AMAZON

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Doing Me Civic Duty

I did my civic duty and voted in Kentucky’s Democratic Primary Election this afternoon. (Do I need to say for whom I voted?)

I planned to vote this morning and take lots of photos to share. However, as is apt to happen with my plans, I don’t vote until almost the time the polls close.

You see, Alex and I were up early—about 3:30 a.m.—and after visiting blogs and stuff, I decided to take a leisurely bath followed by a shower and then put on some spiffy clothes (maybe my red shirt with dragon on it) to wear to the polling place. While I was in the tub, Alex did his normal thing and climbed on my chest, curled up, and purred as I ran my hand over his fur. We both enjoy that kind of bathtub soaking.


When the water began turning cold, I awakened the furball and he jumped from my chest to the floor and sat there waiting for me to get out of the tub. For me getting out of a bathtub is a complicated process. HI must push on the front of the tub with my leg while pulling myself up with my hand on bar at the wall-side of the tub.

This morning something happened that has never before happened: as I was about 75% out of the tub, my hand slipped off the bar and I fell back into the tub, hitting my head on the back wall and splashing water all over the bathroom—including on a very surprised Alex.

After a few minutes of evaluating the situation (and deciding whether or not to pick up the cordless phone I keep on a small table beside the tub and dialing 911), I realized that I could get out of the tub. So, I went through the process again and this time made it safely up and out.

I cleaned up the gallons of water from the bathroom floor and, with my head and knee throbbing, decided to take a nap before voting. Thus, Alex and I napped for about six hours. Then we got up, I dressed, Alex went back to napping, and at 4:00 p.m. I drove the short distance to the polling place. Unfortunately, I didn’t take many photos: just the ones below.

Before I could obtain the oxygen tank, I had to step over Alex, who was napping in the doorway beside the oxygen generator, which the furball has learned is warm.

I only had one portable bottle of oxygen left (the one with the white band on it). I’ve been saving it for today.

The Polling Place: Brick Building on the Left. Lots of Close Parking!

As of 7:00 p.m., this is what the results were here in Kentucky:

President (D)


Primary


Precincts Reporting:

475

Of

3532

13%



Candidate

Incumbent

Votes

Vote %


Hillary Clinton


55,226

49%


Barack Obama


53,332

48%


Uncommitted


1,942

2%


John Edwards


1,564

1%

24 comments:

  1. You could have been seriously hurt or even killed! Maybe you should give up bath tub soaking!

    ReplyDelete
  2. now, who did you vote for? Looks like you're a Mccain fan. :-)

    I do hope you're OK with the fall and everything. That's a very scary story and hope that if there are anymore falls that you get up stronger than before. Take care my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh jeeez! Falling in the bath is so scary! I hope you are ok. Maybe some newly positioned bars should be installed. And Alex should be taught to dial 911 with his soft little paws.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am happy to know that you did your “civic duty,” Rev Saint. However, I am more concerned about that fall in the bathtub. Accidents like that can be life threatening when one has only a cat as a housemate. Take care, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bath rails? You need bath rails... and a non-slip bath mat. If you haven't already got them that's what you need. I can't help with the rails but if you have any trouble getting a non-slip mat, let me know. :o)
    I love a soak, it's the only way to ease away the days strains and stress. Has Alex ever fallen in the tub? That would certainly wake him from napping!
    Take care Nick.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ouch! Hope you're head is ok!
    Ginger Cat fell into the bath when he was a kitten not quite understanding it was full of water!
    You can imagine how he reacted!
    Unfortunately Chris was in the bath at the time and didnt quite manage to make it out unscathed!
    Pol x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks, everyone. I’m feeling better this morning, after I napped and sleep quite a bit yesterday.

    EX-LOUISVILLE GUY: Yes, I could have been hurt much more than I was. This never happened before and it was a damned surprise.

    RICARDO: The candidate who received my vote lost big in Kentucky, just as the pundits predicted: Obama won the largest cities (Louisville and Lexington) but lost the rest of the state.

