Went to church this morning in spite of a desire just to veg out. All my life...well, at least since second grade...I was a regular church attender. And most of the time, I attended alone. Even my parents didn't go with me. Then, in the mid-1990s, my father got sick in Illinois. I spent so many weekends there that I couldn't go to church. Then there was the divorce...and my daughter to finish raising...and I became fiercely protective of my weekend time. After Megan and my grandchildren moved in with me a few years ago, I became even more protective because the weekends were Daddy's visitation and my only opportunity to do the week's laundry and cleaning after all week at work. Now that I am retired AND neither Megan nor the children live with me anymore, one day is just like the next. No need to protect the weekend, yet a definite need to reconnect with my spirituality. I wouldn't wish what I have been through these last six months on my worst enemy, but I have recognized that only I, with God's help, can pull myself out of the depression and anger that have plagued me. Going back to church NO MATTER WHAT has been a discipline I have tried to re-invent for my life.
When I got home, I started working on the kitchen project again, but had a grouchy belly and felt tired. I laid down on the couch hoping for a nap, but noticed that South Pacific was on TV. I ended up watching the rest of that...and sleep was not forthcoming. Back to the kitchen. Washed the inside of the windows. (In that process, I discovered that one of the kitchen windows had been unlocked since...uh...four years ago? Scary!) Got the curtains put back up. (This is a big task because they are double windows and I am just one person!) Knocked down some cobwebs. Glued a broken piece back onto my hummingbird wreath for the front door. Fixed myself some rice. Blah, blah.
So, what do I have to show for two afternoons of sporadic work? One whole wall of the kitchen--walls, baseboards, blinds, curtains, and china cabinet--is clean. Am I done? Not even close!
And so it goes. As Scarlett O'Hara once said, "After all, tomorrow is another day!"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Eye-Level Cleaning
You know how one job always leads to another? Well...I made a critical mistake today. I was sweeping the kitchen floor when I noticed how grungy the baseboards looked. No big deal. I'll just get down on my hands and knees and clean them...which I did. Much better! Then I thought I'd tackle the blinds on the windows because they looked dirty, too. Washing blinds is a tedious job, so I thought I would just leave them on the windows as I did it...but when I got up toward the top, eye-level with the curtains, I noticed how very dusty and dirty THEY looked. Okay...off came the curtains for the washing machine. While I was standing on the stool taking the curtains down, I got a good look at the walls and ceiling. Ugh! Covered with cob webs--and the ceiling desperately needs paint! Oh...and the blades of the ceiling fan are dirty...and uh oh! The globes of the light fixture under the ceiling fan are dirty, too! So, what started out to be a simple floor-cleaning job has turned into a several-day project!
I'm glad I even have the energy to work on the stuff today. When I went to bed last night, I felt fine. Settled in to watch some marathon episodes of Operation Repo. (Pickings were slim in TV programming on Friday night!) I figured that as soon as I warmed up, I'd drop off to sleep...but I couldn't get warm. What's up with that? Then I noticed some discomfort in my belly welling up. I decided I'd better get up and head to the bathroom. In honor of those for whom the rest of the story would be Too Much Information, I'll just say that it wasn't fun. I ended up taking a shower at 2:30 AM. Changed night clothes, went back to bed, fell asleep figuring I'd be up the rest of the night...but that was the end of it! I woke up this morning feeling just fine, and have been for the rest of the day. Go figure! Obviously something I ate didn't agree with me, and once it was gone, it stayed gone (she says with crossed fingers). No nausea...normal appetite. Yay for me!
Back to work. Woman's work is never done!
I'm glad I even have the energy to work on the stuff today. When I went to bed last night, I felt fine. Settled in to watch some marathon episodes of Operation Repo. (Pickings were slim in TV programming on Friday night!) I figured that as soon as I warmed up, I'd drop off to sleep...but I couldn't get warm. What's up with that? Then I noticed some discomfort in my belly welling up. I decided I'd better get up and head to the bathroom. In honor of those for whom the rest of the story would be Too Much Information, I'll just say that it wasn't fun. I ended up taking a shower at 2:30 AM. Changed night clothes, went back to bed, fell asleep figuring I'd be up the rest of the night...but that was the end of it! I woke up this morning feeling just fine, and have been for the rest of the day. Go figure! Obviously something I ate didn't agree with me, and once it was gone, it stayed gone (she says with crossed fingers). No nausea...normal appetite. Yay for me!
Back to work. Woman's work is never done!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Happy Birthday, Ryan Holly!
Ryan has been my friend, confidant, handyman, and "bud" for many years now. I freely (and shamefully) admit that I have taken advantage of his giving nature more times than I care to count. And his wife, Bonnie, has been most patient with my needs around the house. Bless them both!
Ryan...aka "Big" Ryan (to distinguish him from my grandson), aka Santa Claus (due to bushy white beard)...may your day be filled with the knowledge that you have done much to keep this little family afloat for a lot of years. May Karma, God, the Great Spirit, or whatever you believe in, bless you for many more years!
Ryan...aka "Big" Ryan (to distinguish him from my grandson), aka Santa Claus (due to bushy white beard)...may your day be filled with the knowledge that you have done much to keep this little family afloat for a lot of years. May Karma, God, the Great Spirit, or whatever you believe in, bless you for many more years!
Back to the Cold and Drear...
We had sun for a couple of days, but today we are back to cloudy skies and COLD temps. Such is the Midwest in winter.
Two days ago, my daughter IMed me that they don't seem to sell Colts gear in California. (Imagine that!) She was hoping for some shirts. I took a quick run to Walmart to get a jump on the new stuff that has been put out--most of it AFC Championship shirts. The only plain Colts shirts weren't in the right sizes, so I got what I could--jersies with Manning and Garcon names on them. (After the championship game, Garcon is everyone's new fave!) Yesterday, I hustled around to get everything shipped off--a package each of things that the grandchildren had left behind, and Meg's shirts. The USPS amazes me in that the shirts will probably be delivered tomorrow, and I didn't pay extra for fast shipping!
Had lunch yesterday with a friend (thanks, Mike!) and did a few household things. I need to step up my housework because I'm beginning to dream about cleaning again... Maybe that's why I am not sleeping well! Watching two television shows help keep me inspired: Clean Sweep, and Hoarders. Heh heh.
Back to work here. Got to keep moving!
Two days ago, my daughter IMed me that they don't seem to sell Colts gear in California. (Imagine that!) She was hoping for some shirts. I took a quick run to Walmart to get a jump on the new stuff that has been put out--most of it AFC Championship shirts. The only plain Colts shirts weren't in the right sizes, so I got what I could--jersies with Manning and Garcon names on them. (After the championship game, Garcon is everyone's new fave!) Yesterday, I hustled around to get everything shipped off--a package each of things that the grandchildren had left behind, and Meg's shirts. The USPS amazes me in that the shirts will probably be delivered tomorrow, and I didn't pay extra for fast shipping!
Had lunch yesterday with a friend (thanks, Mike!) and did a few household things. I need to step up my housework because I'm beginning to dream about cleaning again... Maybe that's why I am not sleeping well! Watching two television shows help keep me inspired: Clean Sweep, and Hoarders. Heh heh.
Back to work here. Got to keep moving!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Let's See...Where Was I?
The weekend with the children here went great. I loved having them, and they seemed genuinely glad to be here. I have learned over the past few months not to plan too much for our time together, allowing them the opportunity to tell ME what they want to do. As the weather improves, we can do more outside. As it is, we just do crafts, cooking, playing with neighbor kids, church, and the like.
Sunday, we were up for early church. Robin wore a jumper outfit that Grandma Judy had made for her. She looked cute! The women of the choir were to sing for the service, so Judy couldn't sit with us, but Grandpa Phil did. The ushers gave us all stones as we entered the sanctuary as a graphic demonstration of "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." The kids did great...went up to the front for the Children's Message...then left for Children's Church. They made "Love the Lord" bookmarks in CC, and Robin was so proud of her cursive rendition of her name on the back that we had to go find Grandma Judy RIGHT THEN to show her. Then on to Sunday school. Ryan's class did a weaving project that he was proud of. (He promptly forgot it at my house, so I have been scrambling to find him the materials to finish it. Am shipping it up to Muncie tomorrow.) When we got home from church, we ate lunch, got their stuff rounded up, then had a short chance to play with Jack one last time before we headed out to the other grandparents' for THE game.
What was THE game? Colts vs. Jets, of course...AFC Championship game...the game that determined who would go to the Superbowl. We got there just minutes before Nathan, Kendra, and Wednesday arrived. Game on! The children played. All was peaceful. Colts won. Yay! Then we ate supper, had dessert, and Grandma Peggy left to come home and fall into a dead heap.
For the last two-three days, I have endeavored to put the house back together from Christmas mess and kid mess. It absolutely AMAZES me how little I can get done in a day! With motivation, I can move mountains. When the children are here, I sleep normally. With no one in the house but me, I am awake at 2:30 almost every night. Ugh! I have new motivation, however. This weekend, I ran the idea of making bedroom changes past Robin...getting rid of her old, damaged furniture in favor of my moving back into my old bedroom and putting the furniture in THAT room into Robin's. That would make the garage room a play room, of sorts. (Ryan REALLY likes that idea!) She seemed okay with it but asked if it would be the LAST move. Poor baby! Her only concern was if the room would change colors (it wouldn't) or if she would lose her favorite bedspread (she wouldn't...but I will have to make changes to it to fit a full bed.) I would not make any changes if it wasn't approved by Robin. The children have endured enough changes over the last three years! For the rest of my life, I want them to feel that this shabby little home-on-a-slab is as much theirs as mine...because it is!
A couple of "cute" things happened when the kids were here:
Ryan complained that he had CHORES at home and had to eat YUCKY things there, like eggplant lasagna and creamed spinach. I told him that I probably spoil him because that's what grandmas are for. He said, "You are just doing your job."
After church on Sunday, I called Robin aside and asked her if she understood the whole stone thing at the service. I went into a big long explanation of Jesus and the adultress and how He saved her from being stoned to death. Robin listened politely and respectfully, and when I was done, she asked, "Why are you telling me this?" Well...too much information, I guess! Silly me!
