The Journal of Dr. Richard L. Sleight

APRIL 2008 EDITION 

Weight change in April, 198 to 201    


Mom Continues Slow Improvement

We have just about gotten her off the Glipizide (for lowering her blood sugar) and we don't test her blood quite as often. 

Perhaps having her here at our house is partly for my benefit. 
I had a candy bar for breakfast followed up by toast with jam and hash 'n eggs.  I could tell I was out of whack. My own blood sugar was 287!  This was Sunday morning, April 27th.  Other times I've tested myself were before meals and 112-169 was my range. (100 is the ideal.)  I was 106 a few hours later.

Mom enjoys the deck in the sunshine.  She's pictured here with the cats on one of the very few nice days we've had this month.  Mom especially enjoys the many squirrels that Nancy feeds.  They play outside the kitchen window and they make good subjects for my 80-200m lens.


Jeannie Beth Tastes Track & Field, Nathanael Shines

JB was only able to participate in two meets this season due to her drama commitments.  But in her last meet she achieved a PR in both her events.  She broke 30 seconds in the 200m, and brought home an 8th place ribbon from the Lynden Christian meet with a time of 29.98.  And her throw of 54'-8" was so much better than her prior 38'-3".  I bought her three discus' so we can practice
for next year.

Nathanael won the 1600m at Rainier High School and again at Lynden Christian.  At Rainier he had a memorable battle in the closing sprint.  Nate had taken the lead from the Montesano champ at the end of the third lap, but down the final 100m they were right together.  This is why I bought the D300.   Click the pic.

I wonder if his 4x400m relay team can improve in time for the District finals on May 17th.  Their time is right where it was last year at this point in the season: 3:40.  They need to get down toward 3:35 to have a chance for State.  His best 800m this season is 2:04:00 but last season he ran 2:02.65.  He needs to get down near 2:01 to make it to State in the 800m. 

I will be less anxious after he graduates.
 


Jeannie Beth Joins UPC

On Sunday, April 13th, Jean  Elizabeth became an official member of University Presbyterian Church, joining Nancy, Ann, and Nathanael. 
I remain the lone holdout at First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue.  Her membership class is over and we're happy to have her back so we don't have to stay late at church on Sunday.

I hear such good things about my own congregation that I would like the family (someday) to worship there.  All may depend on who is found to replace Rev. Earl Palmer. 

We left Grandma Jean home so I could go to church.  Jeannie Beth joined during the 11:30AM service and we found Tom Disher saving us a place in the balcony.  (I was surprised to see how few folks worshipped at 11:30AM.)

UPC is celebrating its 100th year this year and their big picnic is in early May.


New Snow Record Set on Sunday, April 20th

The Track meet on Saturday, April 19th at King's High School began in a snow storm and ended with sun and broken clouds.

The next day I got the shot at the left in our neighborhood.  The previous record for the latest snowfall in the spring in Seattle was on April 17th in 1972.

 

 

This passing made me cry.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 5, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary actor, civil rights leader and political activist Charlton Heston passed away today, at the age of 84. He died at his home with Lydia, his wife of 64 years, at his side.

Bits and Pieces
  • On April 5th the Saturday Men's Bible Study moved to our new home in S-223 in the Sanctuary
     building.  It's a bit of a squeeze but the space works OK for us.  We are at the Beatitudes in Luke 6 in May.

  • On April 9th Nathanael received word that he had been accepted into the SPU University Scholars program.
  • On April 26th, Nate and Jeannie teamed to take 4th place at the State Math Contest in Yakima.  Their teammate Quincy Wu did not make the trip so they could not answer all the questions in the allotted time.  BCS took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in other math events.
  • Grandpa Dick had surgery for Melanoma that I spotted on the right side of his head.
  • My weight continued to climb this month.  Bad diet, little exercise, less sleep -- three strikes and I'm out.
  • I pay too much attention to the Presidential election circus.  I don't like any of them but believe McCain to be more honest than the others.  I believe Clinton and Obama to be consistently untruthful -- saying what they think we want to hear. 

Invocation I gave at the
2008 New Majors' Dessert

Let’s thank the One who made tonight possible.

Will you please pray with me…

Our Gracious Heavenly Father,

 

I have it on the best authority that

In our hearts we make our plans,

but You determine our steps. 

So first, Lord, I thank you for shepherding our students

to this important transition point in their academic lives.

 

Your Word teaches us that

Plans fail for lack of counsel,

But with many advisers they succeed.

So I pray that the counsel we give tonight will

be honoring to You and effective in our hearers.

 

There are as many different goals and agendas here

as there are students in this room.

For many are the plans in our hearts

But it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

 

So as we study, and learn, and work — we can relax.

 

Father God, we invite You, by Your Spirit,

to participate in our program tonight. 

Open our ears to what you would have us hear

and sweeten our fellowship as only You can. 

 

Forgive us our trespasses at the dessert bar,

but thank you so much for your servants

who prepared everything for this evening.

 

Your disciples never fast

when the Bridegroom is present.

And we pray in His name.

 

Amen.

 My March Quote

In light of the election season I thought this quote from Isaiah was appropriate.
 

15  Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

16  Even Lebanon is not enough to burn,
Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.

17  All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing
and meaningless.                                    Isaiah  40:15-17 NASB

 

 

 

The Battle Continues

My reading in late May is S. Thomas Russell's Under Enemy Colors (2007).  The hero of the story is First Lieutenant Charles Hayden.  Captain Josiah Hart is a coward and a tyrant.  How will Mr. Hayden (with is own issues like having a French mother and an English father) triumph?  This book is an excellent contribution to the genre of British Naval fiction.  The first two chapters are online.  I look forward to a planned sequel already.

Coming in October is the next installment (the 9th) in Stockwin's Thomas Kydd series.  It also has its first chapter online. 
I have an Amazon.com gift certificate in hand and will likely advance order the hardcover first US edition.

We Have Digital TV!

Right now (April 28th, 8:40PM) Nancy and Nathanael are watching a Spanish PBS program on the 2nd of four different versions of KCTS-9 that we now receive.  We also get multiple channels on 4, 5, and 7 plus 11, 13, and many UHF channels -- all with clear signals. And this is on the old RCA TV in the living room. 

On January 1st I ordered two free $40 coupons from the Federal program at https://www.dtv2009.gov/. These were for digital converter boxes.  When I got the coupons, I went to Radio Shack and paid only $20 for the two boxes.  But I decided I needed a new antenna too.  The old one would work but I searched online for a small one that would work indoors.  I found one that Nancy was convinced would not do the job.  This is the DB2 from antennasdirect.com. It is more than "as advertised."  It's incredible.  We have more free channels than we could ever have time to watch.  We don't need to buy new digital TV sets.  And one more "to do" is successfully "ta done!"

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