Let's Make This Thing Positive.

     I could write about the things that are bothering me, but I want to make this a little more fun and positive. It has been far too negative lately, for good reasons, but I want to forget about that for just a little while.

     I have been doing a lot of other things other than getting annoyed with the staff where my mom is. There are important things that are going on, and one of those is the therapy staff their. I really like them. They treat my mom with respect, and are very patient with her. Yesterday, when I showed up to visit her, she wasn't in her room, so I went to the nurses station to find out where she was. They told me she was at her therapy session, and pointed me in the direction of the room. My mom was just getting off a recumbent bike, and using a walker to transfer from the bike back to a wheelchair. She was then wheeled to a set of parallel bars, so that she could walk, and she did. She walked the entire length forward, and then backwards. She then had to walk side step first right foot first, up and back, and then she spun to the other bar, and did the opposite side. It was an amazing thing to see, and she was happy.

     She told everyone that she saw, that she walked. She was so proud of her accomplishment, and so was I. It was an incredible moment to see her on her feet. She still has a long way to go, but she has made great strides (yes the pun is intended). I'm hoping that she will be back in her own bed in a couple of weeks. She is determined to do whatever it takes to get walking again, and she isn't going to attempt to walk on her own. The last one, may depend on her state of mind. If she gets a heavy dose of confusion again, she may do just that, but maybe this time, she will be a little stronger and won't fall, and simply be found out and let back to her room.

     I have been working like a mad man in my free time. to get the bookcase wand stand done. I would share pictures with you on how it is progressing, but the cloud is slow tonight, and maybe it's not the right time to share that photographic progress with you. I think I want to wait until it is finished. I can tell you about it though. Today I glued it together. It is now sitting with clamps on it, so that it doesn't move or shift, and I'm going to let it sit for a full two days. I want to make sure that it has every opportunity to create that bonding effect with the wood glue. I sculpted the posts, and made them represent each wand the best that I could. Elie loves it, and I do too, but the real proof will be when people see it, and catch on what I did. If they recognize that each post has something to do with the character of the wand itself, that will be a big deal for me. It means that what I put out there, is able to translate from my head to their's. I have to do some rough sanding to get rid of the excess glue. I'm going to do that tomorrow, then it is down to the final sanding with fine grain sand paper, to get as smooth a finish as I can, then the stain begins going on. When it is to a level that I like, the clear coat will be applied, and I will keep doing coat after coat, until I'm satisfied with the finish. Once that is done, it is photoshoot time. I'll set it up with my books and Elie's wands, and get some great pictures of it, for all to see.

     If everything goes right, the bookcase wand stand should be done by next Wednesday, and I can't wait for you to see it. I hope you like it, but more importantly, I hope that Elie likes it. I still worry about the glue not bonding, and I have to use screw to hold it together. I opted out of using screws, because I thought it would just be ugly. It would take away from the lines and interrupt the flow of the entire piece, so I really hope that the glue is good enough to hold it, and I won't have to worry about it. I did do a little tug test on the posts, since they are the only part the is glued in place that I can't put clamps on, and they are holding as if they grew out of the wood, so that is a positive sign.

     It's time for Favorite Song of the Week. It's another Bowie classic, so I won't go on and on about his history and all that. I'm sure you know it all, especially if you have been reading this blog for any length of time. Anyway, I came across this video on Facebook, well a version of this video. This one is a little longer than the one I saw. None of that matters though, what does matter, is that this is the first TV performance of Space Oddity. It is just a slight bit different than what you know from the recorded version, but it is just as fantastic, and you get to see Bowie looking like you may have never seen him before. This is a little before he went for the full gender bender version of himself that we know and love. You can see that it is just around the corner, and he is just fitting in as a "child of love" in the 60's. This performance was filmed in 1969, and lives on because of the ability to film events. I shared this with a friend of mine, that truly loved Bowie, and it broke her heart when he died. I knew that sharing the post on her page would make her sad, but I told her something that I'm going to tell you know. Be thankful that you lived during a time when this man walked the Earth, and you get to see something as incredible as the first ever TV performance of this song. Just seeing him smile as he sings, and knowing how much he loved what he was doing, should make you happy to be able to experience this. Here is David Bowie with "Space Oddity" from 1969.



