The journey of a widowed Southern lady stranded in the Mid-west surviving the
perils and pearls of grief, adult children, grandchildren, writing, retirement, and assorted crises.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
The Weekend Is Finally HERE!
That was the plan. The boss let us off early and when I got home, I napped on the sofa. But people kept calling. My aunt, Becca, Mike. Every time I dozed off the phone rang. I stayed on the sofa, getting up only to eat and answer the call of nature until midnight. I watched Enterprise Marathon on Sci-Fi. I was just too tired to move.
This morning I got up at 8:30 a.m. and my bedroom is cleaned... finally. I swear there was a whole graveyard of people in there. Dust everywhere! I wouldn't let Jerry go to bed until it was cleaned. I've asked Becca to come over and help me dust everything. I know part of the problems I'm having is the dust. I don't know why it is so bad in this house. I think because the dryer is in the house and I don't have the time or energy to dust like I used to and Jerry NEVER dust.
I am going to do some other things but I really just want to relax today. I probably won't because Becca and Sarah will be here.
It occurred to me this morning I have to start planning for NaNoWriMo soon. I have not got a single idea on what to write. Last year, my planning is what helped me to reach the goal. If I don't get a plan, I'm up a creek I think. I won't finish it. There are a lot of things that go on in November anyway that cause delays so I really need the plan.
I am going now to vacuum this room and do a couple of other things. I hope I can drop back by later today.
Monday, August 25, 2008
A Complete List of Things Caused by Global Warming
Of particular interest is the one titled "brothels struggle". {wink - nudge - nudge} Global warming and hookers? Yep. To be fair, there is disturbing information here. If you are prone to worry, you may what to just ignore it all.
At any rate, it is educational.
Link
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Digital Images of the Sky
Link
Thursday, August 21, 2008
And Ill Wind
I have to thank all of you again for your prayers. They have been felt! I have seen some changes in some things in the last couple of days. The problem is not solved but I can see prayers at work. My husband called our pastor on Monday afternoon and within an hour there was a sense of peace that swept over me and I was able to gain a sense of calm. I wasn't "over" it. I just felt that something had "changed". Maybe just me.
Tonight, I sit here listening to the music on my site in another window. I do that often when browsing your sites or just cruising the web. I find there is a sense of calm I get from listening to it that comforts me after a hectic or difficult day. I don't preach here often to people although I don't hide what I am. Tonight, I feel a need to say that if you are not a believer, I will be praying for you. I can assure you that I know prayer works. I know that God is watching and he does care when we are wounded and need comfort. I know beyond doubt that MY Redeemer is alive and he is my compass and guide. Storms may roll in and rage against me but he shelters me and when the storm is over I may be bruised and battered by the onslaught. But when it passes, when the clouds have blown away, when the sun breaks through and I feel it on my face I know that he has never once left my side. God is great and words can't begin to convey the magnitude of his greatness.
For those of you who doubt miracles, let me just say that I am evidence of miracles so I know nothing is impossible with God. Someday, maybe I can tell you about my miracle. Let me just finish this post by saying, He is real. He does exist. I have absolutely no doubt, even in the worst times, no, especially in the worst times, I am positive.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
FBI: Pa. student hoped to breed sex slave family - USATODAY.com
Link
Monday, August 18, 2008
May Be Away for Awhile
I have to go for now. My friends, please pray for me. I am not good at all right now.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
A Day at the Zoo and Other Tales of Extraordinary Interest
The weather was lovely on Monday, mid to high 70s by 3:00 p.m when we headed that way.We stopped at Mcdonald's for a late lunch and Mike left us at the park.
You now enter through what was the back entrance. It had been remodeled with a cafe and gift shop and the new Amazonia exhibit. As you walk in there are water geysers. Sarah immediately wanted to get wet. She has been in a similar water fountain this summer and knew exactly what they were. We rushed past this area quickly because I didn't pack a towel. I had no idea they had the geysers there.
The paved walkways are wide enough for golf carts and a tram so once Sarah's leash was on she could walk. We walked past the large lake in the center of the park.We saw ducks and paddle boats and at the dock, large swan boats that Sarah called ducks. We made our way around to exhibits that had been there for years but were empty and over grown with brush and weeds. I have no idea why. There were some really nice exhibits but I was surprised at how few considering how much money was spent on a new exhibit. There was no elephant! There was a children's area but no petting zoo and most of the features of the children's area were empty. We did see donkeys, ponies, and goats.