God bless the children!
Sunday, we were up for early church. Robin wore a jumper outfit that Grandma Judy had made for her. She looked cute! The women of the choir were to sing for the service, so Judy couldn't sit with us, but Grandpa Phil did. The ushers gave us all stones as we entered the sanctuary as a graphic demonstration of "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." The kids did great...went up to the front for the Children's Message...then left for Children's Church. They made "Love the Lord" bookmarks in CC, and Robin was so proud of her cursive rendition of her name on the back that we had to go find Grandma Judy RIGHT THEN to show her. Then on to Sunday school. Ryan's class did a weaving project that he was proud of. (He promptly forgot it at my house, so I have been scrambling to find him the materials to finish it. Am shipping it up to Muncie tomorrow.) When we got home from church, we ate lunch, got their stuff rounded up, then had a short chance to play with Jack one last time before we headed out to the other grandparents' for THE game.
What was THE game? Colts vs. Jets, of course...AFC Championship game...the game that determined who would go to the Superbowl. We got there just minutes before Nathan, Kendra, and Wednesday arrived. Game on! The children played. All was peaceful. Colts won. Yay! Then we ate supper, had dessert, and Grandma Peggy left to come home and fall into a dead heap.
For the last two-three days, I have endeavored to put the house back together from Christmas mess and kid mess. It absolutely AMAZES me how little I can get done in a day! With motivation, I can move mountains. When the children are here, I sleep normally. With no one in the house but me, I am awake at 2:30 almost every night. Ugh! I have new motivation, however. This weekend, I ran the idea of making bedroom changes past Robin...getting rid of her old, damaged furniture in favor of my moving back into my old bedroom and putting the furniture in THAT room into Robin's. That would make the garage room a play room, of sorts. (Ryan REALLY likes that idea!) She seemed okay with it but asked if it would be the LAST move. Poor baby! Her only concern was if the room would change colors (it wouldn't) or if she would lose her favorite bedspread (she wouldn't...but I will have to make changes to it to fit a full bed.) I would not make any changes if it wasn't approved by Robin. The children have endured enough changes over the last three years! For the rest of my life, I want them to feel that this shabby little home-on-a-slab is as much theirs as mine...because it is!
A couple of "cute" things happened when the kids were here:
Ryan complained that he had CHORES at home and had to eat YUCKY things there, like eggplant lasagna and creamed spinach. I told him that I probably spoil him because that's what grandmas are for. He said, "You are just doing your job."
After church on Sunday, I called Robin aside and asked her if she understood the whole stone thing at the service. I went into a big long explanation of Jesus and the adultress and how He saved her from being stoned to death. Robin listened politely and respectfully, and when I was done, she asked, "Why are you telling me this?" Well...too much information, I guess! Silly me!
God bless the children!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Winding Down.
It has been a busy day! The children came into my bedroom this morning to snuggle a bit, then we were off and running. I fixed blueberry pancakes for breakfast, then the children fell into watching television. (I don't think they watch much at home.) Along about 10:00 AM, it occurred to me that tomorrow is the Colts championship playoff game, and the children don't have any Colts garb. Oh, no! Off we went to Walmart.
Well...there was virtually NO Colts wear in children's sizes. Robin found a pink short-sleeved NFL jersey with #18 on it that she wanted (and it would have worked)--but it was $30! We looked around trying to find other things. Nothing was happening. Finally, one of my former students who works at Walmart clued me in to another area with Colts gear. There were a couple of shirts that might work and were "only" $15 apiece, so that's what we got. Wish I would have thought about this earlier when the merchandise wasn't so picked over!
Came home, let the kids talk to their mother on Skype, fixed lunch, got the beef Stroganoff started in the slow cooker, and then it was JACK TIME. Yay! As it happened, Ryan ended up over at Jack's house for a couple of hours, and Robin and Jack's little sister Grace were here. Emphasis on "were". The girls were playing hide-and-seek in the house until Robin got bored with 5-year-old Grace and just ditched her! She went over to Jack's and left his sister here. (Grace had no intention of going home, so she stayed and played with the kids' stuff all by herself for awhile.) When we finally made the supper kid-trade, everyone was happy...I guess.
While everyone was at play, I tackled a couple of household problems. Finally got the gum out of Robin's Christmas skirt and snowman sweater, then got all of that washed. And I noticed that the the bathtub drain had been running slower and slower. Time to work on that (again). Took the strainer off and could see immediately that there was a lot of hair on top. Got some tweezers and started yanking the stuff out...and when I began to probe deeper, I got the mother lode. Pulled out a big long snake of hair and gunk. Ewwwww! It's a wonder the water was going down at all!! Treated the drain with some Drano crystals after that and put everything back together. That felt good!
Ryan hasn't looked good to me today. Pale. Dark circles under his eyes. He complained of a headache last night but said he felt fine today. At supper, he told me that he thought he should go to a doctor because he hadn't felt all that good. Said his throat hurt. Hmmm... I thought he felt warm, but two thermometers showed no fever, and he perked back up after supper long enough to play with Jack for a few more minutes before everyone got called in. We'll see how he feels tomorrow.
This evening, we baked some pre-formed Valentine cookies and the kids watched "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" with popcorn. Robin is in the bathtub. Ryan needs to be hitting the sack...and I won't be far behind him! We've been busy!
Well...there was virtually NO Colts wear in children's sizes. Robin found a pink short-sleeved NFL jersey with #18 on it that she wanted (and it would have worked)--but it was $30! We looked around trying to find other things. Nothing was happening. Finally, one of my former students who works at Walmart clued me in to another area with Colts gear. There were a couple of shirts that might work and were "only" $15 apiece, so that's what we got. Wish I would have thought about this earlier when the merchandise wasn't so picked over!
Came home, let the kids talk to their mother on Skype, fixed lunch, got the beef Stroganoff started in the slow cooker, and then it was JACK TIME. Yay! As it happened, Ryan ended up over at Jack's house for a couple of hours, and Robin and Jack's little sister Grace were here. Emphasis on "were". The girls were playing hide-and-seek in the house until Robin got bored with 5-year-old Grace and just ditched her! She went over to Jack's and left his sister here. (Grace had no intention of going home, so she stayed and played with the kids' stuff all by herself for awhile.) When we finally made the supper kid-trade, everyone was happy...I guess.
While everyone was at play, I tackled a couple of household problems. Finally got the gum out of Robin's Christmas skirt and snowman sweater, then got all of that washed. And I noticed that the the bathtub drain had been running slower and slower. Time to work on that (again). Took the strainer off and could see immediately that there was a lot of hair on top. Got some tweezers and started yanking the stuff out...and when I began to probe deeper, I got the mother lode. Pulled out a big long snake of hair and gunk. Ewwwww! It's a wonder the water was going down at all!! Treated the drain with some Drano crystals after that and put everything back together. That felt good!
Ryan hasn't looked good to me today. Pale. Dark circles under his eyes. He complained of a headache last night but said he felt fine today. At supper, he told me that he thought he should go to a doctor because he hadn't felt all that good. Said his throat hurt. Hmmm... I thought he felt warm, but two thermometers showed no fever, and he perked back up after supper long enough to play with Jack for a few more minutes before everyone got called in. We'll see how he feels tomorrow.
This evening, we baked some pre-formed Valentine cookies and the kids watched "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" with popcorn. Robin is in the bathtub. Ryan needs to be hitting the sack...and I won't be far behind him! We've been busy!
Friday, January 22, 2010
All Is Well...
I left for Muncie at about 2:00 this afternoon to pick up my grandchildren for the weekend. The further north I got, the foggier it was. There is still some snow on the ground up there, which accounted for most of it, I guess. I had a BIG cookie and a bottle of water for each of them in the car for their after-school snack...and even though both children went to the bathroom before we left their house, we still had to make a potty stop in Anderson for Ryan. Some things never change!
Apparently Ryan has been grounded from his Nintendo DS and his Gameboy...for lying. I haven't heard the full story, but it seems that he was playing it in his room when he was supposed to be sleeping, then lied about it. He is upset because it was his step-sister's idea to play it. He thinks SHE should be punished instead of him. Now he is in even bigger trouble because his stepmother caught him trying to sneak the DS out of the house in some other things he was bringing to Grandma's. Oh, well!
When I know the children will be here, I plan meals that I know they will like. "Walking tacos" is almost always on the list. (Tacos made with corn chips instead of taco shells.) We had that tonight. A couple of times, I have had corned beef and cabbage because Robin loves it. This time, for tomorrow's meal we are having beef Stroganoff, something Ryan has asked for a couple of times but hasn't had yet. Okay...so I spoil them! I also made some little mini-cheesecakes that are super-easy. Both children declared them a success. Good Grandma!
Before we even left Muncie for Plainfield, Robin wanted me to help her remember the name of a movie she wanted to watch. "It has dancing mushrooms." Oh...Fantasia. "Yeah, that's it!" the child has good taste! We got to Plainfield just after 5:30, ate our walking tacos, and left for Hollywood Video to pick up Fantasia and a couple of other movies. The kids talked to their mother on Skype, then we retired to the living room for the TV. Well! I had quite forgotten how long Fantasia is! At 10:00, the movie was over and both weary children retired to their chosen bed--in the living room--Ryan on the couch and Robin on the futon-chair. Both were asleep in moments. Grandma, however, is still up.
Why am I still up? I washed their jackets. Children's jackets really take a beating. The one Robin came in has already seen two winters and is permanently dirty; Ryan's was just soiled (which can happen in no time at all). I could have waited until tomorrow to wash them, but I knew there would be things to do...so I am using the coatwashing time as my excuse to write here and have a few moments to myself before hitting the sack.
I love having the children here. The house is already half-trashed, but that's because it is so small. I worried that I didn't have my bedroom clean for their arrival--but then remembered that they wouldn't recognize it if it were! I am proposing a room rearrangement to Robin. Her only questions were about losing her favorite blanket if she got a bigger bed in her room...and "Will this be the LAST move?" The main question for me is what to do with her old furniture. (Used to be Megan's.) It's in pretty sad shape...too sad to donate and too impossible to fix up. We'll see...
