situation as it stands:
   
      66.5 years old, severe case of COPD, down to less than 18% of useful lung, fairly tied to a tube supplementing oxygen. Both feet are perpetually feeling asleep as is my pinky finger and part of the ring finger of my right hand.

     Both feet are swollen to the point they look blown up like a balloon. My eyes have become a problem in that I need artificial tears or whatever that's called. My face, hands, neck, stomach, and legs have taken on fat that I seem unable to change.

     My skin has become as thin as rice paper at least on my hands and arms and merely bumping something not even sharp can peel back the skin and look fairly nasty. I don't bleed much, can often simply lay the skin back over it and continue on, but sores that size often get re-bumped and healing takes quite awhile.

     My energy level, or get up n go has definitely gone down to almost nothing. I have slept whole days and nights. Days go by I don't make it outside even once. By 4 o'clock pm my breathing becomes ragged for some reason, and my day is pretty much over at that point.

     I can't bend over to do anything without it stopping my breathing altogether. I can manage by holding my breath for a few seconds, but if I stretch it, it might take minutes to regain control of my breathing.

      On the best of days, I am able to go and do for about 30 seconds without stopping, but then I have to simply stop whatever I'm doing and stay in place until my breathing becomes regular again, sometimes taking 10 minutes or more.


That's where I am physically. Mentally is another story which I might add a little later.

3-24-14

After a great day out on the range, enjoying the company of a young man and his son, it ended in a bang as I decided to shoot the 357 a few times. Having forgot the box of 38 shells I'd planned on using up, I took the two loads that had been in the truck for emergencies and having shot one cylinder up, was feeling pretty good as I reloaded the last 7 shells and took aim.

 DAMN MY HIDE, one of those shells was a leftover from the reloading debacle that blew up my last pistol. Sure enough, the pistol blew out the whole right side of the cylinder, blowing pieces almost 50' down the line and grazing my face with a neat little cut that could have been fatal or taken out my eye!

I'd already sold all my reloading equipment months ago. I'd set aside all my 357 reloads and bought retail ammunition to shoot through it. I was safe.... or so I thought.  Obviously not my time to die, once again no one was hurt and I had just blew a $600 pistol all to hell.  Slow as I am, this time I got the message....lol

The Mossberg 715T is a kick to shoot, looking like a military rifle, it's actually a 'plinkster' ... but accurate enough for varmint shooting I suppose.  The Ruger 22 MK III is a pretty deadly shooter and the Volquartsen 17 HMR is dead on.  Guess I'll stick with rim fires ;-)

Spring! 2014

About to go join 'momma' in a nap, luxury of old folks ;-)  The two RC Priests from Nebraska left early this a.m. on their way to a baptism in San Diego. 

What a blessing to be able to offer shelter n friendship with two apostles of our Lord!  We were able to have the Holy Mass said right in our living room, just like they did in the early church... 
(con-celebrated no less) (two priests) and to receive our Lord in the Sacrament...Thank you Jesus! 

 Father Joe then blessed the house, throughout and without.... feeling quite blessed on my way to Gethsemane. 

Sitting here realizing there's a lot of life in my circle! Thank you Jesus!

Wish I was able to go back n spend more time with each of them, but life has its own schedule it seems. I reckon my job will be to pray for these young people to find and embrace the God that I did. Funny how life just rips on by, doesn't seem that long ago, but it has been...n that's the trick. I'm the oldest Harris from the clan of Nelt and Mable Harris.

Have you ever?

How many of you have grown up in a town small enough you were free to 

take off and be gone most of the day without your folks worrying about 

you? - I was.

How many went to grade school where they froze a pond on the 

playground and sunk a 55 gal. drum half way so you'd have something to 

do during recess in the winter? - I did (and our swing set was made with 

telephone poles! very high)

How many of you ever made a giant move in your young life from small 

town to Big City, 1200 to 350,000 ... I did. It was awesome.

How many have body surfed the Pacific Ocean and caught giant rides 

that felt like flying in water? I have

Got to go to the San Diego Zoo (2nd largest in the US) so many times 

we knew how to sneak in several ways even though it was free to kids.

Every skin dived and shot fish with home make spear guns? I have.

Ever won a fishing contest as a little fella? Won a mickey mouse watch 

for catching two fish at the same time.

Ever tramped the canyons so often you could run down the steep hills 

with ease? 

Ever shot and killed and ate Doves and pigeons by the bag full? (pellet 

guns n junior high)

Ever got to turn on to dark rooms and two tube radios and discovered 

geodes and all that neat junior high stuff? Played in the band, 

Orchestra, and marching band! Drums, Timpani and snare and 

Sousaphone... fun times.

My folks got talked into accordion lessons, brother Mike got stuck going, 

then mom would come home and teach me.... 4 years that gave me a real 

sense of music appreciation.

Ever had a paper route? I had two different ones, one paid $7/month 

and the other a whopping $15/month; bicycle routes, folded and 

delivered before school two days/three days a week.

ever sold greeting cards door to door? or mowed lawns with a non 

motorized mower (reel mower) ($1 a yard) or baby sat the neighbors 

kids?  I learned how money was made by the 6th grade!

Ever been to an after game dance with close to 5,000 kids there?
Battle of the bands with the Beach Boys and two other bands... (San 

Diego, 1963 14 high schools (public) ... 

Ever gone to a drag race? Ramona Drag strip in SD and even got to see 2 

world's records set at Carlsbad 7.56 seconds and 7.54! (that long ago)

Fallen in puppy love with more than one girl at once? ... killer!

Dropped out of high school and joined the Army? Put on 30# and 

learned how defend yourself? Gone over seas and seen how people still 

live without most of the things we take for granted? ... I did.

Have you ever packed a backpack and headed across the United 

States? by yourself? I did... off n on for almost 9 years.

Have you ever turned onto riding freight trains? I logged close to 

200,000 miles last time I figured it all up.

Have you ever backpacked into the back country by yourself for days at 

a time?  I have in several states.

Ever buy and ride a motorcycle? I had 3 and put 36,000 miles on one.

Ever skin dive the living coral reef? Ever been deep sea fishing?

Ever seen the sun set down on Key West? Ever read a letter by star 

light in Montana? Ever seen the Northern Lights?

Ever free climbed a cliff knowing your very first mistake would probably 

kill you? Ever gone backpacking in the High Sierra's without a map or 

permit?

Ever seen Yellowstone or Glacier or Yosemite? Ever hiked to the bottom 

of the Grand Canyon? I did twice. Ever seen the Giant Redwoods? Hiked 

any of the John Muir trail in the High Sierra's or the Appalachian 

Mountains?...yeah, I have.

Ever been blessed enough to find your soul mate? I have. too bad I was 

in such a rush, I'll always regret not having children with this woman!

Have you ever taken an idea and carried it to a functioning enterprise??
I have twice in my life. commercial grounds-keeping and publishing. both 

were successful.

Have you ever been involved in a miracle and known it was as it 

happened? - believe it or not, lots of times.

Both my sons were born using Lamaze, and both my daughters in birth 

centers. Very great privilege to witness and be a part of.

Have you ever been mad @ God? I mean really  mad... I have, and like a 

blind man refusing the lifesaver, I stopped praying and paid the price.

Now I'm old, almost 66, but they were hard years spent in abusing my 

body, smoking unfiltered cigarettes being the thing that finally brought 

me down. Now that I've already lived longer than I thought I would as a 

young man, I realize that is stupid thinking. I'll never get to spend 

quality time with my grand children!...that thought hurts and produces 

an ache that if I'd have been able to feel when I was in my 30's might 

have changed much of my life...but, water under the bridge now.