     I simply can't top that, and I won't try. Peace in and goodnight.

I Am Furious.

     I'm late with tonight post, and there is a very good reason for that. I figured that I would have a somewhat boring post for tonight. About how I spent the weekend working and how I watched some Netflix, and actually chilled, not the hip way the kids do it. I would tell you a little about the work I did on the bookcase wand stand, and then finally an update on how my mom is doing. Well, that is all out the window.

     I had to work until 5 today, and that meant that I wouldn't see my mom. The rehab facility closes the doors and 5 and you have to call to be let in, and I didn't want to bother them. About 4:30, I got a text from my nephew, saying that my mom was back in the ER, because she had fallen and bumped her head. First off, Why had she fallen? Second, why was it him that contacted me, and not the facility.

     I just went and checked the caller ID at the house, and they did call. They called the house, and not my cell phone. This apparently happen around 2 this afternoon. Anyway. I raced up to the hospital after work, just in time to see them getting her transferred to a gurney and putting her in the transport to take her back. She had a mild concussion, but was other wise ok. Her hip was fine. I followed the ambulance back to the facility, and had to call them for them to let us in, since it was after 5. I'm really shocked that, I, had, to, call, them, to, let, us, in. Yes, I know I really blew through my quota on commas right there, but it is all to make a point.

     One of the EMT's went to the nurses station to tell them that my mom was back, and that she needed to have briefs put on, so that she could go to the bathroom. He told me that I should follow up with them, to make sure, so I waited. I waited for a half an hour, before I hit the call button to get someone's attention to put briefs on her. A nurse, that isn't assigned to my mother came in, and explained that she didn't know who my mother's aid was, but that she would find out immediately. She did, but since meals were being handed out, that she would get the briefs as soon as meal time was over. Ok, I can wait, and so can she, for a limited time.

     Meal time was over, my mom finished early, so I gave it some time, before losing my mind. I waited. I watched other trays being taken from rooms, and I waited. I watched the cart that all the trays are transported in taken away, and I waited. I waited for over an hour from the time we had gotten there, and then I waited a little more.

     Before I left, I put on the briefs, for my mom. I put them on with no trouble, I put them on without causing her any pain. I put them on when the person that was supposed to put them on didn't. I said my goodbyes to my mom, and told her to get her rest, then I went the the nurses station so that I could be let out. I remained calm, despite the rage that is still inside of me. I said before I spun on my heels, "Whoever was supposed to put briefs on my mom, doesn't have to worry about it. I put them on myself.". I didn't hear anything from them, I simply walked to the door, and waited for whatever nurse was going to let me out.

     I plan on speaking with the case worker tomorrow, and see what I can find out, and also begin the process of transferring her somewhere else. A friend of mine who is actually a case worker for a hospital, told me about a place that his own parent was in, which is one that was recommended to me, but was a little further away. I will look into getting her there as soon as possible.

     I nearly forgot, about the mixed stories I got. Well, what stories I could get. No one wanted to talk to me. An Aid said that she walked by and saw my mom laying on her back on the floor. That would mean that she was in the room still. My mom's roommate, who is frankly a little tetched in the head herself, said that my mom was out in the hall, and was surrounded by people when she fell backwards. Since the woman is a little mixed in the brain, I can't without a shadow of a doubt believe her story. Seeing how it was around 2 and that is around the time that she would have her therapy session, there could be some credit to her story. Either way, there is a large gap on where my mom was when she fell. Room vs. hallway. If it was the hallway, and it wasn't with anyone around, then kudos to my mom for getting up and walking out into the hall by herself 7 days after a hip replacement.

     I honestly am not sure if I want the answers. I just want to make sure my mom is safe, and is getting the care that she need, to be able to come home, and be in her own home. I will not let her die in a facility. It will just not happen. Before you say that I should sue them, see the above sentences about just wanting my my getting the care and being safe thing. I'm not going to fight some legal battle and let people pick over my mom. I want her to see Morty again. I want her to sleep in her own bed. I want her to life out her life in a home, not a facility. Peace in and goodnight.