Took a nice long hot bath this morning. It's amazing how much better my skin feels when I actually pay attention to it! Time for the sack. Nightie-night.
Apparently Ryan has been grounded from his Nintendo DS and his Gameboy...for lying. I haven't heard the full story, but it seems that he was playing it in his room when he was supposed to be sleeping, then lied about it. He is upset because it was his step-sister's idea to play it. He thinks SHE should be punished instead of him. Now he is in even bigger trouble because his stepmother caught him trying to sneak the DS out of the house in some other things he was bringing to Grandma's. Oh, well!
When I know the children will be here, I plan meals that I know they will like. "Walking tacos" is almost always on the list. (Tacos made with corn chips instead of taco shells.) We had that tonight. A couple of times, I have had corned beef and cabbage because Robin loves it. This time, for tomorrow's meal we are having beef Stroganoff, something Ryan has asked for a couple of times but hasn't had yet. Okay...so I spoil them! I also made some little mini-cheesecakes that are super-easy. Both children declared them a success. Good Grandma!
Before we even left Muncie for Plainfield, Robin wanted me to help her remember the name of a movie she wanted to watch. "It has dancing mushrooms." Oh...Fantasia. "Yeah, that's it!" the child has good taste! We got to Plainfield just after 5:30, ate our walking tacos, and left for Hollywood Video to pick up Fantasia and a couple of other movies. The kids talked to their mother on Skype, then we retired to the living room for the TV. Well! I had quite forgotten how long Fantasia is! At 10:00, the movie was over and both weary children retired to their chosen bed--in the living room--Ryan on the couch and Robin on the futon-chair. Both were asleep in moments. Grandma, however, is still up.
Why am I still up? I washed their jackets. Children's jackets really take a beating. The one Robin came in has already seen two winters and is permanently dirty; Ryan's was just soiled (which can happen in no time at all). I could have waited until tomorrow to wash them, but I knew there would be things to do...so I am using the coatwashing time as my excuse to write here and have a few moments to myself before hitting the sack.
I love having the children here. The house is already half-trashed, but that's because it is so small. I worried that I didn't have my bedroom clean for their arrival--but then remembered that they wouldn't recognize it if it were! I am proposing a room rearrangement to Robin. Her only questions were about losing her favorite blanket if she got a bigger bed in her room...and "Will this be the LAST move?" The main question for me is what to do with her old furniture. (Used to be Megan's.) It's in pretty sad shape...too sad to donate and too impossible to fix up.
Took a nice long hot bath this morning. It's amazing how much better my skin feels when I actually pay attention to it! Time for the sack. Nightie-night.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Rain, Rain...
...Go away! Yet ANOTHER day of gloom with no end in sight! When I got up this morning and changed TV channels to the news, I noticed a lot of school closings. Huh? Why?? It seems the areas to the north of Indy had freezing rain. My grandchildren's school in Muncie was closed, as were 150 others. Not so here. There wasn't even much moisture on my car then. I noted with interest that several of my former students had posted on Facebook that their district had a 2-hour delay today but that they "didn't get the memo". No wonder! It wasn't posted anywhere! Wonder who dropped the ball on that one?
It has rained virtually all day today. There is a sparrow who is taking refuge from the wet under my patio awning. I get a little nervous about that. Many years ago, during a bitter cold spell here (like -27 degrees), a sparrow was stuck in a corner under the patio awning. Frozen to the surface? Caught, somehow? It was flapping around trying to get free. Who knows how long it had been there? I got brave, bundled up, and went out to the patio in the snow with a hair dryer and an extension cord with the intention of freeing it...and the silly thing flopped and died before my eyes before I could even get to it. Broke my heart!
I wish I could say that I accomplished a lot today. I didn't. Didn't feel all that good this morning...
It has rained virtually all day today. There is a sparrow who is taking refuge from the wet under my patio awning. I get a little nervous about that. Many years ago, during a bitter cold spell here (like -27 degrees), a sparrow was stuck in a corner under the patio awning. Frozen to the surface? Caught, somehow? It was flapping around trying to get free. Who knows how long it had been there? I got brave, bundled up, and went out to the patio in the snow with a hair dryer and an extension cord with the intention of freeing it...and the silly thing flopped and died before my eyes before I could even get to it. Broke my heart!
I wish I could say that I accomplished a lot today. I didn't. Didn't feel all that good this morning...
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Ack!!!
Still more fog. Still more clouds. Still more rain and gloom! I am SO ready for sunshine, but I'm not sure I will recognize it when I see it!!
Update from my friend Wilma's husband last evening indicates that she is off life support, but there has been no change in her condition. I pray for God's will and his mercy for her. Sad...
I did two miles at the Rec Center today with my friend, Phyllis. I'm feeling it this evening! Phyl does better than I do...but then she's younger. You go, Phyl!
Another friend...my handy-dandy house-fixer...came over this morning to fix my front door. Ever since I had some vinyl flooring put down at the entry last fall, the door hasn't closed properly. Actually, the door NEVER has shut properly, but since the floor installation, I couldn't lock it. Many times I would come home to what I thought was a locked door, only to find that all I had to do was push it to get in. Guess what? It works now! Thanks, Clumsyhawk!
Am preparing for my grandchildren for the weekend. I will drive to Muncie on Friday afternoon to collect them, then they will be picked up on Sunday...and the family will stay at the other grandparents' in Plainfield for the Colts game. (I'm invited.) I am so thankful for the "other grandparents". Judy and Phil have become Friends and Co-Grandparents Extraordinaire. I'm sure there are people who wonder about us. Divorce is supposed to create divisions and stresses...but I don't think any of us has ever lost sight of what is best for the grandbabies. Life is tricky enough without additional agendas. God bless them for hanging in there with me! May the children come to understand how blessed they are that so many people love them!
Back to work here. I keep saying that but I never seem to get much done!
Update from my friend Wilma's husband last evening indicates that she is off life support, but there has been no change in her condition. I pray for God's will and his mercy for her. Sad...
I did two miles at the Rec Center today with my friend, Phyllis. I'm feeling it this evening! Phyl does better than I do...but then she's younger. You go, Phyl!
Another friend...my handy-dandy house-fixer...came over this morning to fix my front door. Ever since I had some vinyl flooring put down at the entry last fall, the door hasn't closed properly. Actually, the door NEVER has shut properly, but since the floor installation, I couldn't lock it. Many times I would come home to what I thought was a locked door, only to find that all I had to do was push it to get in. Guess what? It works now! Thanks, Clumsyhawk!
Am preparing for my grandchildren for the weekend. I will drive to Muncie on Friday afternoon to collect them, then they will be picked up on Sunday...and the family will stay at the other grandparents' in Plainfield for the Colts game. (I'm invited.) I am so thankful for the "other grandparents". Judy and Phil have become Friends and Co-Grandparents Extraordinaire. I'm sure there are people who wonder about us. Divorce is supposed to create divisions and stresses...but I don't think any of us has ever lost sight of what is best for the grandbabies. Life is tricky enough without additional agendas. God bless them for hanging in there with me! May the children come to understand how blessed they are that so many people love them!
Back to work here. I keep saying that but I never seem to get much done!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Need Sunshine!
We have had day after day of fog and grayness. The snow is all gone due to days of above-freezing temps, but it still feels cold due to LACK OF SUN. Need some sunshine to sparkle up the world a bit. Have I mentioned that I'm tired of winter??
I was up and out fairly early this morning, walking at the Rec. Center with two of my retired friends. I only did a mile. Have to build back up from my slacking off for the holidays. Am still getting over some congestion from a cold/sinus deal I picked up at Christmas, so I was hoping I wouldn't be totally out of breath. I wasn't! (THIS time.)
I went to a different church service yesterday than I normally attend. The 11:00 AM service at my church changed a couple of years ago to a come-as-you-are "praise" service with guitars and drums and piano, and contemporary Christian music. I mean, I like that stuff, but I don't know the songs. (Being old, I am a bit more of a traditionalist, as you might guess, so I go to the earlier services.) And...I hate to say it...but the songs go on and on. They keep repeating verses and choruses. Good stuff, but not my style. I stayed for that service after Sunday School because I had put a prayer blanket on the Communion rail for my friends who are going through a tough time right now, and I realized that I would have to collect it after the service and deliver it to the people for whom it was intended.
The folks who were to receive the prayer blanket are pretty special. Bill was the school principal that hired me on at Hall Elementary way back when, as I realized that I would soon be getting a divorce--a new resident of Indiana with no idea where to go or how to support myself and my daughter. (Bill didn't know any of this at the time.) After I moved on to the high school in that district, I became friends with Bill's son Jeff who taught auto shop, and Jeff's wife Wilma who was an office secretary. Jeff and Wilma's jobs were RIFed a few years back, so they went on to other things. A couple of years ago, after my brain aneurysm deal, Bill (who has been retired for years and now lives just down the road from me...and attends my church) stopped in to see me. I thanked him then...and will be forever grateful to him for giving me that job! Jeff had a stroke a few months ago and has given up driving. Wilma just recently had a massive heart attack and has been in a coma for weeks. She will be removed from life support shortly. Bill and his wife have been transporting Jeff to the hospital and, I'm sure, are worried about him. When one person in a family is deathly ill, the whole family is sick.
This is getting complicated to explain. Suffice it to say that I wanted to do SOMETHING to support these people in a tough time, so I ordered a prayer blanket at church. The blanket is a small fleecy/flannel sort of thing, embroidered with the name of the recipient(s) and a Bible verse. The prayer request is pinned to it, and congregants are invited to come up and pray on it. Then it is delivered. Judy and Phil Heffelman did one for me for my aneurysm. It has provided no end of comfort. At the end of the service, Bill--who had ushered that day--was still there, so I decided to give it to him then. We were alone in the pews when I said, "I wanted you to have this because you will need the comfort of prayer. Wilma is in God's hands, but you still have Jeff..." God bless him, Bill broke down. He puts on a brave face, but in that moment, he and I both knew what an awful trial this has been for him and his wife. We hugged. No words were needed. In retrospect, I had been somewhat worried about how the blanket would be received, not knowing what Wilma's status would be when the blanket actually made it to the service. As it turned out, the timing was perfect, and it made my heart feel good that Bill and Martha Fisher could receive the prayers of their church in a very tough time.
