtful they will. Anyhow, I carted off a load of scrap metal, old books, and other stuff to the recycling center. Then I went Walmart and picked up a couple of items to make guacamole. Then I changed the oil in the Better Half's 2011 Kia Sedona van. after that I mowed the lawn. Then I sat on the porch and drank a beer. It hit 71 degrees today and mostly sunny so it was wonderful. Oddly though, I didn't snap any photos today.

One of my first attempts at digitizing my black & white negatives with a Sony a6000 camera. It appears to be a satisfactory alternative to using a film scanner. More testing and experimenting needed to confirm. 

The photo posted  I snapped in April or May of 1977. My ex brother-in-law RC is at left, my brother Dale at right. This photo was made with Kodak Tri-X black & white film and a Minolta SRT 101 camera. A couple days ago I copied the negative with my Sony a6000 camera fitted with a Minolta 50mm f2.8 auto focus macro lens. I converted it to a positive with Adobe PhotoShop. It is an alternative to digitizing film images with a film scanner. Something I've been wanting experiment with.

Road Trip 2019 We Visit Dinosaur Land, Winchester Va : photos

April 13, 2019.

photo by Gary Walts

After a terrific breakfast at Papermill Place Restaurant we took a short drive to Dinosaur Land. This s a really cool place that is now in it's 50th year. It's an offbeat, family friendly place. Some of the sculptures are showing their age which adds to the character of the attraction. Some are cartoony and remind me of a something from a Gumby claymation show. Read more about the place in this The Washington Post article.  It's actually in a place called White Post, VA. The following is a selection of photos we snapped during the hour and a half we spent there.

photo by Gary Walts

Detail of a dinosaur that reminds of something out of an episode of Gumby. The cartoony quality of some of the sculptures adds special charm to the place.  photo by Gary Walts

Close up of King Kong showing his age a bit. I love it that Kong and other non-dinosaurs inhabit the landscape.  photo by Gary Walts

King Kong at Dinosaur Land. I love it that Kong and other non-dinosaurs inhabit the landscape. photo by Gary Walts

King Kong at Dinosaur Land. I love it that Kong and other non-dinosaurs inhabit the landscape. photo by Gary Walts

Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia. photo by Gary Walts

Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia.  photo by Gary Walts

This dinosaur reminds me of something from a Gumby episode. Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia. photo by Gary Walts

Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia. photo by Gary Walts

Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia   photo by Gary Walts

Another Dinosaur Land creature reminiscent of a Gumby claymation character.  photo by Gary Walts

Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia  photo by Gary Walts

More than just Dinosaurs at Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia    photo by Gary Walts

These trees at Dinosaur Land look like they came from the Wizard of Oz. I love it.  photo by Gary Walts

More than just Dinosaurs at Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia    photo by Gary Walts

Giant octopus at Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia    photo by Gary Walts

More than just Dinosaurs at Dinosaur Land, White Post, Virginia    photo by Gary Walts

Road Trip Day 2 Winchester VA , Giant Apple and Dinosaur Land

April13, 2019
We encountered this giant apple in Winchester, Virginia. Winchester claims to be the apple capitol of the world producing 12 million bushels a year

Spotted this giant apple in Winchester, Virginia, April 13, 2019. Winchester claims to be the apple capitol of the world, harvesting 12 million bushels a year.

After a lousy meal at Damon's Grill in PA, we spent the night at a Ramada Inn in Winchester VA. We got up and headed for a local eatery, The Picadilly Grill Diner at 46 E Picadilly St., Winchester.  It looked and sounded great from our internet search, but when we arrived it was closed. It appeared to still be in business, just not open. Hours posted for Saturday are 7AM-8PM. Oh well, we headed for an alternate breakfast place. Before we got there, we took quick stroll through a historic section of downtown with beautiful architecture. I made a few snaps of that.

Historic Winchester, VA,  April 13, 2019

The Taylor Hotel, historic Winchester, VA,  April 13, 2019

The Taylor Hotel, historic Winchester, VA,  April 13, 2019

The Taylor Hotel, historic Winchester, VA,  April 13, 2019

Historic Winchester, VA,  April 13, 2019

Snow White Grill, historic Winchester, VA April 13, 2019

Murphy Beverage Company, historic Winchester, VA April 13, 2019

After a quick peek at the historic downtown section we headed for the Papermill Place Restaurant for breakfast. This stop was a culinary homer. Great food, great service, friendly people. The place was quite full and a line of diners waiting to be seated. As soon as we were seated our order was taken and delivered quite speedily considering how busy they were.  We sat at the counter where we could watch the cooks in action. An impressive staff and the food was first rate. Mark this as a must stop if you are ever in Winchester. 

