Karl's Kolumn

BE SURE TO ENTER… There’s still time to enter this week’s free Thanksgiving turkey drawing. Clip out the 16 entry coupons, write your name and address on each one and to drop them off at the participating business, by noon Monday.

RAIN, SNOW, SUN, WIND… If you don’t like the Michigan weather, stick around, it will change soon.

There was a day two weeks ago that dawn opened with wet snow, rain and closed with more rain.

I’m hoping there might be a promising sunny day soon, so I can run some tests on the fall fishing on any nearby lake.

Wonder what’s the busiest job in the neighborhood? Raking leaves, followed closely by mowing lawns. I could be seen vacuuming the leaves earlier this week, only to have the piles jump up and fly to the other side of the yard.

WHERE’S KARL? Amy mentioned that a subscriber commented last week that he had not seen me around recently. Amy said, as a matter of fact I have had numerous comments, “from readers about your absence.”

Adding, “If you’re interested, we have had an increase in online subscribers and newsstand sales, while postal subscriber sales have flattened out.”

I hope Amy’s giving me some credit for changes in newspaper readership the past ten years or so. In fact, I can attest to some changes in Karl’s Kolumn, due to new glasses, and the fine editing of Amy and Laurie.

Actually in full disclosure mode: A while back I announced (here) I had to cut back on my newspaper activities for some health reasons; least of all celebrating my 77th birthday and most of all some age-related maladies. When I mentioned my concerns to Dr. Mesiona and that I was trying out some over the counter medicines, she agreed there could be a deeper problem.

“Why don’t we run some tests and get some medical opinions and then we can treat whatever issues are bothering you,” she said.

Four months later, I had a diagnosis of sleep apnea (dangerous snoring), neuropathy (numbness in my hands and feet) and some other issues, such as memory, vertigo and floater spots in my eyes.

I’d like to say there’s a big improvement, but I can’t. I can say there’s some progress but only time will tell.

Meanwhile I’m also helping Annie with her own health issues. Sadly most are age-related and are complicated with widespread arthritis.

For those who know her, she battles the aches and pains daily and doesn’t let it get her down.

We won’t give up. Our joys are the love and prayers our family and friends share with us.