Weekend Bugs/Radio Days The D-Day Invasion

The weekend "flu" by to say the least...a recap is in order{only because I have little else to talk about}.


Friday afternoon I got a knock on the door, open it and see my old buddy from my High School and Montezuma living days, Bob Jones....I had exchanged e-mails with Bob, but had not seen him since our get together with Don "Rat" Boyce and his wife at the local Bob Evans, back in September...Jonsey was out and about and we had a nice 90 minute or so sit down talk about the current state of the world in our aging eyes, and times past. He departed and agreed that our next get together with Rat and our wives would happen in March, hopefully the weather will be somewhat warmer.

With Bob gone, it was time to get ready for the first of my 2 weekend JV games, this one at Lima Bath in the prelude to the WBL game with Kenton. The game went OK, just the usual complaining and "The was a terrible call" shouts from coaches and fans...if they didn't bitch, you would think something was really wrong. I worked with Dan Minnich, who has been umpiring baseball since our early days...this was our first basketball game together, although we have done many games on the ball diamond together. Game complete, I got home, downed a couple of Extra Stout Guinness brews, and hit the sack.

Saturday morning I awoke to a cold and clear morning...and the beginnings of what I thought was a routine head cold of my own. Damn! All the winters without a cold of any substance, and since I took up basketball....bam! I manage a couple or more a season....I hate em'!

As the day moved on, the cold lingered on, but not bad{I thought}, so I headed off to my second JV game of the weekend at Spencerville, against Delphos St. Johns. Interesting game...these 2 schools are about 8 miles apart on State Route 66, but had not played basketball during the regular season since 1945. I felt pretty good, despite the cold, and made it up and down the floor in the 22 point St. Johns win. Delphos also won the varsity game...I headed home, down a couple of brews and headed to bed, the cold was hanging on.

Reagan awoke at 4am and let us know she had to go out...early, real early. Patricia got up, with a cold of her own, and said she would rest on one of the recliners down stairs, as her head was "stuffed"...Anissa{home for the weekend} got up soon after, as did I. Seems I was no having a time getting enough air into my lungs to get back to sleep...

As the morning progressed, my breath intake did not get better/the blood pressure and heart rate were up, way up....so about 11 I decided, that with the local clinic closed until 6 and no Doc Bergman's office open...I would gut it up and head to the Emergency Room...was this an "emergency"? I didn't think so in the sense, but I knew I wasn't getting enough air to take care of business...so off we went, all 3 of us. Patricia and me to see the ER Doctor, and Anissa to keep us company...

Bronchitis....and the Flu____

In my 60 years I had never been diagnosed with Bronchitis....the ER Doc asked, "any history of Asthma"? Nope, only Sam, our oldest son has a history of Bronchitis, but none here....until yesterday. So I had bronchitis, Patricia the Flu...so we both get a shot, I get an inhaler, and both a prescription for an antibiotic. Off to Wally World, since our regular pharmacy was closed for Sunday as well....about this time, Patricia's flu had come into my life. After getting home, I sat and watched the Ohio State win over Minnesota, then headed to bed for another 5 hours. By 8 o'clock I was tired but breathing and feeling better...stayed up until 11, and headed back to the sack, got up at 7 this morning, feeling about half assed better. Still weak, but I can breath, and actually see the keyboard.

I wonder when Obama's Meal pieced Health Care plan is passed, will I, being 60, be able to do this.....? And they will pass Health Care, one piece at a time, no matter if we like it or not.

I will take it easy for the day, but should make it to Dartball tonight....no basketball games until tomorrow, a JH double header at St. Henry, but will stay on the Medication and take it one hour or so at a time....and see how things improve.


Radio Daze_____

Those who read this blog on occasion know that before my days at the Health Department(retiring in 2002), and as a RV Delivery guy, and Sports Official, I worked in radio full time for a few years and part time for another 2 decades. In addition to Civil War and WW2 history, I also am a fan of Old Time Radio History...the radio before the crap music that is played out today on the FM side. Bad Music, bad voices catering to "diversity" is the product that calls itself radio these days. It wasn't always so. From the 1930s through the early 50s, before TV took center stage, radio is where we as a nation got our news and most entertainment from. I guess that is why I like XM Radio and it's old classic program channel, #165, on Old Time Radio Classics".

Forward to this morning, I flip on the and heard a show with and announcer named George Hicks. I had never heard of this guy, but being the inquisitive type I am, I immediately Google "George Hicks". Seems old George was a long time broadcaster with the Blue Network(now ABC), and did everything from Variety to Comedy show announcing...but his most famous work would come during World War II when he was a newscaster based in London, and was aboard a ship, and broadcasted from same, that took part in the D-Day Invasion...he broadcast what is considered to be the most famous Radio Broadcast ever:

http://www.otr.com/hicks.html

If you have a Windows or other media player you can listen to the original 13 minute version on the above site.

You tube version can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K7aaB7O7SM

For all the bad the Internet brings, it can indeed have a wealth of useless and useful information.

That's it for now....for the remainder of the day, I will run a few errands, rest up, and probably head north of town to Mt Tabor Church for our last road dartball games of the season...home for the last 2 weeks of the regular season, and we host the playoffs and tournament at St. Johns. On a similar note, I now lead the league in batting average at .443, but seldom play well on the Tabor board...so we will see how that works itself out.

back later>>>>

Photos-Bob Jones and me, in the summer of 1968, in the Jones living room, the night before I headed out to the Air Force...Bob headed for the Navy a few weeks later and we both served in Vietnam by 1969. Me, "Rat" Boyce, and Bob back in September of 2009....the 40 years have flown by in a blinding light speed. Radio Broadcaster George Hicks, who may have given the most famous radio broadcast in the history of WW2....The D Day Invasion on June 6, 7, 1944.