Temps were still up today, but not as UP as the weekend, and humidity was way down. What a difference in the ability to function outside the house! Did I go outside the house? Uh...no. I did spend some time on the patio (my own little piece of nature), but I stuck with the inside, doing "day after Field Day" things.
What has to be done after FD? Unloading the car, for one. Washing up the "preparing and serving" dishes, for another--always a chore because I used the BIG pans and the BIG bowls...and they don't always fit well in the dishwasher. (Heaven forbid that I should do them by hand!) Once that was under control, I started on laundry which was still leftover from last weekend when the grandchildren were here. Got most of that done, too. Now I will begin the packing for California process.
I complained earlier that I had no baby robins following their mothers around in the yard this year. I was being impatient, I guess, because they are here now. Babies almost as big as the parents, chirping "Feed me!" There is something very satisfying about watching them. Circle of life, I guess. I love the robins. Typically, they are all but gone by the middle of August, so I enjoy them while I can. Also found a small praying mantis on the patio today. I immediately thought of the grandchildren, but they aren't here to show...so I just watched the little guy act like he was a big-time predator. He never made a move on the ants that were crawling around him...
In the Too Much Information category, I've been worried about having enough underwear to pack for the children for CA. First, I guess I should explain that, when Nathan and Megan divorced about four years ago, it was decided that both households, in Muncie and Plainfield, would maintain clothing so packing for visits didn't have to happen. At the time, they lived with me. When custody changed to Muncie, I sent most of their clothing north, but have endeavored to maintain at least a weekend's worth here...by season and growth. (The doggone kids just refuse to stop growing!) Bless Grandma Judy, she has helped me keep up with the seasons, etc., by sewing clothes for the children. This trip, I figured I'd have to buy unders for the kids because I don't have enough here. Well! As it turns out, I'm going to have to buy underwear for ME. Just this week, I've noticed that virtually every set of "drawers" I've put on has had "sprung" elastic at the waist, due (I'm sure) to years of bleaching in the laundry process. (Elastic doesn't like bleach...but I bleach unders, for reasons that will go unmentioned!) As I said, TMI!
My sister and bro-in-law got back safely from their trip to Denver, but not without problems at home. Apparently a dishwasher hose broke or leaked under the sink. Their daughter discovered the problem. Now they'll have to figure out what to do about the damage. They had to do a sad funeral today and are scarcely unpacked. God bless, Shari! Get some rest!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Field Day 2010
Amateur Radio Field Day is over for another year, and it has to go down as one of the hottest, ever! No rain, however...until late in the day on Sunday when the event was over.
This year, our club kind of scaled down. Some of our stalwarts were to be absent for one reason or another. We operated ONE radio, but kept it continually busy, thanks to 4-5 operators who stuck with it. Our goal was to make 200 contacts. We fell short of that, probably due to a battery failure early in the game, and two blown fuses later on. I, personally, only made 5 contacts on 15 meters...but that's more than I've done since my contesting buddy died a few years ago. It felt good to be back at the mic again!
The heat got to me. In the past, I would provide the food, then would stick around to contest late at night when others went home for a break. I'm older now and don't do as well in 94-degree temps with high humidity. I was happy with MOST of the food this year, but will plan something a little different for next year if God allows me the chance. When I left the FD site last night, I had a red face and was drenched in sweat. I had to come home and cool off before I could even shower and go to bed. Same thing over again today, although it was not QUITE as hot.
My kitchen is still a disaster from FD cooking. Tomorrow, I will start the quest to get ready for the California trip after the Fourth with my grandchildren. June is basically over. Where does the time go??
This year, our club kind of scaled down. Some of our stalwarts were to be absent for one reason or another. We operated ONE radio, but kept it continually busy, thanks to 4-5 operators who stuck with it. Our goal was to make 200 contacts. We fell short of that, probably due to a battery failure early in the game, and two blown fuses later on. I, personally, only made 5 contacts on 15 meters...but that's more than I've done since my contesting buddy died a few years ago. It felt good to be back at the mic again!
The heat got to me. In the past, I would provide the food, then would stick around to contest late at night when others went home for a break. I'm older now and don't do as well in 94-degree temps with high humidity. I was happy with MOST of the food this year, but will plan something a little different for next year if God allows me the chance. When I left the FD site last night, I had a red face and was drenched in sweat. I had to come home and cool off before I could even shower and go to bed. Same thing over again today, although it was not QUITE as hot.
My kitchen is still a disaster from FD cooking. Tomorrow, I will start the quest to get ready for the California trip after the Fourth with my grandchildren. June is basically over. Where does the time go??
Thursday, June 24, 2010
How Could We Have Been So Stupid?