The Patchwork Knight (Chapter 65)

     I could see the high peaks of the castle in the distance as I approached the Kingdom. There was smoke rising from the area around it and inside. The Kingdom was under siege. The Targen Knights and the King had arrived.

     I raced to the Targen Knights as fast as I could on horseback. The siege engines were enormous, The Knights had been busy as I had been away. Trebuchets, catapults, and towers littered the battlefield surrounding the outer wall of the Kingdom. I could see archers and Raiders on top of the wall reading for the next attack. It seems that they had bee successful at holding of the Knights of the Realm so far, but that would soon change.

     I slowed my pace as I neared the camp, so as not to create a panic. The guards at the perimeter looked up at me, and bowed as I came to a stop.

     "Please continue you into the camp Sir Patchwork Knight. We ave been waiting your arrival."

     "Thank you. I don't know you. How long have you been in the King's service."

     "Uh, you should continue on Sir. The rank and file will want to see you right away."

     "That I will. Thank you again, and it is a pleasure to meet you Sir Knight."

     I traveled onward, but questioned that exchange. It seemed odd that he wouldn't tell me how long he had been a Knight. As I trotted through the camp, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared as I passed. The King's tent came into sight and the crowd began to follow behind me, and a chant began to arise.

     "THE PATCHWORK KNIGHT, THE PATCHWORK KNIGHT, THE PATCHWORK KNIGHT."

     I saw the tent flap fly open and Rolf came running out. Sir Paljin and Princess Alma were right behind him.

     "Pitre" rang out from all three of them as I dismounted my horse. Rolf was in the lead and the first to great me, with an embrace.

     "We heard you were still alive and out there, but they were only stories to us. I'm glad you are here my friend."

     "I'm glad to be here. It has been far too long. I hadn't planned it this way, but a steady stream of Raiders held my progress."

     "Aye, we heard those tales as well. The Mudwood had sent it's best and brightest at you, only to have them fall to your blades. It is so good to see you my boy, only you aren't a boy anymore are you. You look as old as I."

     "Sir Paljin, it is an honor to stand before you again. I see you have stayed away from arrows in my absence."

     "That I have. It was no easy task either. We had to actually battle Raiders on our own, but we held true, and now we are here."

     "If it isn't The Patchwork Knight. It's about time that you showed your face again. Care for a spar old friend."

     "Princess, it would be my pleasure to spar with you again, but I dare say that the outcome would be no different than before."

     "Uh Pitre, she's no princess anymore."

     "With the way she fought before she, I would say that she never was one, she was a Knight in a frilly dress."

     "That is the Queen boy."

     "The Queen? That would mean that the Kin....." My words fell off as I realized the truth of why the guard sounded so strange when he wouldn't say how long he had been in the King's service.

     "Yes, Pitre. My father died no long after you had left. An assassin snuck his way into a caravan of villagers that you had saved. He found his way to the Crystal Palace in that group and poisoned the King during a nightly meal. We found the assassin and executed him, but the damage had already been done. The Mudwood thought it would break our spirit."

     "True, they did, but the didn't know what the awakened. The Queen is fearless, and a brilliant strategist. She is the reason we are here with these siege engines. She is the one that got us all together. She rallied the villagers and helped turn them into Knights. This is the largest army of Knights that the Realm has ever had."

     "Thank you Sir Paljin, but it wasn't all me. I drew inspiration from my father. This is what he wanted to do all along, but he put the resources towards protecting his people first. I drew inspiration from you and Sir Rolf here. You encouraged me to fight as I always wanted to. I drew inspiration from you as well Pitre. The stories that would come back to us, of how you were taking on entire war bands on your own, and saving all the people that we have here with us today. Maybe not directly, but indirectly, you have saved every single person in this camp. You saved me, and my father. You saved Rolf and Sir Paljin. You saved all the Knights you remembered in one way or another. You saved all those villagers that made it to the Crystal Palace. Some have passed, but their kin are all here. That wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you. When these people chant your name, it is a rally cry for all of The Realm. For them to see you, brings us all hope that this war will be over soon. I may have put all this together, but it was you who brought us all here."

