Happy Halloween 2011

   The feel of cold honed steel as it slips beneath the skin, the copper smell of fresh blood as it begins to trickle out of the newly cut wound.  The muscles tighten as the pain expands from the small incision now ready for ideas to proceed.  Taking the trocar from the table beside me, pressing the point against the open tissue and with careful effort the precision plastic creates an opening into the abdomen.  Connecting pressurized air to the trocar, the belly started to expand, and a slight moan of discomfort escapes from soft red lips.  Slipping out the center of the trocar and replacing it with a long scope that is connected to a camera, the image was quite clear.  Visualizing various organs throughout the abdominal cavity, pausing long enough to notice the heartbeat showing through the diaphragm above the stomach. 

   Adding another small incision and smaller torcar, the possibility of added instrumentation was multiplied ten fold.  Removing the scope, 5 small bullets were dropped down the larger trocar, and once again the scope descended into the abdomen.  Using a grasping instrument, each bullet was found and placed inside unlikely places. 

   The first bullet was placed carefully inside the normal looking gallbladder, the next was inserted through the wall of the stomach.  As the third one was located, a delicate hand reached for the camera.  At this point, the great care and detail of each fingernail is noticed, but does not help the time allotted for this to be finished.  In the few minutes left, before all chaos erupted from a docile situation, the rest of the bullets were placed and trocars removed.  Without proper time, normal closure could not be initiated of the two small incision, so liquid bandage was employed to seal out the environment from places it normally would not go.

   Admiring the closure, a small line of blood began from the side the smaller incision and was working its way down the lateral edge of the abdomen.  Goose bumps formed adjacent to the line as it traveled.  Using a finger, the blood was quickly stopped before reaching its destination.  The taste was one of accomplishment and desire, and was a cause for a moment of pause. 

   Cleaning up in haste, and redressing her sweetness before she became fully aware of her situation.  She was placed carefully into the back of the ambulance on a stretcher, and strapped in.  Her intravenous fluids that had become depleted during the procedure were replaced and the doors closed.  The roads were quiet, despite the siren screaming from the ambulance, as she was transported to the local emergency room.  Just before reaching the hospital, the sirens were silenced and flashing lights ceased.  Pulling into the parking lot and parking near the entrance, the ambulance was left with her alone.  

   Medical personnel began exiting the facility and investigating the ambulance to find the latest creation of an evil mind............

There have been various critters in my life, some with 2 legs some with 4, a few with wings and others with gills.  From a few ounces up to a few hundred pounds.  At this point however we have 1 dog, a 9 month old puppy made up of Jack Russell, Boston terrier, and Chihuahua named Zygo.



We got the name from Zygomatic, a bone high on your cheek.  Was able to get him from a friend at work and he has been the best dog.

   Then there are the two cats, Shroom and Truffle.  Shroom is a 9 yr old matriarch, and Truffle is a 6yr old princess.  They are both your basic medium haired tabby cats.

We got them both from the local shelter and as you can see, they both look like mushrooms.  Some people feel I have a more questionable side to there names, but really it is because of their markings.

   Last but not least, well okay he is the smallest, is Gizmo.  He is a common rat that is about a yr old.  He is the last of 4 rats we did have, but the others have met different ends to their little lives.  All these different furry characters make our lives very interesting at times.  But nothing like the 3 additions we acquired 2 days ago.

   See, I have the Indianapolis Animal Care and Control on my facebook page since thats where we got our cats.  And from time to time they put requests out there for volunteers to help doing different things.  One time, my wife Annie and I, transported a injured goose from the southside of Indy to the northside to a avian rescue.

   Other times they need foster homes for animals too young to be adopted out and too small to stay in the shelter over night.  And we have discussed whether or not we have the time to foster, and the will power to have cute babies come visit and then have to be turned back over to the shelter.  Well, finally the need outweighed the concerns.  The IACC placed a request on Facebook for fosters to care for ten 1week old puppies and three 1 week old kittens.  Annie and I decided that since I took a week off from work we would have more time to devote to the babies.  So I emailed the shelter and said we could take a couple of the little ones, didn't matter kitten or puppy.
   Apparently, the kittens were in more peril because they didn't have a mama.  So as I sit here writing this on one of my sewing tables(another story), they are cuddled up in a box beside the computer with their bellies full.