Since daytime television programming is so terrible, I chanced upon The History Channel that was detailing the Hippies generation. (Mine.) I watched, enrapt. They told it like it was, even to the point of mentioning that we rejected our parents' values....wanting to set up our own utopian society.
Know what I thought? How stupid were we??
My father was the only person in his family to graduate from high school. He was one of the 25 top athletes in the state of Illinois his senior year, which gave him a scholarship to college. He was a child of the Great Depression...never having enough to eat. I have his account book where he accounted for every cent of what he spent in college.
He met my mother who, as a child of a farming family, had enough to eat. They had a big vegetable garden, and chickens/pigs/cows for meat. I think he thought he had died and gone to Heaven.
When Dad graduated from college, he married Mom, then WWII happened. He took a commission in the Navy Reserve. Both Mom and Dad sacrificed to make things happen for our country, and for us.
For years and years, my father worked as a teacher, coach, Navy officer, and mill worker. He wanted his children to have a better life than he had. I didn't appreciate it then. I do now!
Once upon a time, I was the Youth Director at my church in Pontiac, IL. I can remember sitting among the kids with them telling me that their life was tougher than mine was, as a kid. I had a flashback, remembering a time when I said the same thing to my dear mother. "You had it easier than we do!" Mom should have rankled. She should have told me that I was an ungrateful whelp, since she had been through the Great Depression, two wars without her husband, a fire that burned her house to the ground, and the tragic death of a child...but she didn't. What she said to me was, "You're right." She disarmed me!
I was a child of my generation. I was against the war in Vietnam, but thank God I didn't have the guts to express that, out of respect for my father's place in the military! (My younger brother was less respectful in his expressions about the war. He and Dad had many arguments about it.)
My parents worked their collective fannies off for us. Mom, Dad...I apologize for my generation's seeming non-understanding of what you went through for us. Each generation has to atone for what they didn't understand about the last one. I hope my own daughter will come to figure out why I am so passionate about what I have worked so hard for, all these years. We keep passing the torch. !
Know what I thought? How stupid were we??
My father was the only person in his family to graduate from high school. He was one of the 25 top athletes in the state of Illinois his senior year, which gave him a scholarship to college. He was a child of the Great Depression...never having enough to eat. I have his account book where he accounted for every cent of what he spent in college.
He met my mother who, as a child of a farming family, had enough to eat. They had a big vegetable garden, and chickens/pigs/cows for meat. I think he thought he had died and gone to Heaven.
When Dad graduated from college, he married Mom, then WWII happened. He took a commission in the Navy Reserve. Both Mom and Dad sacrificed to make things happen for our country, and for us.
For years and years, my father worked as a teacher, coach, Navy officer, and mill worker. He wanted his children to have a better life than he had. I didn't appreciate it then. I do now!
Once upon a time, I was the Youth Director at my church in Pontiac, IL. I can remember sitting among the kids with them telling me that their life was tougher than mine was, as a kid. I had a flashback, remembering a time when I said the same thing to my dear mother. "You had it easier than we do!" Mom should have rankled. She should have told me that I was an ungrateful whelp, since she had been through the Great Depression, two wars without her husband, a fire that burned her house to the ground, and the tragic death of a child...but she didn't. What she said to me was, "You're right." She disarmed me!
I was a child of my generation. I was against the war in Vietnam, but thank God I didn't have the guts to express that, out of respect for my father's place in the military! (My younger brother was less respectful in his expressions about the war. He and Dad had many arguments about it.)
My parents worked their collective fannies off for us. Mom, Dad...I apologize for my generation's seeming non-understanding of what you went through for us. Each generation has to atone for what they didn't understand about the last one. I hope my own daughter will come to figure out why I am so passionate about what I have worked so hard for, all these years. We keep passing the torch. !
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Oh, Puh-leez!!
I know this shouldn't bother me, but it does. The Food Police have arrived! My daughter's county in California has outlawed toys in Happy Meals, claiming that they lure children by encouraging them to "bug" their parents to take them to the fast food places that entice them to eat poorly. Now, there is an organization called The Center for Science in the Public Interest that is threatening to sue McDonald's, nationally, if they don't voluntarily take toys out of children's meals.
Look...this whole thing is going just a little too far! First of all, if burgers and fries weren't popular meals in America, companies wouldn't sell them. Isn't all of American economy based on supply and demand? (That's the excuse the oil companies use for gouging the public at the gas pump, anyway.) My ex-husband didn't get a toy with his meals at all-you-can-eat buffets, but that didn't stop him from going back to the serving table five times for helpings of fried chicken!
Since the children that are being "lured" are...uh...CHILDREN, they have to be driven to the fast food places by their parents. By this proposed law suit, is the CSPI assuming that parents have no control over their children? If given the opportunity, my grandson would eat out every night. When they were living here, we had ONE night a week of fast food--and that was Fridays when we didn't have time between school and soccer games to eat at home. He easily ran off the calories that he consumed during soccer!