Sarah didn't know the difference. She loves walking and looked at everything with great interest. She is a very intense child when she is learning. You can actually see little wheels turning. When you pointed something out, she looked like a little scientist who had just discovered a new organism.
We stopped by the Otter exhibit. There were two but it was a smaller exhibit than in the past. However, there nicest thing about it was a Plexiglas tube beneath the pool. I could have crawled through and watched the swim underwater. Sarah was having none of that (neither did I) It was an large tube open at both ends and clear but she didn't care for the "puppies" visible in the glass. I never thought much that otters looked like puppies but in the face, they kind of do! She did like them when viewed from the top. I love watching otters and I always liked this exhibit.
Next favored sight was the prairie dogs. She called them "puppies" too. I told her she was getting closer. There was a tube for this too, a dark tube closed at both ends that she didn't mind at all. You stood up halfway through and should be able to see the prairie dogs up close. She was too short. It was too dark and close for me, although I could have fit inside easily. And the "puppies" were in a lower area playing. We did get to see them and they were very cute.
We wandered into several exhibits where they had been monkeys and there were a couple of apes of one sort or another. I found later that the monkeys were near where the old entrance used to be. That is a very long hill. It was when we reached the bottom of that hill that I told Jerry I couldn't do it. My legs had begun to hurt. As I said, this zoo is hilly.
We avoided the nocturnal house. For some reason, it didn't hold the charm it did when I had two little boys who were into strange creature things that inhabited the dark. This is a very, very dark room and very little light is in the glassed in cages. You can barely see the sloth. Sarah is really too small to be very interested in such things.
The bird and snake exhibit was boring and mostly under construction. We quickly bypassed the Burmese python. Neither Jerry or I care for snakes and these creatures are specifically malevolent. I hate them. He stands guard near the bird and snake room. Well, the bird room was always kind of nice. It is a large area that is like a closed corridor and in a three walled room it has lots of trees and bushes and painted scenery where they fly around. You stand outside the room and look in. Some even fly into the main area because there is no fourth wall. On the opposite wall they have glass boxes of snakes. Predator and prey in the same room.
Farther into the section is another python and this one was housed next to a cage of birds. He was extended about four feet up the wall of his cage that abutted the birds cage. There was probably another 10 feet of him on the bottom of his cage! I told Jerry he was so close to lunch he could smell it and he wanted in. Hideous creature.
We were now headed for Amazonia. This area had all been redone. The bears were gone but there was a Sumatran Tiger, a lioness, various birds and turtles.In one place they had water mist where we could have cooled off but I knew if Sarah got a whiff of that we were done for.
We saw emus, wallabies, and more turtles. There was a double humped camel, a Bactarian camel I think is what it was called. I didn't see the snow leopards they used to have either. That is quiet disappointing as they were lovely animals. I remember when they had cubs, long grown by now and in some other zoo.
Finally we entered the Amazonia exhibit. It is glass and the first thing you see from the back entrance are the waterfalls. It is really beautiful and with lots of greenery but the first section from this entrance is on the lower floor and is a series of glass cages and tanks. They have a Jaguar and she was lovely but very shy. And they have huge fish tanks but not many fish in them yet. Then we began to enter the "rain forest".
Folks it was warm. You move up a series of ramps and as you wind around you see a wall of rock and there is a waterfall and really lovely plants. A couple of animals that I didn't recognize until I got to the tapirs. The third turn takes you to nearly the top of the falls and just below the room where steam is coming out of the vents. Did I say it was hot? Let me tell you, it must have been 120 degrees up top! I had overheard a zoo employee below say something to another employee about having to come down frequently because they were misting "up there" but I didn't know what she meant. I was thinking that water mist we had seen earlier. No, it was steam. And for the first time I wondered how attractive it probably wasn't to visit a rain forest. The air was thick and hot, like a steam room. Very unpleasant, really. I prefer saunas and would love to have one but not a steam room. We had reached the end of the path and when we pushed through the exit, the outside felt wonderful, even though it was probably 80 by now.
Mike was to pick us up and sure enough, he had slipped in free since it was after 4 and was sitting at the cafe watching the children in the water geysers. This was it. We took off Sarah's shoes and changed her into a different outfit and let her go.