   They are so little, their eyes are still shut, but they still have well developed lungs and let us know when they are in need of attention.  When you take them out to feed them, they start rooting around and bobbing their little heads.  One of my daughters said it looks like they are 'doing the dougie' as they dance around the table while Annie and I try to get a bottle settled in their mouth.  Once they are attached they get down to work and fill their bellies with the kitten formula.

They are so much fun to work with, almost like human babies.  After each feeding, I have to burp them and then rub their backsides with a warm wet cloth to get them to potty.  Never had that problem with the kids, after eating and burping, they filled the diaper all on their own.  Not sure how long we are going to keep the little guys, but Annie has a favorite and I am thinking it will join the herd here at the Wortman Domain....

Some of the things I remember doing as I grew up in Maine involved different aspects of the lifestyle available in the that particular state. From what I remember it was a pretty quiet area near the ocean. We lived in a 2 story Dutch Colonial style house on 52 acres of woods. Pretty much the only cleared area was the main yard around the house and barn. There was an area where my maternal grandparents had a mobile home on our property and a large garden where my family grew a lot of our own vegetables.

Our house literally sat on the edge of a ledge. There was about a 2' wide strip between the back of the house and a long drop down to the ground below. In the winter when our yard was covered in the magical white stuff we would sled down this incredible decline and if you didn't stop in time you would end up in the trees. And when the snowplow would come clear our long driveway and push the snow up near our barn we could make huge snow creations. From tunnels through the snow to 'forts' made from snow packed in snow molds that you always seemed to get for christmas. I heard that one winter, my older brother Paul, slid off the garage and down the packed snow and straight down the hill. He got going to such a speed that he ended up splitting his head open when he came to an abrupt stop.

Several areas around the property held ponds of water and in the winter they would freeze over. I never owned a pair of ice skates, but that never stopped us from sliding all over the ice and busting our tail bones on numerous occasions. Of course we would wait near the radio in the morning to hear if it was a snow day, just so we could stay home. One year we had so many snow days we had to go to school on a couple of saturdays to make up the time.

Above is a view of the front yard and part of the house I grew up in, not a great picture, but an idea at least.

I only spent 8 winters in Maine, but there was a lot of memories tied to this home.  And I will touch on more next time.....

   Welcome to my little piece of the internet.  If you choose to return here you will be able to read various stories from different points in my life.  Some real, some have bouncing around my brain for some time...

I guess I should start with a little information about who I am...

   I was born in a small coastal town of southeastern Maine, called Damariscotta.  Grew up in the town of Round Pond until I was about 9 with my Ma and 5 siblings.  My Father was a Merchant Marine and spent the biggest part of my youth on the ocean, but more of him later.  My siblings, 4 girls and one boy, 4 older and one younger, had various effects on my life from day one.  And last, but not least, my Mother.  Who raised 6 kids through lots of adversity and chaos, of course we didn't make it easier.

   In 1979, my parents decided we needed to pack up a huge houseful of history and drag it almost 90% of the total distance of I-95.  Florida!!  Yeah, the place where old people go to retire and everyone dreams of going to visit.  The land of warm climates and hundreds of beaches.  The home of Shamu, Mickey Mouse and oranges.  I will admit its a great place to visit, but living there is definitely a whole different experience.

1979 Christmas in Umatilla,FL...I am the one wearing the light brown jacket with the huge

 collar standing behind my little red headed sister Amy...Other people in the picture are my

niece Tamya and friends of the family Shane beehind her and Bobby in the doorway...

   Over the 20 yrs I lived in the great Sunshine State, I lived in 7 different cities, at approximately 17 different addresses and went to 8 different public schools.  At the age of 28, and tired of how things were heading, I packed up my 2 sons, their mother, 2 cats, a guinea pig and left Florida.  After several days and a long trip that is a whole other story I pulled into the state of Indiana. 

   That was 12 yrs ago and I have moved onto bigger and better things.  I now have 2 daughters to make the final sum 4 children.  I have been with my second wife for 9 yrs, married 7.  I live in Indianapolis, and work at a great doctors office replacing hips and knees.

   Understand that this is just a rough summary and I will fill in the gaps as this blog grows.  Mixing in a made up story every now and then just to keep it interesting....