I now officially HATE Summer....if it's not 100 Degrees, then it's 'freak' summer STORMS (Y'know, where the electricity goes away ). 

     But, I also have something new and interesting: The VA and I are actively planning to replace my knees, one at a time. (My latest ortho appointment showed my latest hip replacement healing nicely -not as fast as last time and I have to go to Physical Therapy twice a week, still no problems)

          However

   There is a period of time that VA wants me to wait between surgeries. Okay, I can see that (like, for example, I can not have any Dental surgery done until after March 2014 ), BUT, I have been asked WHICH Surgery do I feel is more important to me: My Knees or My EYES ? ......"Say Again, Over ?????"

        It turns out that not only is my eyesite devolving, requiring a new pair of eyeglasses every year, but I am also developing Cataracts ! ! !  Fortunately, these eye problems are EASILY solved by Modern Medicine: Brand New Polymer Lenses installed in eyes ! ! ! As the surgery goes forth to replace my original, biological lenses, at the same time they deal with the cataracts.  Presto ! 20/20 Vision/no more glasses, squinting or occasional spots.

               Interesting Choice: Walk or See .   Walk or See.....

    Seeing how I havent really been walking for the past 15 years or so, and I REALLY REALLY need eyesight for the Hobby, I am probably going to go for 20/20 eyes ! (I have been dealing with the "Need Cane and Drugs In Order To Be Able To Sorta Stumble About " for 15 years, I can go another 2 years. But " To Not Have to Peer at Map and Counters With Magnifying Glass" ???  Yes, definitely.

         Especially, as I consider that as I recover from hip replacement surgery, Wargames and Books hvae been a mainstay of my existence. My latest book Robert Citino's latest "The Wehrmacht Retreats" has made me (Yes, MADE ME) go through  twenty or so wargames that deal with the 1943  campaigns that the book covers.: The Tunisian Campaign, Sicily, Kursk , The Italian Campaign -Salerno, the German Retreat to the Dnepr... 

                      (Check your collections; see how many games you have on those -do not forget magazine games !)