    VON KRANKIPANTZEN: I’ve tried to teach Alex to dial the phone, but the furball isn’t interested in learning. He does, however, like to talk on the phone, but only if I have the speaker on.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AZSONOFAGUN: Well, yes. I wouldn’t mind sharing my home with a (female) human. However, those days are in the past. And Alex was no help at all yesterday; he was most concerned about escaping from that nasty water.

    DAFFY: Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I do need bath rails. Although I really suspect that the reason my hand slipped from the hold was that whatever temporary housekeeper cleaned it left detergent or soap on it. I do have an excellent non-slip surface built into the floor of the tub.

    Alex hasn’t fallen in the tub but one since he’s been curling up on my chest and belly. He has twitched his tail into the water, however. Even that awakened him!

    POLGARA: My head and neck did hurt a bit. It took two doses of ibuprofen yesterday to end the pain and another very early this morning. I know exactly how Ginger Cat reacted! Alex, too, when he was a kitten, fell into bath water while exploring. I think that that was the beginning of his phobia toward water in any form. I hope the scratches on Chris healed quickly!

    SANDY KESSLER: Thank you. I’d not thought of it in those terms; however, you are right!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nick - you should know better then to go to sleep after a head injury! You're lucky to have not been hurt that badly, that could have been very bad!

    If you can't get those rails from cost, then at least get those grippy stick on things for the floor of your tub. They will give you something to grip too at least.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Please be careful Nick -

    & go to the doctor if you feel sick and make sure it's not a concussion!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my! I'm glad to hear you're ok. And I dont' know you that well...but I would follow rhapsody's advise and make sure it's not a concussion!!!!

    I can't believe your cat gets in the tub with you!! That is sooo cute!

    Peace

    ReplyDelete
  12. Falling is always scary no matter where it happens - it is that loss of control. Sorry that you hit your head; I hope you are not sore today.

    ReplyDelete
  13. XMICHRA: Yes, I thought about the possibility of a concussion after I awoke! I had one when I was a sophomore in college and remember the warning from then.

    RHAPSODY: Yes, I shall certainly go to the MD if the symptoms of a concussions are there.

    ODAT: Alex likes to cuddle. As a matter of fact, he and I just arose from a morning nap and I had to awaken the furball, who was snuggled next to me, so that I wouldn’t sit of him when I got out of bed.

    SAINTSEESTER: As a matter of fact, I am sore today. My head is no longer aching, bur my neck and the forearm that I used to help break the fall are. Also, I am tired. I suppose it will be another day of ibuprofen therapy!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nick,

    I got scared reading this. I care about you. Would you consider only take baths when your helper person is there?

    I'm glad that you're OK.

    And I'm sorry that the person you voted for didn't win in your state.

    But he's still ahead!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm glad to hear you're ok Nick - is there something you can put on that little bar to make it less slick? Maybe double stick tape covered in something?

    ReplyDelete
  16. CAROL: Bathing when the housekeepers are here is a possibility that I’d not considered. Of course, I usually shower: soaking in the tub is reserved for relaxation (for Alex as well as me).

    As for the election, I shall be so glad when this annoying primary is over!


    TUG: What needs to happen is for whoever cleans the tub to rinse the soap off of the bar!

    ReplyDelete
  17. yes you need biger hand rails nick wow you could have killed your self silly we dont want that!!!! so who did you vote for?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh Nick you really do need to take care! My heart was in my mouth reading this! And take care with sleeping after a head bang.

    Just spied your post below with Garfield on - love Garfield. Off to read (I have sadly neglected my humour diet of late and so need to recharge and eat as much as I can!)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nick! you should have your bath when you have someone around... this could have been so much worse!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Well I am very glad to hear that you were able to recover from the fall on your own, but you worry me sweet man, you really do.
    What a close race you had there for the primary.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I remember way back earlier this year when you said that Kentucky's primary vote was so late. At that time none of us thought there would be much reason for it at this time. Looks like we thought wrong.

    I'm glad you made it out of the bath on time. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. I saw how poorly Obama did but it was not a surprise. I see some of the things the other candidate has done since. I just do not know. The longer the primary goes on the more I don't think any of the candidates are a winner. Alex for President!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Gosh Nick I'm glad you are alright. Have you ever considered one of those tubs with the door you step right out of.

    ReplyDelete