I know, I know...I get emotional over this stuff...but I'm at a time in my life when I understand pain and loss. If I can do one little thing that will help someone else feel better, then my own pain is diminished. I keep working at it!
I was up and out fairly early this morning, walking at the Rec. Center with two of my retired friends. I only did a mile. Have to build back up from my slacking off for the holidays. Am still getting over some congestion from a cold/sinus deal I picked up at Christmas, so I was hoping I wouldn't be totally out of breath. I wasn't! (THIS time.)
I went to a different church service yesterday than I normally attend. The 11:00 AM service at my church changed a couple of years ago to a come-as-you-are "praise" service with guitars and drums and piano, and contemporary Christian music. I mean, I like that stuff, but I don't know the songs. (Being old, I am a bit more of a traditionalist, as you might guess, so I go to the earlier services.) And...I hate to say it...but the songs go on and on. They keep repeating verses and choruses. Good stuff, but not my style. I stayed for that service after Sunday School because I had put a prayer blanket on the Communion rail for my friends who are going through a tough time right now, and I realized that I would have to collect it after the service and deliver it to the people for whom it was intended.
The folks who were to receive the prayer blanket are pretty special. Bill was the school principal that hired me on at Hall Elementary way back when, as I realized that I would soon be getting a divorce--a new resident of Indiana with no idea where to go or how to support myself and my daughter. (Bill didn't know any of this at the time.) After I moved on to the high school in that district, I became friends with Bill's son Jeff who taught auto shop, and Jeff's wife Wilma who was an office secretary. Jeff and Wilma's jobs were RIFed a few years back, so they went on to other things. A couple of years ago, after my brain aneurysm deal, Bill (who has been retired for years and now lives just down the road from me...and attends my church) stopped in to see me. I thanked him then...and will be forever grateful to him for giving me that job! Jeff had a stroke a few months ago and has given up driving. Wilma just recently had a massive heart attack and has been in a coma for weeks. She will be removed from life support shortly. Bill and his wife have been transporting Jeff to the hospital and, I'm sure, are worried about him. When one person in a family is deathly ill, the whole family is sick.
This is getting complicated to explain. Suffice it to say that I wanted to do SOMETHING to support these people in a tough time, so I ordered a prayer blanket at church. The blanket is a small fleecy/flannel sort of thing, embroidered with the name of the recipient(s) and a Bible verse. The prayer request is pinned to it, and congregants are invited to come up and pray on it. Then it is delivered. Judy and Phil Heffelman did one for me for my aneurysm. It has provided no end of comfort. At the end of the service, Bill--who had ushered that day--was still there, so I decided to give it to him then. We were alone in the pews when I said, "I wanted you to have this because you will need the comfort of prayer. Wilma is in God's hands, but you still have Jeff..." God bless him, Bill broke down. He puts on a brave face, but in that moment, he and I both knew what an awful trial this has been for him and his wife. We hugged. No words were needed. In retrospect, I had been somewhat worried about how the blanket would be received, not knowing what Wilma's status would be when the blanket actually made it to the service. As it turned out, the timing was perfect, and it made my heart feel good that Bill and Martha Fisher could receive the prayers of their church in a very tough time.
I know, I know...I get emotional over this stuff...but I'm at a time in my life when I understand pain and loss. If I can do one little thing that will help someone else feel better, then my own pain is diminished. I keep working at it!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Look Around...Reach Out
You don't have to look far to find people in need. Haiti is a most obvious place, but don't look too far beyond your own neighborhood to find people in pain.
One of my friends is unemployed again, after a couple of years of trying to keep it together.
One of my friends has a scare after coughing up blood.
One of my friends had a massive heart attack a few weeks ago that leaves her in a coma.
One of my friends is recovering from a stroke but trying to deal with his wife's heart attack.
One of my friends just adopted a dog. (Needs prayer!)
One of my friends, with children, has a husband in prison.
One of my friends has a mother who is dying.
One of my friends has a cousin-in-law who died suddenly.
One of my friends has a child who is totally out of control and needs professional help.
As you consider contributions to Haiti, please also consider contributions to your neighbors who are hurting. "Bear one another's burdens, and in that way, you will fulfill the law of Christ"
Gallations 6:2
One of my friends is unemployed again, after a couple of years of trying to keep it together.
One of my friends has a scare after coughing up blood.
One of my friends had a massive heart attack a few weeks ago that leaves her in a coma.
One of my friends is recovering from a stroke but trying to deal with his wife's heart attack.
One of my friends just adopted a dog. (Needs prayer!)
One of my friends, with children, has a husband in prison.
One of my friends has a mother who is dying.
One of my friends has a cousin-in-law who died suddenly.
One of my friends has a child who is totally out of control and needs professional help.
As you consider contributions to Haiti, please also consider contributions to your neighbors who are hurting. "Bear one another's burdens, and in that way, you will fulfill the law of Christ"
Gallations 6:2
Backlog
There are a ton of things around the house that have needed my attention, but I have done nothing. So today, I decided to start (to commence to begin) working on them...baby steps...one job at a time. I am beginning to get a picture of what I want to do around here by way of room configuration. I'll probably move back into my old room, put the furniture that's in there (plus the double bed) into Robin's room as a "guest room", dump Robin's furniture, and turn the garage room into a sort of family/play room. It will take some work and some muscle, but it makes more sense than having a four-bedroom house with only one person living in it! Robin's furniture is Megan's old childhood furniture. It has not survived well. I don't think the Robster would mind having a full-sized bed in her room as long as everything else were the same.
So...I've been cleaning out around the radio/computer area of my bedroom. What a disaster! Dust, cobwebs, crumbs, clutter...you name it! Cleaning up the dust hasn't helped my nose much. Work, work...blow, blow...work work. After a couple of hours, you still can't see what I've done. 'Tis an indication of how much there is to do!
Big Colts game today. Colts vs. Ravens. Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens. The Colts used to be the Baltimore Colts...but left town during the night over 20 years ago...defecting to Indy. Do you see what I'm getting at? Home playoff game. Rivalry. All makes for drama! Don't know if my heart can take it, but I intend to watch!
Back to work here. SOOOO much to do to make this place presentable in the event that I croak. I do think about that...
So...I've been cleaning out around the radio/computer area of my bedroom. What a disaster! Dust, cobwebs, crumbs, clutter...you name it! Cleaning up the dust hasn't helped my nose much. Work, work...blow, blow...work work. After a couple of hours, you still can't see what I've done. 'Tis an indication of how much there is to do!
Big Colts game today. Colts vs. Ravens. Indianapolis Colts vs. Baltimore Ravens. The Colts used to be the Baltimore Colts...but left town during the night over 20 years ago...defecting to Indy. Do you see what I'm getting at? Home playoff game. Rivalry. All makes for drama! Don't know if my heart can take it, but I intend to watch!
Back to work here. SOOOO much to do to make this place presentable in the event that I croak. I do think about that...
Friday, January 15, 2010
Confessions
I had an appointment with my cardiologist today...the first since just post-heart attack. It's kind of like talking to one's pastor--confessing all of life's trials and missteps.
They were 30 minutes past the appointment time getting me into the exam room, but considering how much time Dr. Gill spent with me, I understood his late schedule. Dr. Gill is a good-looking young man who is warm and genuine and spends quite a bit of time explaining things to his patients (me). Here are the stats:
BP was 140/86. Borderline high, even with meds. He increased my meds for that.
Pulse was 76. Quite low for me!!!
LDL was 90. I was told that under 100 is good...HOWEVER, since I am "high risk"...having already had a heart attack...he wanted it to be 70. Another medicine change. Damn!
I confessed that I had had some major depression over the deal with my daughter and grandchildren. Told him that I was working through it and wasn't looking for happy pills, but he mentioned that heart patients usually have depression (without my mitigating circumstances) and tended to do better with medication. I'm still thinking about that. This was the first time that anyone in the health profession told me about the anger/depression that comes with a heart attack. I had to figure it out on my own...and then the other stuff happened.
When Dr. Gill asked me what was actually going on in my life, I fell apart. You have to understand that I am not a crier...I don't weep in front of people...but that barrier has been totally broken down over the past four months. It has come to the point that I don't even apologize anymore! I am to get back with him if my non-sleep situation, etc., doesn't get better. I've been so tired during the day. Even with the opportunity to nap, I can't. I try, but it doesn't work.
I confess that my weight hasn't gone down since the holidays... and I haven't exercised...and I have been terrible about eliminating salt from my diet. It bothers me a lot that I can walk down the aisles of the grocery store and find NOTHING that isn't laden with sodium.
So now, after today's appointment, I have to get real, as Dr. Phil would say. Major life changes don't work well when one is alone without much motivation. I guess my motivation needs to be just to stay alive a little longer...
Will that work?
They were 30 minutes past the appointment time getting me into the exam room, but considering how much time Dr. Gill spent with me, I understood his late schedule. Dr. Gill is a good-looking young man who is warm and genuine and spends quite a bit of time explaining things to his patients (me). Here are the stats:
BP was 140/86. Borderline high, even with meds. He increased my meds for that.
Pulse was 76. Quite low for me!!!
LDL was 90. I was told that under 100 is good...HOWEVER, since I am "high risk"...having already had a heart attack...he wanted it to be 70. Another medicine change. Damn!
I confessed that I had had some major depression over the deal with my daughter and grandchildren. Told him that I was working through it and wasn't looking for happy pills, but he mentioned that heart patients usually have depression (without my mitigating circumstances) and tended to do better with medication. I'm still thinking about that. This was the first time that anyone in the health profession told me about the anger/depression that comes with a heart attack. I had to figure it out on my own...and then the other stuff happened.
