... my life has changed.
Hi pinsiders
at last I am back home again. In July I had blood poison - emergency rush to the hospital - a cardiac valve had to be replaced, on my right foot the toes had to be amputated, on my left foot the toes and two third of the foot had to be amputated, on the left foot I now have a partial prosthesis. More than three months of hospital / rehabilitation facility. A nice helper - an "Rollator" - see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_(mobility)#Rollators (scroll down a bit) - good for to keep balance when walking.
I want to start again writing posts, trying to help on pinball problems, greetings Rolf.
P.S.: Thanks for Your personal messages - I will answer within the next days.

Hi pinsiders
thanks for the encouraging, cheering posts and the "upvoting my post-1". I may not write as much posts as before the incident - but when writing then I do want to stick to the topic. We work on the pins when we have time and lust, when there is a pauses due to other stuff needed to be done: I might forget an topic --- so do write a "bump" post to call to mind "topic / problem is not yet solved". Greetings Rolf
P.S.: I do have an Rollator (see post-1) in the appartement and another one parked outside of the house. In the basement (with the pins) I do walk / limp / hobble around - outside depending on what to do / where to go (public transportation ?) I use the Rollator or one or two crutch(es) or two "walking" sticks.

Hi pinsiders
Thanks for the kind words. I wrote post-1 mainly to explain why I did not post for several months. I wrote post-32 to tell "You may must write a 'bump' post after a couple of days when I do not answer" --- some brain damage is left from the incident - I happen to forget more than before the incident.

Stand barefeet in the living room, lift the toes and middlefoot on the left foot - have the toes lifted 1-3 inches so You only stand on the heel on the left foot --- You do stand quite good - but now: Walk around with only using the heel on the left foot --- thats why I like my partial prosthesis, rollator, crutches, walking sticks. It is more of an annoyance then a hindrance.

Nice picture in post-41 --- I show "Rolf at age 31 - 33 years ago". Greetings Rolf

0Rolf-31y-300dpi (resized).JPG

Hi FatPanda
the shirt actually is from 1978. Sorry to dissapoint You - I do know nothing about Wisconsin Badgers, sports. In spring 1981 I graduated as Swiss Agricultural Engineer ETH (Zürich). When studying we had to do some practica - in the summer 1978 for three months I could work as a trainee at the University of Madison, Wisconsin, Horticulture Department. It was a great time - just after that trainee work: Four swiss students rushed through the USA in a car for two weeks (vacation).

I could not find a good job in Agriculture (1981) so I moved to (Mainframe) programming (COBOL, Jackson, Delta, later PL/1) ---
as I wanted to see more of the USA: Spring 1982 to spring 1983 I had an Ford LTD Station Wagon as an RV --- travelling the USA from National Park to National Park (and National Monuments, National Forests) - doing half-days / one-day / two-days hiking trips (a full month just in the Yellowstone Park) - lots of good memories. Greetings Rolf

Hi pinsiders
I started this topic (writing post-1) to explain why I did not write in pinside for several months. I wrote post-32 because my biggest problem after the incident was / is: My brain has suffered (memory, incident summer 2018) - I forget a lot - I forget to answer in topics - so I repeat (my post-32): I might forget an topic --- so do write a "bump" post to call to mind "topic / problem is not yet solved".

Serious: Please do not write posts in here - this topic shall not be "praise Rolf" - I just want(ed) to repeat my post-32. Greetings Rolf