There were three fast food places of choice: McDonald's, Burger King, and Chick-fil-A. Why? They all gave "toys" in their kids' meals, but the bigger draw was the fact that they had play places. The inside playgrounds have to be huge liabilities for the companies involved, but I was grateful for them! During long winters when there is zero opportunity for children to burn off energy outside, letting them scramble all over the playscapes with other kids (we actually supervised ours) did wonders for all of us! I suppose those "lures" will disappear, too...due to the Food Police.
Have you ever looked at the offerings on children's menus at NON-fast food places? Mac and cheese (high in fat); hot dogs (high in fat); grilled cheese sandwiches (high in fat); fried chicken fingers (high in fat). Side dishes of applesauce or chips or french fries. The Food Police aren't targeting those places because they don't offer toys...but they DO offer crayons and placemat activity sheets. Should those be outlawed, too???
Has anyone looked at school lunch offerings? Meals are balanced...but filled with fat. I personally have seen them put whole pounds of real butter in the trays of vegetables, for taste. Why? It's "government" butter. Supports the farmers. I guess I mention it because of the inequities of the Food Police targets. There is a domino effect. Like dictating that the "curly," expensive light bulbs become the norm. They have mercury in them...and (in my house, at least) burn out just as fast as the other ones. You gonna save your burned bulbs to take for toxic disposal????
If the Food Police have their way, Long John Silver's would be out of business because virtually everything on their menu is fried; the meat industry in this country would become bankrupt; and back yard barbecues would have to be licensed. I'm sorry...I went along with seat belt laws, child restraint seats, and outlawing DDT. They took phosphorous out of laundry detergents. Great. No smoking in restaurants? I'm all for it. But targeting child "incentives" as bad is just un-American!
If Mickey D's gets hit, then there can be no prize in Cracker Jack, no Chuck E. Cheese's ("where a kid can be a kid"), and no play places. God forbid that we should attract attention to all that is wrong with the world! But is it really wrong?? Happy meals have been served for at least 40 years. No one has complained until now.
Revolt, America! I intend to voice my solitary opinion everywhere I can. We are being assaulted by those who THINK they know what is best for us. Now what we eat is being legislated! I follow my doctor's advice, but I REFUSE to let government get in the way of my right to eat!
Look...this whole thing is going just a little too far! First of all, if burgers and fries weren't popular meals in America, companies wouldn't sell them. Isn't all of American economy based on supply and demand? (That's the excuse the oil companies use for gouging the public at the gas pump, anyway.) My ex-husband didn't get a toy with his meals at all-you-can-eat buffets, but that didn't stop him from going back to the serving table five times for helpings of fried chicken!
Since the children that are being "lured" are...uh...CHILDREN, they have to be driven to the fast food places by their parents. By this proposed law suit, is the CSPI assuming that parents have no control over their children? If given the opportunity, my grandson would eat out every night. When they were living here, we had ONE night a week of fast food--and that was Fridays when we didn't have time between school and soccer games to eat at home. He easily ran off the calories that he consumed during soccer!
There were three fast food places of choice: McDonald's, Burger King, and Chick-fil-A. Why? They all gave "toys" in their kids' meals, but the bigger draw was the fact that they had play places. The inside playgrounds have to be huge liabilities for the companies involved, but I was grateful for them! During long winters when there is zero opportunity for children to burn off energy outside, letting them scramble all over the playscapes with other kids (we actually supervised ours) did wonders for all of us! I suppose those "lures" will disappear, too...due to the Food Police.
Have you ever looked at the offerings on children's menus at NON-fast food places? Mac and cheese (high in fat); hot dogs (high in fat); grilled cheese sandwiches (high in fat); fried chicken fingers (high in fat). Side dishes of applesauce or chips or french fries. The Food Police aren't targeting those places because they don't offer toys...but they DO offer crayons and placemat activity sheets. Should those be outlawed, too???
Has anyone looked at school lunch offerings? Meals are balanced...but filled with fat. I personally have seen them put whole pounds of real butter in the trays of vegetables, for taste. Why? It's "government" butter. Supports the farmers. I guess I mention it because of the inequities of the Food Police targets. There is a domino effect. Like dictating that the "curly," expensive light bulbs become the norm. They have mercury in them...and (in my house, at least) burn out just as fast as the other ones. You gonna save your burned bulbs to take for toxic disposal????
If the Food Police have their way, Long John Silver's would be out of business because virtually everything on their menu is fried; the meat industry in this country would become bankrupt; and back yard barbecues would have to be licensed. I'm sorry...I went along with seat belt laws, child restraint seats, and outlawing DDT. They took phosphorous out of laundry detergents. Great. No smoking in restaurants? I'm all for it. But targeting child "incentives" as bad is just un-American!