When Dr. Gill asked me what was actually going on in my life, I fell apart. You have to understand that I am not a crier...I don't weep in front of people...but that barrier has been totally broken down over the past four months. It has come to the point that I don't even apologize anymore! I am to get back with him if my non-sleep situation, etc., doesn't get better. I've been so tired during the day. Even with the opportunity to nap, I can't. I try, but it doesn't work.
I confess that my weight hasn't gone down since the holidays... and I haven't exercised...and I have been terrible about eliminating salt from my diet. It bothers me a lot that I can walk down the aisles of the grocery store and find NOTHING that isn't laden with sodium.
So now, after today's appointment, I have to get real, as Dr. Phil would say. Major life changes don't work well when one is alone without much motivation. I guess my motivation needs to be just to stay alive a little longer...
Will that work?
Haiti...and Hated
As the horrible drama unfolds in unfortunate Haiti...a destitute country experiencing the aftermath of a devastating earthquake...I am reminded of 9/11, the tsunami in Indonesia, and Hurricane Katrina. There is a huge feeling of helplessness that comes with these tragedies.
And then there are those in the public eye who make asses of themselves and make us an embarrassment to the rest of the world by their insane comments. Pat Robertson, a televangelist, has said that Haiti had made a "pact with the devil" many years ago and that the earthquake was "a blessing in disguise". Thereafter, whatever money his organization sends to earthquake relief for Haiti is a moot point. He makes me ashamed to admit that I am a Christian!
Rush Limbaugh has also come forward to show the world what a pompous ass he is by claiming that President Obama is only rushing to Haiti's aid in order to make former president Bush (Dubya) look bad because of the negative press he got after Katrina. Well, duh! Maybe he learned from that? Rush has told people not to donate to relief funds because they have already paid through taxes. Rush is a huge reason why I don't vote Republican.
As Shakespeare said, "A plague on both your houses!"
May God bless the poor people of Haiti. And may we continue to know how lucky we are as Americans.
I also ask God to take care of Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh. They obviously have never had to suffer "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".
And then there are those in the public eye who make asses of themselves and make us an embarrassment to the rest of the world by their insane comments. Pat Robertson, a televangelist, has said that Haiti had made a "pact with the devil" many years ago and that the earthquake was "a blessing in disguise". Thereafter, whatever money his organization sends to earthquake relief for Haiti is a moot point. He makes me ashamed to admit that I am a Christian!
Rush Limbaugh has also come forward to show the world what a pompous ass he is by claiming that President Obama is only rushing to Haiti's aid in order to make former president Bush (Dubya) look bad because of the negative press he got after Katrina. Well, duh! Maybe he learned from that? Rush has told people not to donate to relief funds because they have already paid through taxes. Rush is a huge reason why I don't vote Republican.
As Shakespeare said, "A plague on both your houses!"
May God bless the poor people of Haiti. And may we continue to know how lucky we are as Americans.
I also ask God to take care of Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh. They obviously have never had to suffer "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Christmas Program
Yesterday was the day that Grandma Judy and I were to trek to Muncie to see the children's "Christmas" program. In January! The weather was cooperative, so I gathered up Judy along about 12:30 PM and we went northwest. Judy had been hurriedly sewing two corduroy jumpers each for Robin and her stepsister, Wednesday...a project she had in the works for months...finally a fait accomplit!
The children were not told that we were coming. Kendra (stepmother) had asked that we be there by 2:30 in order to go to surprise the kids at school. We actually were there by 2:15. We delivered all of the things that we had taken up, etc...then headed to the school at 2:45 in Kendra's minivan. The parking area for kid pick-up is about a block from the school where the kids go...on church property. They are walked by their teachers to the parking area...and walk, basically, through the snow to get to the parents. Kendra and her friend Carmen (who had climbed in Kendra's car to gossip) got out to meet the kids. Judy and I hid behind the car parked next to Kendra's.
Robin arrived first. As she got between the parked cars, she spied me and came to give me a hug. "Mamaw!" She didn't seem all that surprised...just happy...and was equally happy to see Judy. Then, she went to tell Ryan that there was a surprise for him. He got in the car, oblivious to what was going on. He was looking all around inside the car for his surprise...and Robin was getting such a chuckle out of his not knowing or seeing it! (Kendra and her friend were still at the front of the vehicle, waiting for their daughters.) Judy and I crept around to the open car door. She had her camera in hand to register Ry's reaction when he saw us. When he got a glimpse of us standing there, he had the most dumbfounded look on his face! Duh!! It took a couple of seconds for it to register who we were! (You know what that's like...seeing people out of "context"?) Then we got big hugs and a happy face...and a very talkative ride back to the house!
We all stopped at KFC where Judy and I (mostly Judy) picked up dinner. We ate as soon as we got back to the house because the kids were hungry...and so were the rest of us. Then Ryan went into his room to play with the box of Transformer stuff that Judy brought up...not a new toy...just a "found" one that he had been asking her for but she couldn't locate. Robin and Wednesday went to their room (which now has split beds instead of bunks) to watch Narnia on TV. I had taken up a couple of little plastic earring boxes that I've had for years. Gave one to each of the girls. Robin promptly got in a drawer and took out the card of earrings that her mother had given her and put them in the box that she picked. Judy and Kendra and I just sat and talked for a bit in the living room. A little later, we had dessert...one of the KFC chocolate chip cakes...then it was time to get the children ready for their program.
This was when Judy and Kendra exposed the girls to their matching corduroy jumpers. They wore black tops underneath, black tights, and black dressy-shoes. Ryan wore his navy school pants, a white shirt, and a black tie. Sweet! Off to the program.
The program venue was a lot like going to every other school program I've been to in 40 years of teaching and 30 years of being a mother. Kids running rampant in a gym, and parents letting them. Blah, blah. Kendra's mother, Grandma Mary showed up. There weren't enough chairs out. Quickly, students came running with chairs with tennis balls on the legs. The priest came out to pray before the program and the principal said a few words. ( The music teacher is new this year...Mrs. Friday. I made a sick joke...asked Kendra what would happen if her daughter, Wednesday, married Mrs. Friday's son. Heh heh...Wednesday Friday! I'm sure Kendra has heard it before...and equally sure that I should have just let it go!) Each class did two songs, in order of grade. Ry's group was first. He did okay...about the same as with his pre-school program. First grade was better. Robin's group was even better, with Robin seeming a bit more animated than Ryan. Wednesday was truly the charmer in her third grade group. She has a stage presence that would probably stand her in good stead were she in public school and had any opportunity to shine. The rest of the program went downhill. Then the priest prayed again, and it was over. We gathered up the children and headed back to Lanewood Drive.
I warmed up the car while the children got in their jammies. It was past everyone's bedtime. Robin asked when the next time would be that she could come here and made sure that we didn't leave before having a good chance to say good-bye. She's a forward thinker. I like that!
I think the children were delighted that we were there for their program. Actually, I just think they were delighted that they were there...program or no program! On the way back to the house from picking them up, Robin commented, "If only Mommy were here..." My heart sank. Then she added, "And Grandpa...and Daddy." I'm sorry that Mommy and Grandpa and Daddy weren't there, but at least she was only taking roll instead of expressing deep loss!
Other observations:
` *Ryan wants a cell phone so he can call Mommy. Kendra told him he could call his mom on hers. He wanted to know if that meant he could steal hers to call. (One of his friends has a cell phone. Can you imagine?)
` *Ryan commented on how nice I was to Gracie, their dog, "after the Frodo days". He seems to think that I didn't love Frodo. I'm going to have to talk to him about that. I had Frodo put to sleep a year or so ago. In my own defense, I inherited the spoiled, neurotic, un-housebroken pooch when Meg and Nathan first moved to a rented home in Muncie. I worked with her for three years to try to get her housebroken, to no avail. When Meg and the children moved here, I couldn't keep the floors clean enough for them even to play on the carpets. Then there was the day that the Fro-dog chased Robin down the hall and bit her on the hand for seemingly no reason. It was too much. I finally decided that I had no choice. Frodo was pretty much unadoptable. I gave up on a pet that I loved, for the first time in my life. Little Ryan now needs to understand the lay of the land. I'll talk to him about it the next time he is here...
*Robin's new glasses appeared to be pink in the picture I got. They are purple...cute. She didn't wear them to the program. Asked not to because they hurt her nose and are making a mark. Kendra says she will take her to get them adjusted. Apparently she only needs them for school.
` *Robin is FINALLY getting teeth coming in next to her front "toofers". Unless they even out, she will need braces. Way too soon to tell.
` *Wednesday was using the word "stupid" in the car. Kendra got on her about it. Told her to find another word...like "silly". Wed. offered "awkward"...then was using the word endlessly until K. told her that she couldn't use it until she could spell it. Then there was a major guessing game from all three kids about how to spell it. Once they got it, there was a huge cacaphony on the car of kids saying "awkward, awkward, awkward"! Sounded like the seagulls in the Nemo movie!
Judy and I talked all the way up and back. Failures as parents. Past experiences. Happiness that we had taken the trip. Concerns about the children. Three hours of captive audience! I listened...she listened. I thank God that the active grandparents have all been able to stay grounded for the children!
Got my blood test today. Have a cardiologist appointment tomorrow. Routine. As the horror continues to unfold in Haiti, I am so thankful to be an American in my itty-bitty home-on-a-slab in the Midwest! Had brunch with my friends Bonnie and Ryan today. Good food. Good company!
The children were not told that we were coming. Kendra (stepmother) had asked that we be there by 2:30 in order to go to surprise the kids at school. We actually were there by 2:15. We delivered all of the things that we had taken up, etc...then headed to the school at 2:45 in Kendra's minivan. The parking area for kid pick-up is about a block from the school where the kids go...on church property. They are walked by their teachers to the parking area...and walk, basically, through the snow to get to the parents. Kendra and her friend Carmen (who had climbed in Kendra's car to gossip) got out to meet the kids. Judy and I hid behind the car parked next to Kendra's.