     "Thank you Queen. You honor me truly, but I was only doing what I could to help the Realm."

     "First rule Pitre, don't call me Queen. I will always be Alma to you. Second, your humility is why we honor you so. We knew that you wouldn't stop doing what you thought was right. Rolf here searched far and wide for you for years. he brought back stories of the villages that had been emptied of everything because you destroyed the Raiders that had been there."

      "Yes, Alma. Rolf I told you to stay with the King and Sir Paljin. Why did you search for me, that was risky, you could have been killed."

     "Pitre, you spared my life when you could have killed yet another Raider, but you saw something in me, and you helped me grow. I became the man I am today, because of you. Also, you are my best friend, and I wanted nothing more than to see you again, and fight by your side. It has been too long my old friend. Seeing you know though, it was worth the wait. I look forward to the fight ahead of us, and I will enjoy seeing you in action once again."

     "That will come soon enough. I say that a meal is in order first. We need to honor our returning Patchwork Knight."

     With the Queen's final words, the chant began anew.

     "THE PATCHWORK KNIGHT, THE PATCHWORK KNIGHT, THE PATCHWORK KNIGHT."

     I looked around at the smiles and joy on everyone's face. I used my sight to search the walls high above, and could see concern spreading on the faces of the Raiders that were standing there. They were looking back and forth at each other. I saw a disruption in the crowd that had formed on the wall, and a raven haired woman looked over the wall. Anger and acknowledgement crossed her face, and a flare of purplish blue rose from her. She was different from the other Mudwood. She spun in a moment and was gone just as fast as she had appeared.

     The meal was extravagant, but I stuck with what I was used to, and only had vegetables and nuts. when we were done, we all took the extra food out to the Knights around the camp and fed them as well.

     "I saw a woman on the wall before we went in to eat. She seemed like she might be in charge. Is the Mudwook ruled by a woman?"

     "It seems that it is now. We had heard rumors that a woman rose to the top of the generals, and didn't like the way the leader was ruling, so she took it upon herself to kill him and take control. It happened about a month ago."

     "That's about the time the flood of Raiders stopped coming to my doorstep."

     "Yes, that is one of the things she was supposedly upset about. She saw that the leader was so focused on one man that he was leaving the Kingdom unguarded, and susceptible to attack. That is why we advanced here when we did. Our reports, were that the Raiders had thinned so much by attacking you, that three weren't enough to properly defend the Kingdom. We had been readying for an attack, but we moved it up when we heard this news. She pulled back all the troops that had been sent out to fortify her ranks, and we have been here for two weeks now, in this siege."

     "Is there anymore that you know of her?"

     "Only that she moved her way up, and that it is rumored that she was in charge of an elite group of fighters. That is what spurred her into action. The Mudwood leader was going to force her and her elite group to go after you. That was apparently the last shovel of dirt on his grave."

     "How elite can this group be. The Raiders that came to me, said they were the best of the Mudwood."

     "We know nothing of her group, only that it exists, and that isn't even definite. She does seem to be a force to reckon with though. She has held the Kingdom when it should have fallen. It is still going to fall, but it is just going to be a little longer. They will starve soon with no food being transported into the Kingdom. We can wait them out if need, but Queen Alma had a plan for storming the walls soon."

     I haven't said it yet, but it is good to see you again Rolf. Did you get any of the messages that I sent along with villagers?"

     "I did, It was always good to hear the you were still truly alive. When a new villager would come to me with word of how you saved them, it brought a smile to my face. I saw the result of what you did in their eyes and the smiles on their faces. You gave them all hope, you gave all of us hope."

     "I can also see that you kept up with your training. I'm sorry that I never finished teaching you everything that I know, but you have done well."

     "It took me a long time to understand why you left like you did, but I did. When I lost my first friend that was standing next to me in battle. I understood. It was no easy to fight alongside someone after that. I kept my distance from people and stayed alone. It wasn't until Queen Alma came to me one day, and told me how much the men looked up to me, and how they wanted to fight by my side, that I realized that I would always lose someone close to me as long as this war was going on, so I made a decision to do whatever I could to help see the end of this war, even if that meant fighting and watching a friend die beside me."