If Mickey D's gets hit, then there can be no prize in Cracker Jack, no Chuck E. Cheese's ("where a kid can be a kid"), and no play places. God forbid that we should attract attention to all that is wrong with the world! But is it really wrong?? Happy meals have been served for at least 40 years. No one has complained until now.
Revolt, America! I intend to voice my solitary opinion everywhere I can. We are being assaulted by those who THINK they know what is best for us. Now what we eat is being legislated! I follow my doctor's advice, but I REFUSE to let government get in the way of my right to eat!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Today
Yesterday, I gave myself permission to do nothing today in order to recuperate from the weekend. It wasn't that tough, but I thought it would be okay. I did sleep late this morning, but then my neighbor called to ask if I'd watch her children for an hour or two so she could meet an appointment. That gave me the inspiration to do a few household things.
The neighbor kids were only here an a little less than two hours. It gave me a little inspiration to do some things that I hadn't intended to do. Goading is good!
My friend Ryan's father, 89 years old, after major heart surgery, is holding his own. God bless the man and his vigilant family!
My sister will be leaving for a family function in Colorado tomorrow. I will worry! Her husband has major back problems. Prayers needed, please.
Thunderstorms in the county. A Skywarn net is up. Not fun. I don't think anything serious will happen, but will remain vigilant.
God is good.
The neighbor kids were only here an a little less than two hours. It gave me a little inspiration to do some things that I hadn't intended to do. Goading is good!
My friend Ryan's father, 89 years old, after major heart surgery, is holding his own. God bless the man and his vigilant family!
My sister will be leaving for a family function in Colorado tomorrow. I will worry! Her husband has major back problems. Prayers needed, please.
Thunderstorms in the county. A Skywarn net is up. Not fun. I don't think anything serious will happen, but will remain vigilant.
God is good.
Remembering Floyd
Today is Father's Day. My dad left this world at age 76 in 1994. Still, I honor him this day.
My father was the youngest of a family of nine children. (He said 10, but his youngest "brother" was actually a child of his sister, being raised by his mother. Travis died young from "consumption".)
Dad was a child of poverty. Extreme poverty. I once saw the place where he was raised and was appalled at the level of poverty.
My father was born with some kind of disability. He was put aside to die when he was born, but his sister would not let that happen. She cleaned him up and put him to his mother's breast. In time, with a change of doctors, the family was told to "let him run"...which he did. I was told that he ran and ran to keep up with the other kids until he fell flat on his face. Something about him just worked.
By the time Floyd Darwin Covill graduated from high school, he was one of the top 25 athletes in the state of Illinois. He was the first of his family to graduate...and then received an athletic scholarship with Illinois State Normal University, where he met my mother. Dad was the Redbirds' big football star. Little All American. Fullback hero.
When Mom and Dad eloped, it was out of respect for the economic times. Now married to a farm family that had resources from the land, he was in his element. He loved my mother's parents as his own--his own having died not long after he graduated from college. And they loved him. When WW II started, he took a commission with the Navy Reserve and served our country through the Korean War and beyond.
I knew my father as a hard-working man who took on two or three jobs to keep his family afloat through tough times. He venerated my mother as his partner in life. I wasn't close to him until my mother died. Then I understood.
Floyd Darwin Covill:
#24 Fullback for the ISNU Redbirds; Hall of Fame recipient for 1941.
Commander, USNR (ret) after 20 years of faithful service.
Coach of the Week for Dwight HS (need to find the year).
Past Commander of the Streator, IL, branch of the American Legion.
Father and general good guy who rose above his beginnings and raised a family in spite of all.
I honor my father this Father's Day. I still miss him.
My father was the youngest of a family of nine children. (He said 10, but his youngest "brother" was actually a child of his sister, being raised by his mother. Travis died young from "consumption".)
Dad was a child of poverty. Extreme poverty. I once saw the place where he was raised and was appalled at the level of poverty.
My father was born with some kind of disability. He was put aside to die when he was born, but his sister would not let that happen. She cleaned him up and put him to his mother's breast. In time, with a change of doctors, the family was told to "let him run"...which he did. I was told that he ran and ran to keep up with the other kids until he fell flat on his face. Something about him just worked.
By the time Floyd Darwin Covill graduated from high school, he was one of the top 25 athletes in the state of Illinois. He was the first of his family to graduate...and then received an athletic scholarship with Illinois State Normal University, where he met my mother. Dad was the Redbirds' big football star. Little All American. Fullback hero.
When Mom and Dad eloped, it was out of respect for the economic times. Now married to a farm family that had resources from the land, he was in his element. He loved my mother's parents as his own--his own having died not long after he graduated from college. And they loved him. When WW II started, he took a commission with the Navy Reserve and served our country through the Korean War and beyond.