Robin arrived first. As she got between the parked cars, she spied me and came to give me a hug. "Mamaw!" She didn't seem all that surprised...just happy...and was equally happy to see Judy. Then, she went to tell Ryan that there was a surprise for him. He got in the car, oblivious to what was going on. He was looking all around inside the car for his surprise...and Robin was getting such a chuckle out of his not knowing or seeing it! (Kendra and her friend were still at the front of the vehicle, waiting for their daughters.) Judy and I crept around to the open car door. She had her camera in hand to register Ry's reaction when he saw us. When he got a glimpse of us standing there, he had the most dumbfounded look on his face! Duh!! It took a couple of seconds for it to register who we were! (You know what that's like...seeing people out of "context"?) Then we got big hugs and a happy face...and a very talkative ride back to the house!
We all stopped at KFC where Judy and I (mostly Judy) picked up dinner. We ate as soon as we got back to the house because the kids were hungry...and so were the rest of us. Then Ryan went into his room to play with the box of Transformer stuff that Judy brought up...not a new toy...just a "found" one that he had been asking her for but she couldn't locate. Robin and Wednesday went to their room (which now has split beds instead of bunks) to watch Narnia on TV. I had taken up a couple of little plastic earring boxes that I've had for years. Gave one to each of the girls. Robin promptly got in a drawer and took out the card of earrings that her mother had given her and put them in the box that she picked. Judy and Kendra and I just sat and talked for a bit in the living room. A little later, we had dessert...one of the KFC chocolate chip cakes...then it was time to get the children ready for their program.
This was when Judy and Kendra exposed the girls to their matching corduroy jumpers. They wore black tops underneath, black tights, and black dressy-shoes. Ryan wore his navy school pants, a white shirt, and a black tie. Sweet! Off to the program.
The program venue was a lot like going to every other school program I've been to in 40 years of teaching and 30 years of being a mother. Kids running rampant in a gym, and parents letting them. Blah, blah. Kendra's mother, Grandma Mary showed up. There weren't enough chairs out. Quickly, students came running with chairs with tennis balls on the legs. The priest came out to pray before the program and the principal said a few words. ( The music teacher is new this year...Mrs. Friday. I made a sick joke...asked Kendra what would happen if her daughter, Wednesday, married Mrs. Friday's son. Heh heh...Wednesday Friday! I'm sure Kendra has heard it before...and equally sure that I should have just let it go!) Each class did two songs, in order of grade. Ry's group was first. He did okay...about the same as with his pre-school program. First grade was better. Robin's group was even better, with Robin seeming a bit more animated than Ryan. Wednesday was truly the charmer in her third grade group. She has a stage presence that would probably stand her in good stead were she in public school and had any opportunity to shine. The rest of the program went downhill. Then the priest prayed again, and it was over. We gathered up the children and headed back to Lanewood Drive.
I warmed up the car while the children got in their jammies. It was past everyone's bedtime. Robin asked when the next time would be that she could come here and made sure that we didn't leave before having a good chance to say good-bye. She's a forward thinker. I like that!
I think the children were delighted that we were there for their program. Actually, I just think they were delighted that they were there...program or no program! On the way back to the house from picking them up, Robin commented, "If only Mommy were here..." My heart sank. Then she added, "And Grandpa...and Daddy." I'm sorry that Mommy and Grandpa and Daddy weren't there, but at least she was only taking roll instead of expressing deep loss!
Other observations:
` *Ryan wants a cell phone so he can call Mommy. Kendra told him he could call his mom on hers. He wanted to know if that meant he could steal hers to call. (One of his friends has a cell phone. Can you imagine?)
` *Ryan commented on how nice I was to Gracie, their dog, "after the Frodo days". He seems to think that I didn't love Frodo. I'm going to have to talk to him about that. I had Frodo put to sleep a year or so ago. In my own defense, I inherited the spoiled, neurotic, un-housebroken pooch when Meg and Nathan first moved to a rented home in Muncie. I worked with her for three years to try to get her housebroken, to no avail. When Meg and the children moved here, I couldn't keep the floors clean enough for them even to play on the carpets. Then there was the day that the Fro-dog chased Robin down the hall and bit her on the hand for seemingly no reason. It was too much. I finally decided that I had no choice. Frodo was pretty much unadoptable. I gave up on a pet that I loved, for the first time in my life. Little Ryan now needs to understand the lay of the land. I'll talk to him about it the next time he is here...
*Robin's new glasses appeared to be pink in the picture I got. They are purple...cute. She didn't wear them to the program. Asked not to because they hurt her nose and are making a mark. Kendra says she will take her to get them adjusted. Apparently she only needs them for school.
` *Robin is FINALLY getting teeth coming in next to her front "toofers". Unless they even out, she will need braces. Way too soon to tell.
` *Wednesday was using the word "stupid" in the car. Kendra got on her about it. Told her to find another word...like "silly". Wed. offered "awkward"...then was using the word endlessly until K. told her that she couldn't use it until she could spell it. Then there was a major guessing game from all three kids about how to spell it. Once they got it, there was a huge cacaphony on the car of kids saying "awkward, awkward, awkward"! Sounded like the seagulls in the Nemo movie!
Judy and I talked all the way up and back. Failures as parents. Past experiences. Happiness that we had taken the trip. Concerns about the children. Three hours of captive audience! I listened...she listened. I thank God that the active grandparents have all been able to stay grounded for the children!
Got my blood test today. Have a cardiologist appointment tomorrow. Routine. As the horror continues to unfold in Haiti, I am so thankful to be an American in my itty-bitty home-on-a-slab in the Midwest! Had brunch with my friends Bonnie and Ryan today. Good food. Good company!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Good News and the Bad News
The good news is that it got above freezing in Indy today! We lost some snow!
The bad news is that my daughter got a jolt today when she discovered that her car window had been smashed and her cell phone had been stolen from the parking garage at the apartment complex where she now lives. Apparently she realized she had left the phone in her car as she went to bed and said..."Oh, heck...it will be okay for one night." Wrong!! She has a new phone now with the same old number. Guess the thief will have a nice phone but will have to pay for his/her own activation. Stuff happens! The car window repair people will show up tomorrow afternoon to fix the smashed window.
SATERN is running an emergency net tonight due to a major earthquake in Haiti. I have my HF radio on but can hear absolutely nothing but static. That's kind of strange because there is always a signal coming from somewhere. We need sunspots!!!
Getting a blood test in the morning, then departing for Muncie early afternoon with Grandma Judy to pick our grandchildren up from school (surprise!) and attend their "Christmas" program in the evening. Thankfully, the weather looks like it will cooperate. More above-freezing temps! Judy and I will get home fairly late, but at least the children will know that we cared enough to make the effort!
Last evening, my daughter booked three airline tickets to fly me and the grandchildren to California for the kids' spring break in late March. It will be Ryan's first time flying (age 6). Robin (age 7) and I have flown before, but not together. We will be doing this all together for the first time. Wish me luck! I am always a nervous flyer, but we do what we have to do! The children will not have seen their mother (nor will I) since December 13th or so. (Don't even ask me how that must feel!) If you are reading this and are a praying person, please pray that we get there and back safely!! There are several months to worry about it...
The bad news is that my daughter got a jolt today when she discovered that her car window had been smashed and her cell phone had been stolen from the parking garage at the apartment complex where she now lives. Apparently she realized she had left the phone in her car as she went to bed and said..."Oh, heck...it will be okay for one night." Wrong!! She has a new phone now with the same old number. Guess the thief will have a nice phone but will have to pay for his/her own activation. Stuff happens! The car window repair people will show up tomorrow afternoon to fix the smashed window.
SATERN is running an emergency net tonight due to a major earthquake in Haiti. I have my HF radio on but can hear absolutely nothing but static. That's kind of strange because there is always a signal coming from somewhere. We need sunspots!!!
Getting a blood test in the morning, then departing for Muncie early afternoon with Grandma Judy to pick our grandchildren up from school (surprise!) and attend their "Christmas" program in the evening. Thankfully, the weather looks like it will cooperate. More above-freezing temps! Judy and I will get home fairly late, but at least the children will know that we cared enough to make the effort!
Last evening, my daughter booked three airline tickets to fly me and the grandchildren to California for the kids' spring break in late March. It will be Ryan's first time flying (age 6). Robin (age 7) and I have flown before, but not together. We will be doing this all together for the first time. Wish me luck! I am always a nervous flyer, but we do what we have to do! The children will not have seen their mother (nor will I) since December 13th or so. (Don't even ask me how that must feel!) If you are reading this and are a praying person, please pray that we get there and back safely!! There are several months to worry about it...
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Hmmm...
Was just writing a post when I hit some key and everything disappeared! If it seems that I don't know what I'm doing, it's because I don't!!
Ahem! As I was saying...I didn't have a plan for today so ended up doing, basically, nothing. I did take a nap (just to get my feet warm). I did feed myself. Oh...and I did dig the car out in order to venture to the store just to say I had done it. Other than that, nada! I really function better with lists. Guess I should start one, eh?
We haven't had above-freezing temps since Christmas, and the forecast isn't for anything above 32 for a few more days. I'm tired of winter already! I kind of chuckle...my "childhood sweetheart" who was raised in northern Wisconsin but has spent all of his adult career in Alabama, just longs for cold and snow. Perception is everything!
Felt sorry for my sister and bro-in-law yesterday. Roger was scheduled for an MRI on his back in the morning. (He has had a bad back for decades. Has endured surgeries, tests, etc.) They showed up at the hospital at 7:00 AM as required, but through a series of faux-pas and inattention, they came home at 11:00 with no MRI. First, they misplaced Roger's chart. Then they let him lie on the test bed (narrow, hard, and uncomfortable...especially for people with back problems) for over an hour without anyone coming to administer the test. He was cold. Had to ask for a blanket. Since he is somewhat claustrophobic, they usually sedate him to get through the machine experience...but that wasn't happening, either. Roger is a bit shy in the "patience" department anyway. He'd had enough! Eventually, he refused the test and motioned for Shari to take him home. I was reminded of the night, 2 1/2 years ago, when I was Life-lined to Peoria from a hospital in their town (Springfield) for what we were told would be emergency brain surgery for a ruptured aneurysm. Shari and Roger raced to Peoria...at least a 2-hour drive...to be there with me...only to be told that they could go home because the surgery wouldn't occur until the next day. Roger was understandably frustrated! I hope he has recovered from the experience today. He declared that he had lived with the back problem and would continue to do so...but I feel for him. Twenty-five years ago, I watched him crawl up a set of steps on his hands and knees when his back went out because walking was impossible. Bad deal!