      "I'm sorry I left, and that I didn't have your strength to stay and fight along side of you and everyone else. I had to find my own way."

     "Your way worked for you, but if you are here, you are going to lose friends alongside of you once again. It is inevitable. Just know that we are all here for each other, and we know that you are here for us."

     "I want to see this war end, and the Mudwood go back to where they came from, but most of all, I'm glad to see you. I've missed you my old friend."

     "Old friend indeed. It's been a long time since that day at the fork in the road. We will see this end, and we will see it end together. We should get some rest now. Big day ahead of us tomorrow. We storm the wall."

     "I got a plan for that. I don't think the Mudwood is going to expect what is coming for them."

How Rough Is This Going To Get

     It has been a long week, and it's not even over yet. I have been put through the ringer with dealing with the broken hip thing. I am happy to say that my mother is in a rehab facility now. She was transported yesterday and it wasn't a good day for her. With all the moving around, it triggered her dementia and made things very difficult for her. I got a call from a friend of hers that went to visit her, and she told me, that my mother told her, that I left her on the side of the road. she of course knew that that wasn't the case, but it hurts to hear things like that, even knowing that it is a made up story that stems from the delusions of dementia.

     I wasn't happy with the way things were going at the rehab facility, at first. It took them a half an hour to even acknowledge that we were there and in a room. I expected a quicker response time. There is also the fact that my mom has a roommate that doesn't seem to be have any concern for other people. She had her tv blasting at full volume last night, and she was watching a show with a lot of cursing in it, so there was a lot of bleeping out of words. That sound confused my mother to no end. I had to explain to her every few minutes what was going on.

     I can say that she moved around a little better yesterday up until the move, and she did miss the hospital, because the new place, was new. She wondered why she wasn't at home. I had to explain that to her a dozen times as well.

     When I went back in the evening, she had to go to the bathroom, and when she pushed the call button, it took nearly 20 minutes for them to come and see what was going on. Then the wrong information was relayed to the nurse on the protocol with how to deal with my mother's injury. She didn't even know that it was a broken hip. I couldn't fault the nurse, because she was truly shocked when she saw the scar. I left thinking that I would give them a week and then I would begin the process of looking for a new place if they didn't get it together. That changed today.

     I went in ready to remove heads. I got there just before her therapy session, which was something I wanted to talk to her nurse about. When was she going to have it and how often, but since her actual nurse rarely her comes to the room and can't be found, I knew that was going to be a challenge. Elana, was her therapist today, and she did a great job with my mom. I watched as she went through some leg movements, to get circulation going in her legs, and then my mom sat up at the edge of the bed, and walked across the room with a walker. I was shocked. I didn't expect her to be able to do that much, and without pain. She wasn't in any pain as she walked. It was only about 10 or 12 feet, but that is a great distance to someone who had her hip replaced. She sat down before turning around. When she was ready, she began trying to stand up without the walker. She was wanting to walk back on her own. The therapist wouldn't let her do that, and quite frankly, I was telling her to wait for the walker to be placed in front of her. She made it to the bed, just fine, she pivoted and sat back down on the bed, and then maneuvered herself towards the middle. She needed a little help, but she did great.

     I was so happy to see her accomplish that, only days after a major surgery. When Elana had left, she turned to me, and told me that she did that for me. I told her, that I loved that, but she should do it more for herself, so that she can get home. The one disturbing thing that happened during that whole session, was when Elana asked her what her goal was. My mom said that she wanted to walk again so that she could get home. Elana turned to me, to make sure that was the right answer. I of course nodded, my mom will not spend her remaining days in a home. I guess there was the thought that she would simply stay as a resident there, and that is not going to happen.

     Let's talk about a more fun subject. I got home from all the drama of the day, and decided that I needed to hit the bookcase. I got the files out, and began shaping wood, so that I could get things smooth all around. I got a good amount done this evening, but I still have a ton of sanding and fine tuning to do. Here are both sides of the top, shaped close to the way it will end up.