I knew my father as a hard-working man who took on two or three jobs to keep his family afloat through tough times. He venerated my mother as his partner in life. I wasn't close to him until my mother died. Then I understood.
Floyd Darwin Covill:
#24 Fullback for the ISNU Redbirds; Hall of Fame recipient for 1941.
Commander, USNR (ret) after 20 years of faithful service.
Coach of the Week for Dwight HS (need to find the year).
Past Commander of the Streator, IL, branch of the American Legion.
Father and general good guy who rose above his beginnings and raised a family in spite of all.
I honor my father this Father's Day. I still miss him.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Baby Bunny
The little rabbit that I enjoyed watching in my yard has met his demise. I was mowing the back yard and almost ran over his furry little body. There was not a mark on him. I wept throughout the rest of the mowing experience. Rest in peace, little bunny!
Baby Bunny
The little rabbit that I enjoyed watching in my yard has met his demise. I was mowing the back yard and almost ran over his furry little body. There was not a mark on him. I wept throughout the rest of the mowing experience. Rest in peace, little bunny!
Storms
Last night's storms proved interesting. Just as I thought everything was winding down, the power went out and stayed out. I reported it via cell phone (thanks to Megan who patched me in from California). This was at about 8 PM. Estimated time for restoration was 10:30. I lit my three oil lamps, but with no Internet and no television, there was nothing to do but wait it out. I napped until I heard the "beep-beep" of my two-meter radio coming back on at about 10:00. I got up, shut things off, and went back to bed...but not before I called Comcast because my TVs had not come back on. Apparently, there was a cable outage. I was told that the service would probably come back on during the night...but it didn't. (Finally came back on about 8:30 this morning. It was going to be a LONG day without my beloved television distractions!)
I had an appointment with my cardiologist this morning. The good news is that my weight is down 7 pounds since my first appointment. The bad news is that all of my blood fats (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL) are up considerably...probably because I forget to take the medicine in the evening. My diet has not changed. Instructions and medications have been adjusted. I'll be a good girl! I have to say that I LOVE my cardiologist! Dr. Gill takes lots of time to talk to me about things, and he remembers details from one appointment to another. He was the one who treated me in the ER after my heart attack before sending me to another hospital (because it was a weekend). (He even asked me today if my daughter was the one who was with me in the ER that day. I asked how he could remember something like that. He said, "Some just stand out.") My last appointment, when I was still raw from the events at home, I just cried and cried in his office. He wanted to put me on Happy Pills to reduce the stresses on my heart, but I told him that the circumstances were "situational" and I wanted to wait before doing that. He is pleased with my progress in that regard. He is young, good looking, and totally connected to his patients. He even spent some time talking to me about his four kids, knowing that I was a teacher for a lot of years. I confess that I don't "doctor" much, but this is the first time in my 63 years of life that I have actually felt a caring situation with a physician. He listens!
Now, I am gearing up for the grandchildren to be here this weekend. I am trying to focus on the things that will be important to them. They won't care if my floors are clean or if the laundry is done. (In fact, they will add to the work load, in that regard.) I just want them to enjoy their time at Grandma Peggy's! We have plans!
I had an appointment with my cardiologist this morning. The good news is that my weight is down 7 pounds since my first appointment. The bad news is that all of my blood fats (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL) are up considerably...probably because I forget to take the medicine in the evening. My diet has not changed. Instructions and medications have been adjusted. I'll be a good girl! I have to say that I LOVE my cardiologist! Dr. Gill takes lots of time to talk to me about things, and he remembers details from one appointment to another. He was the one who treated me in the ER after my heart attack before sending me to another hospital (because it was a weekend). (He even asked me today if my daughter was the one who was with me in the ER that day. I asked how he could remember something like that. He said, "Some just stand out.") My last appointment, when I was still raw from the events at home, I just cried and cried in his office. He wanted to put me on Happy Pills to reduce the stresses on my heart, but I told him that the circumstances were "situational" and I wanted to wait before doing that. He is pleased with my progress in that regard. He is young, good looking, and totally connected to his patients. He even spent some time talking to me about his four kids, knowing that I was a teacher for a lot of years. I confess that I don't "doctor" much, but this is the first time in my 63 years of life that I have actually felt a caring situation with a physician. He listens!