Will head to church in the morning. A new study group is starting based on a book called Everybody's Normal* Till You Get to Know Them. I hope to learn something from it.
Stay warm and dry. Gotta love it!
Ahem! As I was saying...I didn't have a plan for today so ended up doing, basically, nothing. I did take a nap (just to get my feet warm). I did feed myself. Oh...and I did dig the car out in order to venture to the store just to say I had done it. Other than that, nada! I really function better with lists. Guess I should start one, eh?
We haven't had above-freezing temps since Christmas, and the forecast isn't for anything above 32 for a few more days. I'm tired of winter already! I kind of chuckle...my "childhood sweetheart" who was raised in northern Wisconsin but has spent all of his adult career in Alabama, just longs for cold and snow. Perception is everything!
Felt sorry for my sister and bro-in-law yesterday. Roger was scheduled for an MRI on his back in the morning. (He has had a bad back for decades. Has endured surgeries, tests, etc.) They showed up at the hospital at 7:00 AM as required, but through a series of faux-pas and inattention, they came home at 11:00 with no MRI. First, they misplaced Roger's chart. Then they let him lie on the test bed (narrow, hard, and uncomfortable...especially for people with back problems) for over an hour without anyone coming to administer the test. He was cold. Had to ask for a blanket. Since he is somewhat claustrophobic, they usually sedate him to get through the machine experience...but that wasn't happening, either. Roger is a bit shy in the "patience" department anyway. He'd had enough! Eventually, he refused the test and motioned for Shari to take him home. I was reminded of the night, 2 1/2 years ago, when I was Life-lined to Peoria from a hospital in their town (Springfield) for what we were told would be emergency brain surgery for a ruptured aneurysm. Shari and Roger raced to Peoria...at least a 2-hour drive...to be there with me...only to be told that they could go home because the surgery wouldn't occur until the next day. Roger was understandably frustrated! I hope he has recovered from the experience today. He declared that he had lived with the back problem and would continue to do so...but I feel for him. Twenty-five years ago, I watched him crawl up a set of steps on his hands and knees when his back went out because walking was impossible. Bad deal!
Will head to church in the morning. A new study group is starting based on a book called Everybody's Normal* Till You Get to Know Them. I hope to learn something from it.
Stay warm and dry. Gotta love it!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Music
My friend Ryan came over today with a CD of tunes that I had requested for the MP-3 player that he gave me for Christmas. I'm not sure if anyone can appreciate what a special gift that was! My interest in music is pretty eclectic. I like one or two tunes from various places...not totally interested in a whole album from any one artist. I don't know how Ryan accomplished it, but he came up with all of the songs that I requested, and then some.
He didn't stay long...and I felt kind of stupid. I listened to those songs and cried my eyes out! Why?? I don't know! There are just some songs that I consider musically perfect...background accompaniment and vocals...and they hit a cord in my heart. Some represent something in my soul that I can never get back...years of singing The Hallelujah Chorus at my high school Christmas concerts...a love for my once-husband that is gone forever. It is silly for me to want to share them with others because they don't share the same connections. Still, it was a special experience for me to listen today. Thank you, Ryan!!!
Raggedy Ann... My mother made my daughter a Raggedy Ann doll when she was a baby. I was cleaning out drawers in Meg's old room yesterday and found Raggedy...looking old and neglected. When Megan was about to become a mother for the first time, she told me that she was sitting in a rocking chair and looking at the doll...had lifted up her dress and found the embroidered heart: I love you. She fell apart, realizing that her long-dead grandmother was reaching out to her with a message of love. Meg's baby was born on Grandma Covill's birthday. Circumstance? I don't think so! I will clean Raggedy Ann up and offer her to Robin. I hope she will love the doll in the same respect that it was given... Just another of the things that Meg left behind that I totally don't understand...
Snow here. Haven't left the house in two days. No biggie. I haven't missed the ouside world. I just want it to be over so I can get on with life, such as it is...
He didn't stay long...and I felt kind of stupid. I listened to those songs and cried my eyes out! Why?? I don't know! There are just some songs that I consider musically perfect...background accompaniment and vocals...and they hit a cord in my heart. Some represent something in my soul that I can never get back...years of singing The Hallelujah Chorus at my high school Christmas concerts...a love for my once-husband that is gone forever. It is silly for me to want to share them with others because they don't share the same connections. Still, it was a special experience for me to listen today. Thank you, Ryan!!!
Raggedy Ann... My mother made my daughter a Raggedy Ann doll when she was a baby. I was cleaning out drawers in Meg's old room yesterday and found Raggedy...looking old and neglected. When Megan was about to become a mother for the first time, she told me that she was sitting in a rocking chair and looking at the doll...had lifted up her dress and found the embroidered heart: I love you. She fell apart, realizing that her long-dead grandmother was reaching out to her with a message of love. Meg's baby was born on Grandma Covill's birthday. Circumstance? I don't think so! I will clean Raggedy Ann up and offer her to Robin. I hope she will love the doll in the same respect that it was given... Just another of the things that Meg left behind that I totally don't understand...
Snow here. Haven't left the house in two days. No biggie. I haven't missed the ouside world. I just want it to be over so I can get on with life, such as it is...
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Snow Day
As predicted, I woke up to snow this morning...not much, but concerning. My former school district had called for a 2-hour delay...then canceled school. I had to admit that it felt good to wake up on this snowy morning and know that I didn't have to get up and out in the dark, to clean off my car, and hope to make it to school on time. There are some good things about retirement!
I may not have posted yesterday that my baby Robin has glasses now! The school referred her in a vision screening. She was taken to a doctor...20/50 in one eye and 20/70 in the other. She now sports specs. Looks cute!
Grandma Judy and I will be driving to Muncie on Wednesday for the children's Christmas program. (In January!) I hope the weather cooperates. We hope to take a KFC dinner to the house before the program, then depart afterwards so Kendra can get the children in bed on schedule. We'll see...
For the day's schedule, I floundered. Worked in my room some... and worked in Megan's. Megan's room used to be MY room, but now she is gone, so I hardly know how to refer to it. I'm still in a quandary about what to do. I live all alone in a house with four bedrooms. I need to have a guest room, but don't know how to make that happen. I'll figure things out, in time. Maybe just need to get rid of Robin's furniture in favor of better stuff and turn my garage bedroom into a guest room. Need inspiration!
In online conversation with Megan today, it appears that she is hoping the children and I can fly to Sunnyvale for spring break on her nickel...but the very next weekend is Robin's First Communion. Meg can't do both. I will hope for the best, whatever that is. She also experienced her first earthquake there. Welcome to sunny California!
In working on Meg's old room today, I was confronted with little notes and paintings that Robin supplied when her mother wasn't very much in attendance here. Little desperate messages of love. I honestly believe that Robin was trying to reel her mother in. "Welcome, Mom. I hope you are feeling better." "I love you" written in Braille. A picture painted on cardboard, "Thank you for the Webkinz, Mom" Breaks my heart! I threw them all out because it hurts too much to see them... Then I opened a drawer that had shreds of Megan's past... I need to throw them out. She has left them behind. But how can I part with all of that? How can I turn my back on it as she has?? Her Raggedy Ann doll that my mother made for her. The teddy bear that I used as a focus point when delivering her. Remnants of her letter jacket. Shreds of her beloved security blanket. I don't think I can ever understand how she could walk away from all of that, and her children...
The snow has all but stopped. Have about four inches on the ground, but now the wind is supposed to start. Life goes on!
I may not have posted yesterday that my baby Robin has glasses now! The school referred her in a vision screening. She was taken to a doctor...20/50 in one eye and 20/70 in the other. She now sports specs. Looks cute!
Grandma Judy and I will be driving to Muncie on Wednesday for the children's Christmas program. (In January!) I hope the weather cooperates. We hope to take a KFC dinner to the house before the program, then depart afterwards so Kendra can get the children in bed on schedule. We'll see...
For the day's schedule, I floundered. Worked in my room some... and worked in Megan's. Megan's room used to be MY room, but now she is gone, so I hardly know how to refer to it. I'm still in a quandary about what to do. I live all alone in a house with four bedrooms. I need to have a guest room, but don't know how to make that happen. I'll figure things out, in time. Maybe just need to get rid of Robin's furniture in favor of better stuff and turn my garage bedroom into a guest room. Need inspiration!
In online conversation with Megan today, it appears that she is hoping the children and I can fly to Sunnyvale for spring break on her nickel...but the very next weekend is Robin's First Communion. Meg can't do both. I will hope for the best, whatever that is. She also experienced her first earthquake there. Welcome to sunny California!
In working on Meg's old room today, I was confronted with little notes and paintings that Robin supplied when her mother wasn't very much in attendance here. Little desperate messages of love. I honestly believe that Robin was trying to reel her mother in. "Welcome, Mom. I hope you are feeling better." "I love you" written in Braille. A picture painted on cardboard, "Thank you for the Webkinz, Mom" Breaks my heart! I threw them all out because it hurts too much to see them... Then I opened a drawer that had shreds of Megan's past... I need to throw them out. She has left them behind. But how can I part with all of that? How can I turn my back on it as she has?? Her Raggedy Ann doll that my mother made for her. The teddy bear that I used as a focus point when delivering her. Remnants of her letter jacket. Shreds of her beloved security blanket. I don't think I can ever understand how she could walk away from all of that, and her children...
The snow has all but stopped. Have about four inches on the ground, but now the wind is supposed to start. Life goes on!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Snow on the Way
Depending on what forecast I listen to, Indy is expecting anywhere from 3-6 or 4-7 inches of snow, starting tonight. Saw this coming so determined that there were some things I needed to do. The biggest task was to haul boxes of Christmas decorations to the minibarn before the snow hits. Did that. It took about seven trips...and I tracked dirt into the house...but at least I don't have to work around the boxes until Easter!