Papermill Place Restaurant, Winchester, VA. There is a large dining room to the left of these booths.

Papermill Place Restaurant, Winchester, VA. Unassuming on th outside, its staffed with friendly people serving top notch food.

Papermill Place Restauran, Winchester, VA. Seated at the counter you can watch the short order cooks in action. They are real pros, cracking eggs, making omelets, home fires, hash browns, pancakes and all the rest. 

After a terrific breakfast at the Papermill Place Restaurant we were ready to check out nearby Dinosaur Land.

Dinosaur Land, Winchester, VA. A funky, cool place created 50 years ago. 

Road Trip April 2019 Day 1: we stop at Damon's Grill in Hazelton PA

We arrive at Damon's Grill in Hazelton PA after a rainy drive from Watertown, NY. The service was poor and the meal among one of the worst we have ever had on the road.

April 12, 2019, the Better Half & I embark on a road trip with a few destinations in mind. Damon's Grill in Hazelton PA was not among them. We didn't realize it was a chain restaurant until we arrived. Normally we like to go to locally owned places. It was after 6:00, we were hungry and having never visited this chain we stopped to try it out. The service was poor and the meal among the worst we ever had. The waitress was very friendly however. I ordered half a rack of ribs with baked beans and garlic mashed potatoes. Our food arrived without any silverware. Te waitress apologized and returned shortly with the utensils. Th ribs tasted ok, nothing original about them. They were not very meaty and I could have eaten a whole rack. Then again, they were baby back ribs, so they aren't particularly meaty to begin with.Our server put the plate in front of me with the ribs & mashed potatoes and proclaimed, "Be careful, the plate is really hot." That always tells me the food was microwaved. Well, the ribs were hot enough but the potatoes were so Luke warm the soft butter I put on them didn't even melt! In fact, some bites were actually cool, almost cold. And the flavor of them was bland. I thought the beans were coming in a seperate dish. But when they didn't arrive I had to leave my seat and walk around to find our waitress. The beans were nothing special either. Obviously just came out of a can. The Better Half ordered a Patty Melt burger and fries that was unimpressive. In fact she ate half of it.took half with her to go but ultimately discarded it. Summary: Food was bland, microwaved to create a very hotplate with Luke warm to room temperature potatoes. Served without utensils, had to flag the waitress down to get that. Beans arrived only after I left my seat to search for the server to let her know they were never brought to our table.

Geese at sunset photo made with Sony a6000 and 500mm f8 lens

I made this photo in Chaumont NY, a small village on the shore of Lake Ontario. I used a Sony a6000 camera with a Minolta 500mm f8 auto focus mirror lens attached via the LA-EA4 adapter. The camera was mounted on a tripod.

Geese at sunset in Chaumont NY March 2019. Sony a6000 camera, Minolta 500mm f8 auto focus lens with LA-EA4 adapter that preserves autofocus and other features when used with the a6000.   photo copy write Gary Walts 2019

A frustrating day: Flooded basement and other things Friday March 15, 2015

So I got up and did an hour or so f guitar practice. went to pour some coffee and checked the basement o our house. It was flooded. A foot of water. First thought was the sump pump quit. But no, discovered some sort of blockage in the discharge line. I doubt it's frozen because that hasn't happened in many years. (well, a small freeze once this winter that was minor, insignificant. More on that another time.)
So, I went to Lowe's bought some hose to connect to the pump and run it out through the back shed to the outdoors. All told dropped a $120.00. Temporary fix.
Had to go find dates of my grandparents deaths  to satisfy surrogate court in the settlement of my mother's estate. That too was frustrating and I learned about how screwed up vital records are kept in the state. A subject for another blog.
Meanwhile I needed to shop for party supplies, food & drink for the opening of a photography exhibit featuring my work at Eye Crave in downtown Watertown. That takes place tomorrow, 4-7:00. Computer at the wine store was down and created a big headache trying to pay and check out. I want to put down the details but It will take much more time than I want to give right now. It's 18:45 and I'm tired. Extra tired actually as I'm still adjusting to the time change.