Now, I am gearing up for the grandchildren to be here this weekend. I am trying to focus on the things that will be important to them. They won't care if my floors are clean or if the laundry is done. (In fact, they will add to the work load, in that regard.) I just want them to enjoy their time at Grandma Peggy's! We have plans!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
The Wonders of Nature
Wonder of Nature #1:
Had a radio club meeting last night. Understand that my radio club is responsible for a repeater in our county that runs a Skywarn network for Emergency Management/National Weather Service in the event of severe weather. Many of our weather spotters were at the meeting in Danville, IN. One of our members announced that we were under a severe thunderstorm warning...then a few minutes later, a tornado warning. Then the sirens went off. At that point, we relocated the meeting from the first floor to the basement of the Government Center, but kept on going. I guess the Skywarn net went on without us! When I left the meeting to drive back to Plainfield, the storms had moved through. The sky to the west was clearing; the sky to the east was still black. In front of me, however, was a beautiful double rainbow. What was really unusual about it was that it was after 9:00 PM!
Wonder of Nature #2:
A baby bunny has taken up residence in my back yard--specifically in my little corner flower garden. He is hiding in it and eating it! He doesn't seem at all bothered by the fact that I come in and out back there. Maybe he's too young to be scared. Not tainted by life yet... He's cute, durn his furry little hide.
Wonder of Nature #3:
In all of the storms that moved through last night, a bolt of lightning hit the right hand of "Touchdown Jesus"--a 62-foot-high sculpture of Jesus at a church by interstate 75 near Cincinnati--and it burned to the ground. (The statue/sculpture gained fame when Heywood Banks [a comedy musician] wrote a song about it called "Big Butter Jesus".) I've never seen it, but Megan and Nathan did. It was a controversial thing. Many considered it an eyesore--garish and distracting. No matter one's opinion, the Internet has been all a-twitter (no pun intended) about the irony of its demise. Some consider it a vengeful act of God. Others say it was simply an expected act of nature. I mean, it was made of combustible material (foam, fiberglass, and resin) over a metal frame, the highest point around during a thunderstorm. Perfect lightning rod! Some of the comments posted online at the end of news stories about the fire were pretty funny. The two that I liked best were: "Holy Smoke!" and "He is resin!" No blasphemy there...
Wonder of Nature #4:
I think the sparrows that spent a number of weeks building nests under the awning over my patio have given up. They alway do. I think they end up building in the gutter and always get rained out. Interestingly, I have NOT had any fledgling robins in my yard this year demanding to be fed by parents that are only slightly bigger than they. Highly unusual. I have robins...just no babies. Why is that?
Wonder of Nature #5:
(This is pushing it a bit. Maybe not a wonder of nature so much as just a wonder.) I had blood drawn today at a hospital lab in preparation for a cardiologist appointment tomorrow. The technician was really good. Hardly felt the stick...and no bruising after. Works for me!!
Well...guess what? We are under a severe thunderstorm watch AGAIN. This is getting to be "old hat". Another day, another thunderstorm. Welcome to the tropical rain forest of Indiana!
Had a radio club meeting last night. Understand that my radio club is responsible for a repeater in our county that runs a Skywarn network for Emergency Management/National Weather Service in the event of severe weather. Many of our weather spotters were at the meeting in Danville, IN. One of our members announced that we were under a severe thunderstorm warning...then a few minutes later, a tornado warning. Then the sirens went off. At that point, we relocated the meeting from the first floor to the basement of the Government Center, but kept on going. I guess the Skywarn net went on without us! When I left the meeting to drive back to Plainfield, the storms had moved through. The sky to the west was clearing; the sky to the east was still black. In front of me, however, was a beautiful double rainbow. What was really unusual about it was that it was after 9:00 PM!
Wonder of Nature #2:
A baby bunny has taken up residence in my back yard--specifically in my little corner flower garden. He is hiding in it and eating it! He doesn't seem at all bothered by the fact that I come in and out back there. Maybe he's too young to be scared. Not tainted by life yet... He's cute, durn his furry little hide.
Wonder of Nature #3:
In all of the storms that moved through last night, a bolt of lightning hit the right hand of "Touchdown Jesus"--a 62-foot-high sculpture of Jesus at a church by interstate 75 near Cincinnati--and it burned to the ground. (The statue/sculpture gained fame when Heywood Banks [a comedy musician] wrote a song about it called "Big Butter Jesus".) I've never seen it, but Megan and Nathan did. It was a controversial thing. Many considered it an eyesore--garish and distracting. No matter one's opinion, the Internet has been all a-twitter (no pun intended) about the irony of its demise. Some consider it a vengeful act of God. Others say it was simply an expected act of nature. I mean, it was made of combustible material (foam, fiberglass, and resin) over a metal frame, the highest point around during a thunderstorm. Perfect lightning rod! Some of the comments posted online at the end of news stories about the fire were pretty funny. The two that I liked best were: "Holy Smoke!" and "He is resin!" No blasphemy there...
Wonder of Nature #4:
I think the sparrows that spent a number of weeks building nests under the awning over my patio have given up. They alway do. I think they end up building in the gutter and always get rained out. Interestingly, I have NOT had any fledgling robins in my yard this year demanding to be fed by parents that are only slightly bigger than they. Highly unusual. I have robins...just no babies. Why is that?