 

     You can't see the whole thing, but I really like the way it is coming together, and in reality, I'm really proud of myself for pulling this off. I still have some minor overhangs, that need to be addressed, but It is a lot closer now than it was earlier this evening.

     I have to go to the rehab facility tomorrow morning, but for the better part of the day, I'm going to be working on that bookcase. I want to get the majority of the sanding done, and have the top ready to set it up for the wands. I have the Elder Wand, so I can actually get that all set up, but I need Voldemort's wand before I can finish it off. I want to make sure I have them balanced and both sitting at even heights before I work on the wand cradle, which is the larger dowel rod. Once I have the height and angle right, I will then work on the carving of it, so that it has some movement in it. I don't want a bland straight post, to hold the wands, I want it to look dynamic. I'm going to do a practice piece tomorrow as well, just to see how and what I need to carve it up. This is going to be fun.

     Alright, I'm writing this while I'm watching TV, since the picture is messing up on the big TV out in the living room. It's something with the cable, and not the box or the TV. I can watch an old DVR'd show and have no problem, so I know it's the cable. I just have to get someone to the house, to correct the problem. That is a much bigger task than it should be, but tomorrow, it's all about my mom and the bookcase. I'm so freaking tired. Peace in and goodnight.

Dig On This

     I got pictures. I have been busy with the bookcase wand stand. I also made a huge error, more on that a little later. Working with red oak is quite a bit different from working with pine. Pine is a much softer wood, so the Dremel cuts through it rather easy. Red oak is sturdy and solid, and very dense, and that density creates a whole new set of challenges, but it also brings some really unique traits with it when cutting into it. I would have to run the Dremel at a high speed to cut through it, but in doing so, I would also burn the wood, this created a rather interesting look to the piece, and actually adds to it. The first set of pictures are what it looked like after I ran a wire brush tool over it, to clean up the burn. Turns out, Elie liked the burn and wanted more of it.

     That is the left and right side after some clean up. Elie liked the burnt part so much, that she decided to make my life quite a bit easier. The original plan was to go in and clean up that roughness inside and smooth it all out. With her liking the roughness, I don't have to do any of that, I only had to go back in and add more burn back into. This is how they look now.

      It adds a bit more character to the symbol, and I think it's going to look real good once I stain it. One of the other things I did, was start drilling the holes and use some homemade dowel pins to connect the whole thing together. I didn't take any pictures of that, but it worked out a lot better than I thought it would, and I haven't even put the glue in it. I was able to get all the bottom holes drilled and filled, but when I went to the top, I had a snag. Turns out my drill was not charging, and I decided against my better judgement to use my high powered drill. It was a very bad idea.

     Yep, I screwed it up, quite literally. I went a little too far. I'm going to have to make a new top for the bookcase, but this will give me a chance to practice something I will need to perfect in order to get the wands to stay in place. Find the silver lining right. I do have an extra piece of wood, and this is the very reason I bought it. I will be buying a new cordless lower powered drill and do it right this time. In the meantime though. I did some test fitting with the top in place and the books in the case. This is what it looks like.

     It looks better than I thought it would, and it isn't even done yet. The books sit a little tighter than I had planned, but they have plenty of room to slide in and out of the case. I actually think the snug fit makes it a bit better. If something happens and the table or shelf the case is on gets bumped, they won't inadvertently fall out of the case. I am extremely happy with how this is coming together. I will be cutting the top out tomorrow, and hopefully won't screw it up. I still want to do the back with the radius on it. I will be radiusing the top as well, but maybe a little more drastic, to create more movement in the piece, and yes I know radiusing isn't a word, but I write the rules here.

     Now for a The Patchwork Knight update. I have at least two more chapters to write. I might be able to stretch into there, but that will all come as I write it. If it leads me to three, then three it will be, but I do see it as only two more chapters. I'm not quite sure when I'm going to write them, but possibly Friday, and maybe on the weekend. I will be busy going to work on the weekend, but I will try to keep my brain a little more solid this weekend, so that it isn't too mushy to actually do some creative work as well. 