February 13, 2019 snow in Chaumont NY

Here is a snap I made of our home in Chaumont NY showing a fresh basket of snow that fell over night. It took me 3 hours of shoveling to clear the sidewalks and driveway. Started at 8:00, done at 11:00.  Sounds awful, but I truly like the exercise and fresh air. It was 28 degrees which makes for comfortable Winter experience.

February 2019 view of our home in Chaumont NY after overnight snowfall. The sidewalks & driveway took me 3 hours to shovel. I enjoyed it. 

Photos and obituary for Margaret "Peggy" Walts

My mother, Margaret J Walts. I don't know when photo was taken but I'm quite sure it was before she was married.

CALCIUM, NY –– Margaret “Peggy” Joan Backus Walts, 86, passed away Tuesday evening, Feb. 5, 2019, at Lewis County Residential Healthcare, Lowville, NY.

Peggy was born Sept. 22, 1932, the sixth child of Harold and Hazel (LaRock) Backus. She grew up and lived on the family farm in Evans Mills through the 1940s.

She married Aubrey Guy Walts on Nov. 4, 1950.

Aubrey and Peggy went on to raise ten children, “whew”, eight boys and two girls. Though her house was small and full of kids her door was always open, and just about anyone was welcome to come in and stay if they needed to.

Peggy, “Mrs. Walts”, was a stay at home Mom and strict disciplinarian who taught her kids, the many kids she babysat over the years, and countless teenagers and young adults alike, what the word respect is all about. She never had to explain the word to anyone, but anyone who’s ever been in her presence, gave her lots of it. The funny little thing about it, is that everyone is richer for it.

Aubrey and Peggy’s lives together were primarily dedicated to their family until Aubrey’s untimely death in 1987. Beyond the open house policy, Peggy will be remembered for the countless holiday dinners where she prepared everything from scratch, she also enjoyed knitting, creating hundreds of garments over the years including hats, scarves, sweaters, mittens and socks.

My parents, Peggy & Aubrey Walts in 1954. Me, (Gary) on mom's lap. I was 10days old. Alan on my father's lap.

Peggy is survived by nine children, Alan B. Walts, Watertown, NY, Gary C. Walts and partner, Barbara Hyneman, Chaumont, NY, Melvin Walts, Dallas, TX, Ronald Walts, Calcium, NY, Carol Myers, Alexandria, VA, Dale Walts and wife, Cheryl, Syracuse, NY, Susan Auletta and husband, Frank, Tucson, AZ, Mark Walts and partner, Rhonda Smith, Winter Haven, FL, Bruce Walts and wife, Judith, Pelham, AL, and a daughter-in-law, Catherine Walts, Dexter, NY; 19 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Her parents, her husband, a son, Thomas Walts, five siblings, Gerald Backus, Mary Hotis, Audrey Mitchell, Louis Backus and Harold Backus all died previously.

My mother Peggy Walts, left, and her sister Audrey Mitchell at a family party at Aunt Audy's house in Evans Mills, NY, about 1968 or 70. Photo made on Kodak Ektachrome film.

Funeral services will be noon Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, at Frederick Bros. Funeral Home, Theresa, with Rev. Steven Murray of Holy Family Church officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Evans Mills, NY, in the spring.

Calling hours will be 10 am to 12 pm, prior to the service.

Donations may be made to Hospice of Jefferson County @ Ellis Farm, 1398 

Gotham Street, Watertown, NY 13601.

My mother, Peggy Walts in 2013 after she took a fall and banged up her head.

My mother at right with my sister Carol at the Center for Sight, State St., Watertown NY. in 2015. She was preparing for cataract surgery. At leftist my brother Mel's ex- mother in law. We hadn't seen her in years, just happened to meet her there.

Mom with grand daughter S in in 2004. S is my late brother Tom's daughter. Years later under hospice care mom would tell me she kept her self occupied (from not going insane) by thinking mostly about her grandchildren.

My mother making pies in 2004.

Mom's 84th birthday in 2016

Mom taking care of laundry, 2016.

Mom with son Mark. He is number 9 in lineup of 10 kids. Unsure what year this is. 

Mom with her grandson Rush & his wife Mary at their wedding in 2007

Mother's Day, 2012 Back row are Alan, Cheri, Barb, Lauren. Front row are Austin, mom, Dale, Gary (me), & Ron.

Mom after cataract removal, 2015.

Mom doing a puzzle with her one good eye, 2014