Wonder of Nature #5:
(This is pushing it a bit. Maybe not a wonder of nature so much as just a wonder.) I had blood drawn today at a hospital lab in preparation for a cardiologist appointment tomorrow. The technician was really good. Hardly felt the stick...and no bruising after. Works for me!!
Well...guess what? We are under a severe thunderstorm watch AGAIN. This is getting to be "old hat". Another day, another thunderstorm. Welcome to the tropical rain forest of Indiana!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Long Absence!
Not much has happened in my life since I last posted. You will recall that I somehow pinched a nerve in my back. I have spent the time since just trying to be good to myself, trying to find comfortable positions, and not overdoing things. Obviously, I haven't been able to do much, but I have endeavored to keep on moving. (What are the alternatives??) Today...finally...I am experiencing a pretty good day. The best since this all happened over a week ago.
The interesting thing about sciatica is that the injury originates in the back, but it is the leg that is affected the most. My left leg has been extremely weak. I've had to make some adaptations to normal movement, but it has worked.
I did get out of town for a few days. The change of scenery did me good. Now I am gearing up for my grandchildren to be here this next weekend...then will start preparing for our next trip to California. I do best if I plan way ahead of time so I don't forget things. We will be out of here in just over three weeks. The time just flies!!
ALL of my flowers and planters are blooming right now. I can't remember the last time the little corner garden in my back yard has looked so beautiful! Of course, we have had plenty of rain to keep things green. I guess that's a benefit??
On a sadder note, my friend Ryan's father has been in the hospital for at least a week now with congestive heart failure which brought about pneumonia. He needs heart valve replacement surgery, but he is 89 years old and doctors at one hospital didn't want to do the operation. It appears that they have found another doctor at another hospital that is willing to do it. It's one of those darned-if-you-do/darned-if-you-don't situations. Keep the faith, Ryan. Friends are thinking of you!
Another sad note: my sister and brother-in-law's neighbor was hospitalized last week with pneumonia from H1N1. Her blood oxygen level was, like, 86%...so she was put on a respirator and put in a drug-induced coma. The prognosis for Mary was not good, and since she had signed a "Do Not Resuscitate" order, they shut down the respirator and she passed on. Mary was in her 80s, alone with her little dog, Tiny, since her husband passed away a few years ago. Mary had no driver's license...and no children...so she has lived all alone in her big house, looking out her windows on the world. Shari and Roger looked out for her some...and she always seemed to know what was going on in the neighborhood! Mary often came out to say hello to me when I was there, visiting. She and her beloved Ray are reunited now. So sad that she had to go that way. Maybe it is merciful. My sympathies go to my sister and her husband for losing a friend and neighbor.
We have had some mega-heat and humidity so far this summer, and it isn't even officially summer yet! You will note that I'm not complaining! I'm not crazy about the heat, but I hate the winter so much that I'm doing a happy dance these days!
The interesting thing about sciatica is that the injury originates in the back, but it is the leg that is affected the most. My left leg has been extremely weak. I've had to make some adaptations to normal movement, but it has worked.
I did get out of town for a few days. The change of scenery did me good. Now I am gearing up for my grandchildren to be here this next weekend...then will start preparing for our next trip to California. I do best if I plan way ahead of time so I don't forget things. We will be out of here in just over three weeks. The time just flies!!
ALL of my flowers and planters are blooming right now. I can't remember the last time the little corner garden in my back yard has looked so beautiful! Of course, we have had plenty of rain to keep things green. I guess that's a benefit??
On a sadder note, my friend Ryan's father has been in the hospital for at least a week now with congestive heart failure which brought about pneumonia. He needs heart valve replacement surgery, but he is 89 years old and doctors at one hospital didn't want to do the operation. It appears that they have found another doctor at another hospital that is willing to do it. It's one of those darned-if-you-do/darned-if-you-don't situations. Keep the faith, Ryan. Friends are thinking of you!
Another sad note: my sister and brother-in-law's neighbor was hospitalized last week with pneumonia from H1N1. Her blood oxygen level was, like, 86%...so she was put on a respirator and put in a drug-induced coma. The prognosis for Mary was not good, and since she had signed a "Do Not Resuscitate" order, they shut down the respirator and she passed on. Mary was in her 80s, alone with her little dog, Tiny, since her husband passed away a few years ago. Mary had no driver's license...and no children...so she has lived all alone in her big house, looking out her windows on the world. Shari and Roger looked out for her some...and she always seemed to know what was going on in the neighborhood! Mary often came out to say hello to me when I was there, visiting. She and her beloved Ray are reunited now. So sad that she had to go that way. Maybe it is merciful. My sympathies go to my sister and her husband for losing a friend and neighbor.