     The mom update is next. She was able to stand and move with minimal assistance today, which in my eyes, puts her far ahead of the game. She is moving into a rehab facility tomorrow morning to start the process of relearning how to walk again. The surgeon put it at 6-8 weeks for a full recovery, but I'm going to go out on an uneducated limb and say that she does it in 4-5 weeks. The facility is very close to home, so she will in a way be half way there. That is what I'm telling her to look at it as. She wants to be in her own house and her own bed, but it's going to take some time, so the half way analogy might be helpful for her to understand. With the dementia and her short term memory being nearly gone, It takes a few times to get that point across. I've been sitting with her for a bout two hours each night, and I have heard the same stories about 400 times. I just go along with it, and pretend I haven't heard it before, or I guide her to how the story is supposed to go. She forgets and it changes a little from time to time. The worst part about all that, is that some times she knows that her mind is leaving her, and that sucks. It is the one thing she never wanted to happen. She wanted to go quick and not lose herself before she went. She does remember that I brought her tissue. They didn't have any in her room and she always thinks her nose is running, so she always needs a tissue. I brought a box in after the first day she was in, so she would have it. When she tells me that I brought the tissue in for her, it is a highlight to her day.

     It's time for Favorite Song of the Week, and this time I'm doing a cover, by a guy that is more known now for doing covers, than when he was in a well known Canadian band in the 90's, and there is a very good reason for that. The band he was in was called Downwhere, and they toured the world with relative success, but as most bands, they fell apart. Well this gentleman has quite the talent for singer, and he has qualities to his voice that you may find familiar. This is Marc Martel with the Queen classic, "Love of My Life".

     Like I said. you may have noticed that his voice has very similar qualities to that of the greatest voice in rock and roll, that of the great Freddie Mercury. I chose this cover because it really shows those qualities. His low and midrange are nearly dead on. Where he loses it, and it isn't in this video, is when he gets into his head voice. That's falsetto for all of you not in the know. He does a cover of Bohemian Rhapsody and when he hits those high falsettos, he doesn't quite make it, and then there is the attempt at doing Roger Taylor high notes. He shouldn't have done it. Anyway, Marc is a remarkable talent, and reminds me how much I miss Freddie, but it also gives me a chance to listen to these amazing songs in a whole new way. Check him out on his YouTube channel if you get the chance. His voice isn't a fluke, he shows of those Freddiesque qualities in other songs by other artists. It's there, It just isn't all there, because there will never be another like Freddie.

     That's all I got for tonight. I get to sleep in tomorrow, so I'm going to make the most of it. Yay me. Peace in and goodnight.

Can I Do This

     I have to write this quick, because I have to shower and then get up to the hospital. That's right the hospital. More on that in a second, let's take things in order.

     As you know, Thursday started a new series of training at the new job, in the hopes that I will get the full time position. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm getting there. Friday was more of the same, but all of it was new information, which seemed to push all the old information out, so I was panicking this weekend as I was on my own but that's getting ahead of things.

     Friday night is the important part of this story, well, Friday evening. My mother fell and broke her hip. She didn't think it was that bad, but when she couldn't bare to walk an ambulance was called. I of course went to the ER, which is something I hate almost more than anything, and waited around to hear some news. They were going to do emergency surgery in the morning. That was all I knew. When my nephew showed up, I tagged him in, and I went home for the rest of the night, and worried about her, and the new job.

     I went in Saturday morning, because it would look bad calling out on my first official day, and there was nothing I could do other than wait around anyway. So work took my mind off it a bit. I got the call early in the morning that she was going into surgery. They wanted permission, but they were already in the surgical theater when I called back. About an hour later, I got the call from the surgeon. She had broken the ball joint of her hip completely off. They replaced it with an artificial one, so my mom is now the bionic woman.

     Saturday went on, I was able to forget about my mom, because I knew everything was ok, so I began the panic anew about the job. When you start each day doing what I'm doing, there is an amount of money on your list, that is the amount of money that is sitting around waiting to come back to the company. It's my job to get that number down each day. I did not do that. The number was drastically higher than when I started the day, and even though I had gotten through a lot of stuff, it still felt like failure. I was worried. I really began doubting whether or not I can do this job. It was running through my head all night, so much so, that I woke up at 2 in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep.