The second task was to make a run to Walmart for some supplies. My mission was toilet paper. Apparently everyone else needed bread. The bread aisle was mostly depleted!
Along the way, I met up with a former student to give her a check for some Tupperware that I bought from her. We sat in my car and talked for quite awhile in front of Party City. She's been out of high school for about ten years and has become a responsible mother, going to school, etc. I enjoyed visiting with her after all these years.
I'm still trying to decide what to do with the bedrooms. Robin and Ryan's rooms are sacred...just for them when they come to visit. I could move back into my old bedroom and save the garage room for guests, should I ever have any, but my computer and radios are there. Decisions, decisions...
If I am snowed in tomorrow, I will spend some concentrated time doing SATERN work. I am way past due for getting that done!
Blessings!
The second task was to make a run to Walmart for some supplies. My mission was toilet paper. Apparently everyone else needed bread. The bread aisle was mostly depleted!
Along the way, I met up with a former student to give her a check for some Tupperware that I bought from her. We sat in my car and talked for quite awhile in front of Party City. She's been out of high school for about ten years and has become a responsible mother, going to school, etc. I enjoyed visiting with her after all these years.
I'm still trying to decide what to do with the bedrooms. Robin and Ryan's rooms are sacred...just for them when they come to visit. I could move back into my old bedroom and save the garage room for guests, should I ever have any, but my computer and radios are there. Decisions, decisions...
If I am snowed in tomorrow, I will spend some concentrated time doing SATERN work. I am way past due for getting that done!
Blessings!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Back...
Went to visit my sister and bro-in-law near Springfield, IL, on Wednesday. Just got back this afternoon. Shari wrote that she misses me already. I'm not sure why. All I do when I am there is take up space and eat their food! We only see each other a couple of times a year, but we do understand each other even though we live in different worlds. My sister has been a wonderful support in some of my recent heartbreaks. She listens without judging. It helps enormously!
I showed up on their doorstep empty-handed, but they had presents for me. Shari called them "a little something". Her "little something" through the years has been the mainstay of my winter wordrobe: wonderfully lovely sweatshirts that I get major compliments on! This year, I got three! I love them. Thank you, Shari and Roger!
Let's see...what did we do? The first full day, my great-nephew Jeremy showed up without his family for lunch. We played Wii bowling. I lost the first game. The second game, I bowled 240. Huh?? How did that happen?? I credited a glass or two of wine with my win. (The next time we played, I didn't do so well...wine or no wine.)
One evening, we drove to my niece's place in Mechanicsburg and went to a small restaurant right next door called Abe's Hideout. We had to wait quite awhile for a table big enough for all six of us, but the food was good, and so was the company. Enjoyed that!
Another day, Shari and I drove to Rutland, IL, to see our Aunt Rosie and cousin, Sandy. (Sandy is a guy...nicknamed for the color of his hair as a wee one...just two weeks younger than I). Aunt Rosie is my mother's sister...the last remaining relative of Mom's generation, age 86. Her first words to me were "You look like me!" Yes...I do, dammit! Except for an age-spot on her cheek and having a little more white hair, Aunt Rosie doesn't look much different than she did the last time I saw her in the late '90s. She is still the same character I always knew and loved. Cousin Sandy has no teeth (well...he has them, but they are in the cupboard) and sports a very long, white pony tail...but he is still the same ol' Sandy. Some things never change! The trip took us, basically, all day. I had quite forgotten that it was a two-hour trek up and another two hours back, plus a two hour visit and an hour for lunch on the way. We got back to Springfield in time to fix some supper and watch a little TV before crashing.
Once upon a time, when we were younger, Shari and I could stay up until dawn drinking, smoking, and talking. Now, we are lucky to make it to midnight. In fact, the only night we managed that was New Year's Eve. That night, we were in bed by 12:30! (1:30 Indiana time.)
And can we say COLD, boys and girls? The last three mornings, the temp sensor at Shari's registered 2 or 3 degrees. I think it got up to 11 before I left this AM. Whoop-de-doo! Interestingly, I watched Dakota, Shari and Roger's copper Siberian Husky, outside on her chain, worried that the temps would be hard on her. She plopped down in the snow, entirely unconcerned about the cold, sniffing the air and digging in the snow. My previous pup, Frodo the Wonder Dog cocker spaniel would have been shivering and begging to come in!
While I was there, Roger shared some income figures with me. Whoa! There is a reason why they have so many nice things, even in retirement! Coming home to my little bungalow can be a shock after all of that...but at least it's mine...sort of.
Got an online tour of Megan's new apartment via Skype this evening. She said it was "messy"...but I remember her apartment with Nathan back before the children were born, and that was a total disaster. Maybe she has learned something...or maybe they just haven't accrued enough "stuff" yet. They've only been there a few days, so far.
Oh...when I got home this afternoon, I logged onto Facebook for the first time in days and saw someone asking for prayers for a friend of mine. Jeff and his wife Wilma were colleagues in the Monroe-Gregg School District until a superintendent did away with their jobs due to a vendetta. Both moved on. Jeff's father, Bill, was the principal at Hall Elementary School who hired me on as a teacher when it becamse clear to me that my husband and I were heading for Splitsville. (Had Bill not hired me, I'm not sure where Meg and I would have ended up!) Bill lives just down the road from me now and goes to my church. I called him as soon as I read the request for prayers. Wilma, always a little slip of a thing, had a massive heart attack and was in cardiac arrest at least twice. She is in a heart hospital to the southeast of here, in a drug-induced coma. Jeff apparently had a stroke a number of months ago and has given up driving. After I talked to Bill, he called me back a bit later and told me that doctors did some sort of brain scan and determined that Wilma has a "sick brain" but is not brain dead. No one knows the prognosis. I called Jeff and talked to him for a bit, offering him transportation, if he needed/wanted it. He sounded good. If you are a praying person, please pray for my friends Wilma and Jeff. In this case, it's hard to know what to pray for...recovery or mercy. God's will be done!
I'm cold and tired. Time to hit the sack!
I showed up on their doorstep empty-handed, but they had presents for me. Shari called them "a little something". Her "little something" through the years has been the mainstay of my winter wordrobe: wonderfully lovely sweatshirts that I get major compliments on! This year, I got three! I love them. Thank you, Shari and Roger!
Let's see...what did we do? The first full day, my great-nephew Jeremy showed up without his family for lunch. We played Wii bowling. I lost the first game. The second game, I bowled 240. Huh?? How did that happen?? I credited a glass or two of wine with my win. (The next time we played, I didn't do so well...wine or no wine.)
One evening, we drove to my niece's place in Mechanicsburg and went to a small restaurant right next door called Abe's Hideout. We had to wait quite awhile for a table big enough for all six of us, but the food was good, and so was the company. Enjoyed that!
Another day, Shari and I drove to Rutland, IL, to see our Aunt Rosie and cousin, Sandy. (Sandy is a guy...nicknamed for the color of his hair as a wee one...just two weeks younger than I). Aunt Rosie is my mother's sister...the last remaining relative of Mom's generation, age 86. Her first words to me were "You look like me!" Yes...I do, dammit! Except for an age-spot on her cheek and having a little more white hair, Aunt Rosie doesn't look much different than she did the last time I saw her in the late '90s. She is still the same character I always knew and loved. Cousin Sandy has no teeth (well...he has them, but they are in the cupboard) and sports a very long, white pony tail...but he is still the same ol' Sandy. Some things never change! The trip took us, basically, all day. I had quite forgotten that it was a two-hour trek up and another two hours back, plus a two hour visit and an hour for lunch on the way. We got back to Springfield in time to fix some supper and watch a little TV before crashing.
Once upon a time, when we were younger, Shari and I could stay up until dawn drinking, smoking, and talking. Now, we are lucky to make it to midnight. In fact, the only night we managed that was New Year's Eve. That night, we were in bed by 12:30! (1:30 Indiana time.)
And can we say COLD, boys and girls? The last three mornings, the temp sensor at Shari's registered 2 or 3 degrees. I think it got up to 11 before I left this AM. Whoop-de-doo! Interestingly, I watched Dakota, Shari and Roger's copper Siberian Husky, outside on her chain, worried that the temps would be hard on her. She plopped down in the snow, entirely unconcerned about the cold, sniffing the air and digging in the snow. My previous pup, Frodo the Wonder Dog cocker spaniel would have been shivering and begging to come in!
While I was there, Roger shared some income figures with me. Whoa! There is a reason why they have so many nice things, even in retirement! Coming home to my little bungalow can be a shock after all of that...but at least it's mine...sort of.
Got an online tour of Megan's new apartment via Skype this evening. She said it was "messy"...but I remember her apartment with Nathan back before the children were born, and that was a total disaster. Maybe she has learned something...or maybe they just haven't accrued enough "stuff" yet. They've only been there a few days, so far.
Oh...when I got home this afternoon, I logged onto Facebook for the first time in days and saw someone asking for prayers for a friend of mine. Jeff and his wife Wilma were colleagues in the Monroe-Gregg School District until a superintendent did away with their jobs due to a vendetta. Both moved on. Jeff's father, Bill, was the principal at Hall Elementary School who hired me on as a teacher when it becamse clear to me that my husband and I were heading for Splitsville. (Had Bill not hired me, I'm not sure where Meg and I would have ended up!) Bill lives just down the road from me now and goes to my church. I called him as soon as I read the request for prayers. Wilma, always a little slip of a thing, had a massive heart attack and was in cardiac arrest at least twice. She is in a heart hospital to the southeast of here, in a drug-induced coma. Jeff apparently had a stroke a number of months ago and has given up driving. After I talked to Bill, he called me back a bit later and told me that doctors did some sort of brain scan and determined that Wilma has a "sick brain" but is not brain dead. No one knows the prognosis. I called Jeff and talked to him for a bit, offering him transportation, if he needed/wanted it. He sounded good. If you are a praying person, please pray for my friends Wilma and Jeff. In this case, it's hard to know what to pray for...recovery or mercy. God's will be done!
I'm cold and tired. Time to hit the sack!
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