We have had some mega-heat and humidity so far this summer, and it isn't even officially summer yet! You will note that I'm not complaining! I'm not crazy about the heat, but I hate the winter so much that I'm doing a happy dance these days!
Friday, June 4, 2010
"Down in the Back"
I'm not sure why God decided to rain on my parade, but I woke up yesterday morning with a pinched nerve in my back on the left side. Didn't have any problem the day before, so I just assumed that I slept wrong on it...but who knows? I had been down on my hands and knees working in the yard. In any case, the pain goes down into my leg and it is constant. Hard to find a comfortable position...and drugs (what I am allowed, anyway) really don't help. Thus, I have had to shelf any work I wanted to get done yesterday and today. Have rested and applied heat. I just pray that I will be better tomorrow!!!!!
My son-in-law's mother flew out of San Francisco for her return trip to Russia this afternoon. Megan told me that she (Luda) had been in tears several times yesterday in anticipation of leaving her son. I don't blame her! I would be in tears just anticipating a 20-hour flight across half the world! I have tracked Luda's flight on the Internet. She is now over Ontario, Canada, well on her way. Looks like she will have two days to recuperate from the jet lag, which I've read is much worse traveling eastward (her direction). God bless you, Mama Luda! (It's funny to call her that. She is only 50 years old. I am much older than "Mama"!
As I type (at 10:44 PM) it is still 79 degrees outside, humid, without a breath of air stirring. The lightning bugs which make the night sparkle have gone to bed.
My sister is supposed to have a pool birthday party for her eldest great-grandson tomorrow, but the weather doesn't look good. I hope this all happens without a hitch. Good luck, Shari!
I have things to do tomorrow. Hope the back is at least good enough for me to accomplish some errands. All I have done today is rest, apply heat, meet with the gals responsible for the next quarter's Sunday School classes (me included), and eat. And eat. And eat. This has got to stop!
Time to go try to find a comfortable position on the bed. Wish me luck!
My son-in-law's mother flew out of San Francisco for her return trip to Russia this afternoon. Megan told me that she (Luda) had been in tears several times yesterday in anticipation of leaving her son. I don't blame her! I would be in tears just anticipating a 20-hour flight across half the world! I have tracked Luda's flight on the Internet. She is now over Ontario, Canada, well on her way. Looks like she will have two days to recuperate from the jet lag, which I've read is much worse traveling eastward (her direction). God bless you, Mama Luda! (It's funny to call her that. She is only 50 years old. I am much older than "Mama"!
As I type (at 10:44 PM) it is still 79 degrees outside, humid, without a breath of air stirring. The lightning bugs which make the night sparkle have gone to bed.
My sister is supposed to have a pool birthday party for her eldest great-grandson tomorrow, but the weather doesn't look good. I hope this all happens without a hitch. Good luck, Shari!
I have things to do tomorrow. Hope the back is at least good enough for me to accomplish some errands. All I have done today is rest, apply heat, meet with the gals responsible for the next quarter's Sunday School classes (me included), and eat. And eat. And eat. This has got to stop!
Time to go try to find a comfortable position on the bed. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Post Race Days
I deliberately did NOTHING yesterday except try to recover from Sunday. It was a holiday. Shari arrived home safely (through storms). I was tired but not exhausted. I was happy to just be a vegetable on Monday. Thankfully, Shari's dog and husband were happy to see her. I'm sure she was delighted to be home!
When Shari was here, I had an earwig problem. The insects are ugly and were everywhere, in the house as well as outside. There was an infestation near the front door. Ugh!!! I sprayed the daylights out of the situation two nights in a row...and determined that I would keep doing so until I didn't see any more of them in the house. Under control now!
Today, I didn't do much. I've been working in the back yard to restore it to a restful situation after two years of chaos. I like it a lot! Still have to get the patio situation under control, but I'm making progress. It's been a loooong process!
The grandchildren will be here over Father's Day weekend. I miss them so much! Will have to plan something special, weather permitting. We depart for CA on July 6th. The time will fly.
I love summer! And it isn't even officially summer yet!
When Shari was here, I had an earwig problem. The insects are ugly and were everywhere, in the house as well as outside. There was an infestation near the front door. Ugh!!! I sprayed the daylights out of the situation two nights in a row...and determined that I would keep doing so until I didn't see any more of them in the house. Under control now!
Today, I didn't do much. I've been working in the back yard to restore it to a restful situation after two years of chaos. I like it a lot! Still have to get the patio situation under control, but I'm making progress. It's been a loooong process!
The grandchildren will be here over Father's Day weekend. I miss them so much! Will have to plan something special, weather permitting. We depart for CA on July 6th. The time will fly.
I love summer! And it isn't even officially summer yet!
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