     In the meantime, I visited my mom in the hospital and she was doing great. She couldn't feel any pain while I was there, but they have a pretty good drip of pain killers going on to take care of that. She was in good spirits, but she was wondering if she would ever walk again. The doctor told me, that it was a few days in the hospital and then she was going to have to go to rehab to relearn how to walk. She wasn't the quickest and sturdiest as is, so I can imagine that this is going to be very difficult on her, but she's a tough old bird, and she can do it. My nephew and I will be there urging her on.

     That brings us to this morning. I know I'm going back and forth a little, but it was necessary for good writing. I was sick this morning, sick with worry. I was fully ready to get fired or quit because I didn't think I had what it took to get this job down. I still managed to walk through that front door, greeted by the manager, and walked back to my little office, and was greeted by the overnight guy. He looked at me, and told me how great of a job I did on Saturday. I was blown away. He told me that he was amazed that I got through as much stuff as I did and that he told the manager as much. That lifted a huge weight off my shoulder. I still had my moments of panic today, when things couldn't hit my memory, but I made it, and I feel ok. I may just be able to do this job.

     With all this going on, I wasn't able to work on pictures or the bookcase wand stand, but I will have Tuesday through Friday off, to get things done. I hope to have an almost completed bookcase wand stand for you by Thursday.

     I'm off to take shower and then head to the hospital, and then it's pick something up on the way home to eat, because I'm freaking exhausted. Peace in and goodnight.

The Patchwork Knight (Chapter 64)

     The steady flow of Raiders had finally stopped. The trails were quiet and lonely again. I had aged quite a bit during this long trek towards the Kingdom. Not just physically but but mentally as well. Although I couldn't remember every fight I had had, or the faces that I passed along the way. I never forgot how this all started.  I never forgot that day in the forest when my father died, and how I ran to the village on his instructions and watched it burn to the ground. That fire remained in my heart and would not be quenched until I killed every last one of them and rid the Realm of the Mudwood.

     I only ran the horses at a trot anymore, there was no hurry to get to the Kingdom. They had sent their best at me, and then their second best and so on and so on, until they sent what they could at me, and I didn't flinch. I stayed my ground and took them all on, One and all. Every last one of them is lying on the ground somewhere behind me now. I didn't bother to burry them, I left them for the scavengers of the forest. The carrion birds had feasted for some time in the Realm as long as they were near me.

      I used my sight practically at all times now. I could see a large mass on the trail in front of me as I rode. It was 5 miles ahead. My sight had improved quite a bit with all the usage. I could see nearly ten miles in front of me when I pushed the limits of my ability. Even though there wasn't a Raider that could stand against me, I still rode forward with caution. The mass could be a trap set just for me. I searched the surrounding forest with my sight to see if I could see the golden hue of the Raiders, but there was nothing there. When I was a few hundred yards from the mass. I dismounted and tied my horse off the trail. I could make out details on the mass, and saw a brindle coat of fur. It was a tree lion, but it wasn't moving.

     I advanced slowly. Even though Tree Lions were known to be very gentle creatures, they were intimidating with their size, and I didn't want to scare a sleeping lion. As I approached I began to see why it was lying in the middle of the trail instead of high in a tree. It was lying in sand that was red from it's blood. It had long since dried, and flies had begun their feast on the carcass. The lion hadn't just wandered onto the trail and died, it had been killed. I could see lacerations from swords and arrow sticking from it's hide. Raider arrows. They had killed this majestic friendly beast. A creature that signified good luck when you saw it. I had twice seen them before and good luck followed. The Raiders that had killed this being of the trees hadn't received good luck, they had received my blades, long ago. There were no tracks leading away towards the Kingdom, they all lead to where I had come from.

      I took the time to dig a deep pit and drug the Tree Lions body into it, and covered it. A beast with such a pure heart shouldn't be left to rot in the sun. It should be honored. I stayed there over night and my anger at the death of the lion fueled that fire that burned inside of me. I would finish this, and I would finish it soon. The Kingdom was only a days ride away now, and I would see it by the nightfall tomorrow. I would finally release this fire on the Mudwood, and end their reign in this land.