She knew just what to do and she had a blast. Mike stood nearby had as much fun watching her as we did. After 15 minutes we had to get her ready to go because they closed at 5. She pitched a fit. We put her dress back on and a fresh diaper but she cried all the way to the car and fussed for several minutes until I gave her a pacifier and she began to doze off.
A very long afternoon! Papa and I were pretty tired, too. Sarah spent the night and was in bed by 9"30 but grandma had a horrible night. Leg pains shooting up both legs and I don't think I slept a full hour all night. I dozed. Sarah was restless half the night as well. I know I restarted our sound machine (beach sounds) four times and it will play for an hour. I am usually asleep by the time it stops. So, I know I went to sleep but not how long I slept for each time and I restarted the machine four times. I was up at 8 and so was Miss Sarah. We had breakfast and both went back to bed!
We were back up at 10 and Jerry and I talked about the car problem. Did I tell you it was broken down again? It will take over $400 to fix it this time. This was the last straw. So, Tuesday found us in Henderson, KY to look at a car. I had told Jerry that morning to go to this car dealer's website and see what he could find. He found a Honda and we headed over. No, ladies, here is the difference in how a man shops and how a woman shops. Pay attention.
When we got there they said they had the car ready for us to test drive. We went out and I head for a car. I walked right past the CRV. They stopped me. This is it. I looked at Jerry but got in. There must have been something on my face because the salesman said, "Would you folks like to drive alone so you can talk or do you want me to go with you." My wise husband said, "We'd like to go and talk about it."
I said, "It is an SUV! Jerry, I can't afford and SUV!"
"It's a CRV. I told you it was a CRV."
No he did not. He just said a Honda. I pointed that out but he asserted he had told me it was a CRV. Whatever. "I'm not buying an SUV."
"It's a CRV."
"I can't afford the payment, I can't afford the insurance. And I sure can't afford the gas! We are not buying this."
We went back. When we went in I told the salesman "It was nice. It drove very good. I really liked it. But I can't afford the payments, the insurance, and certainly not the gas."
He laughed and said, "What would you like?"
"I want a CAR! That gets good gas mileage and has a reasonable payment."
"What kind of payment do you want?"
"As close to $250 as you can get it."
"You ever drive a Ford Focus?"
"No but I've seen them."
"I have several. What color you want?"
My husband said, "Red or black, anything but silver."
I said, "I don't care what color it is! Silver is fine but no black because it would be hot."
He came back with a 2007 Focus with 22,000 miles on it. It was a demo for test drives. It still had 14,000 miles warranty left on it. And it got 33 mpg on the highway.
We drove it. My husband immediately hated it. He's six feet tall. Small cars intimidate him. The salesman was the same size but was a bit bulkier, yet, he had no trouble getting in and out but my husband struggled. Yeah. Like that's gonna matter to me.
I liked it. We sat down to talk. I gave my information to the salesman and when I gave my birth date he said, "That was a very good year."
I said, "Yes, it was."
"I was born that year." He paused then laughed, "You look ten years younger than me. You must take good care of yourself."
Cha-ching.
He came back after running the credit check and I told him I had forgotten to list my student loan. He leaned on the desk and smiled, "Lady, your credit is so good, it don't matter."
Cha-ching.
Yes, I bought it. How close did I get? My payment is $299.96 but extra $50 got me a 5 year bumper-to-bumper warranty that will cover virtually anything that breaks down. And Gap insurance. I only recently heard of this. If my car is totaled, if my insurance won't pay it off, this insurance covers the shortfall. The window glass and doors are etched with a serial number that can be traced in the event the car is stolen.
So, I drove a "new" car home on Tuesday.
Wednesday? I spent the day asking what the heck I was thinking! I don't do spontaneity!
Mouse Hole
A man called 911 and said, "Someone come quick! My wife fell asleep on the couch with her mouth open and a mouse ran down her throat!"
The operator replied, "Calm down, sir. Wave a piece of cheese over her mouth and maybe the mouse will come out. An ambulance is on the way."
When the ambulance arrived, the EMT found the man waving a fish over his wife's mouth.
"What on earth are you doing?" exclaimed the EMT. "Didn't the 911 operator tell you to wave a piece of cheese over your wife's mouth?"
