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For all the talk about health care, insurance, and the like, let's not forget that some medical miracles have now become available to us on an out-patient basis. Last Thursday, Sandra had cataract surgery. Through a 22mm incision, the doctor removed the clouded lens in her right eye and insert a new, clear lens. We went to the hospital at 7:30 in the morning with the surgery scheduled for 9:00. She was back in her room by 10:45 and we went out for lunch shortly after noon.

Big kudos go to our wonderful ophthalmologist, Dr. Susan Yoemans, and the truly wonderful nursing and support staff at Marlborough (MA) hospital. They have a blanket warmer so that you can get, um, warmed blankets for the relatively brief time that you're in bed.

Sandra was back at her sewing machine later that afternoon, albeit wearing a patch that stayed on until the next morning.

"I can see out of this eye," Sandra remarked as we rode around the next day. Colors that had gone missing were visible again.

Arthur C. Clarke said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

G'bye, analog TV

We're going to be hearing a lot about this in the coming year and a lot of what we hear will probably be confusing and contradictory. In brief, over-the-air television stations are scheduled to change from analog to digital signals in February 2009. At that point, older television sets that receive their signals from an antenna will no longer be able to receive a signal that they can use. If you receive your TV signals from a cable provider, satellite dish, or something similar, such as Verizon FIOS, your provider will deliver a signal that you can use.

The federal government is making coupons available for those people who need to purchase a digital-analog converter. (We'll need one at the camp, for example.) You can find out more on the federal digital television web site.

Testing is showing, not surprisingly, that there are some uncertainties in the transition process. The problems haven't yet resulting in a delay in the changeover date, but stay tuned (if you can).

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin

We're back in winter again. The other day, we took a walk in to the camp. The mild air was melting the ice on the tree branches, so it was though we were walking through a rain shower. Snowmobilers had packed down the snow and the walking was easy.

You can't get anywhere near the camp without thinking about Huck. He died at home last January. An ice storm had knocked out the power. He slipped away in the quiet darkness. His friend, Elden, remarked how Huck could walk silently like an Indian in the woods. Karl remembers learning (albeit not very well) how to guide a canoe silently without lifting the paddle from the water. Huck may have left us quietly, but he also left us the camp and stories upon stories.

The camp has been a great place for parties in all seasons as well as time for vacations and just hanging around. We spent vacation weeks in July (with Sandra's cousin, Phyllis) and September. In July, we celebrated Sandra's 60th birthday with a whitewater rafting trip down the Deerfield River in western Massachusetts. Sandra attended another 60th birthday party, in California with a friend she's known since childhood. Add to that trips to Prince Edward Island in April, May, and August and you can see that we had good times at home and away from home. (MuscleCam gives you an idea of the wild times that can be had on PEI.) In November, the MacGregor family gathered to celebrate Woody and Marian's 65th wedding anniversary.

Illness and change were also a part of our year. Karl left his job in April due to what his doctors called treatment-refractory depression. In November, he was classified as disabled and eligible for Social Security benefits; in effect, retired. Early retirement is mostly a good thing, but it feels like getting a new bike in winter, a new toy arriving in an unexpected season.

Our family continues to flourish. The grandchildren excel in sports (Michael Francis, tri-captain and MVP of his football team; Krista making the junior high varsity track team in shotput and cross-country, Lily winning ribbons for swimming), music, and dance. Mike's business sponsored a food relief program for needy folks in the area. Adam, who was promoted to Sergeant this year, led a gift drive for a military police division stationed in Iraq. Jennie started a new job at Baystate Medical Center.

We have a couple of family traditions to carry forward. When the grandchildren turn 13, we take them to see Blue Man Group in Boston. This year, it's Joe's turn. When a child turns 10, they get to fly to PEI with Sandra. Tess's turn is in May.

If we could get several days of hard cold and not too much snow, we might be able to get together at the camp (perhaps to celebrate Krista's 12th birthday) with skating, hot chocolate, and maybe even a sauna and a roll in the snow.

We wish you good tidings at Christmas and a Happy New Year.
With love from Karl and Sandra

Once more in the snow

I once had an old Saab, a three-banger (a three-cylinder, two stroke engine). The windshield wiper motor quit on me one winter and it took a while to find one in a junk yard. I could manually operate the
wipers by reaching under the dash and moving the levers, a bit tricky when driving a standard shift. But, if the windshield was cold, the snow would fly right over and so I didn't need to use the wipers.

Apple of the earth, we salute you

Not only is 2008 The International Year Of The Potato (via Presurfer), but two Peruvian potato researchers were given the Order of Merit of the Diplomatic Service of Peru (from the Potato Museum blog via the Journal of Improbable Research).

Update 1/2/08: according to the CBC, there will be an international potato technology conference in Charlottetown PEI in February.

Update: Make your own Potato Parade.

What's wrong with this picture?

I can hardly wait to get old(er). Property taxes are so high that towns are letting senior citizens work off their tax bills at minimum-wage jobs: Plan Would Let Seniors Work to Pay Taxes

Death takes the rest of the year off

From the Worcester Telegram and Gazette: http://www.telegram.com -