"Yes," the man replied. "But I gotta get the cat out first."
From The Good Clean Funnies List
Saturday, August 9, 2008
A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood
I had Sarah for a few hours so her parents could go to the store. She played a bit and we just kind of hung around and watched Barney, her favorite.
The rest of the evening I spent watching t.v. My husband left for work at 9:45 p.m. and I have the rest of the night to myself. I'm doing taxes for Becca's mom. She's a bit late. LOL, by a few months.
I've taken my muscle relaxant and a good thing, too. I realize when I sat down earlier tonight that the day had caught up with me. Back was giving me some pain. I will have the whole bed and can really spread out. I can't use a pillow or anything or sleep on my side for long because of the pain.
I am feeling rather pleased with myself. I warded off all hints from people, except Becca's mom. But she paid me to do the taxes so I'm good with it.
I will go now and finish up and then to bed. Hope you have all had a lovely weekend. I still have Sunday to go but since I get Monday and Tuesday off, it won't seem so short.
The day was lovely. I should have gone out more and just sat down. It was cool all day and sunny. But my house is clean except for the rooms mentioned.
It's a Secret
I've taken a page out of Jilly's Handbook of Household Hints. I'm cleaning in spurts. I've mopped all the floors but three. Can't get in to my room because Jerry is sleeping and it needs a through cleaning before moping. Mike's is the same but I believe I'll have him do the work. The den/dining room is cluttered and I want to get to that on Monday when I can really move some stuff around. I have to have help and Jerry will be off so that is my goal for then.
I'm doing laundry as I go. I've done most of the dishes. How can three people have so many dishes? I still have to clean the baths but it is only 12:30 here so there is still time. Between all this I am reading blogs and writing them.
Jilly, this is ever so much easier!
I hope by the time I go back to work on Wednesday, I won't care that the paperwork has piled up.
Virus, Anti-Virus - To Be or Not To Be
"I once attended a lecture by this guy who radidly spoke against vaccinations. He was a little extreme, but his claims had some valid points. In many other parts of the world people do not get all this vaccination stuff and they are not necessarily ill as a result. The one thing he pointed out that was very obvious to me is that there has not been a recorded case of polio in the last 50 years, so why do people still get vaccinated for it?
Vaccination is like it always has been, a situation of gamble and profit driven margins. Heck you live life thinking all these things could happen to ya, well ya might just pass up on the point, which is LIVING!"
My thoughs from this are Amen, Cliff! There is plenty of evidence of people getting the virus they were vaccinated to prevent. Polio was consdiered extinct. However, people have started to get it again. A few, even after the vaccine is administered, have always got it. So, like all things, there is no sure fire fix. In this country, if you don't get vaccinated for childhood diseases, your child can't go to school and eventually, may not be able to get a job in certain fields.
An interesting note, most third world countries are not known for the same kinds of diseases we get! They get things related to starvation. We get things related to excessive eating! There is a subtle irony here somewhere.
I'm not sure if poorer nations get things like whooping cough, which has also popped up again in America in recent years in some areas of the country. That is an awful disease. Measles are still floating around, too.
When I was studying anthropology, I read about tuberculosis, which America thought they had eradicated in the early 20th century. Aids has brought it back in force. My studies said that signs of this disease can be found in bones 10,000 years old. From the studies of ancient bones, they determined that this disease lies dormant for a very long time, dropping off the radar of humans. Then, it shows back up and becomes an epidemic, only to drop out of sight again. My guess . . . every virus has been here longer than we have. When nature decrees it is time for a purge, she calls in her army. They are very efficient, silent, and frequently deadly to thousands at a time.
I also suspect that ancient people were more efficient with the bodies of their dead. They didn't do autopsies and scientific experiments to see what they could find. They buried those who died by disease quickly or they burned the bodies. Fire is a great sanitizer.
Biblically, there were certain people who could handle a body. They were also separated from the tribe for a period of time after the had done so. This was a most efficient method to prevent disease in the camp from spreading and to insure if some did catch it, the numbers were limited and the persons would die outside the larger population. Sounds cold but most cultures had such methods in practice to insure their overall survival. They were much more practical about death.
Before modern medicine, people died of some terrible diseases. They had no way to prevent the spread of such diseases, no hospitals, no medicines. So, we've come a long way. But vaccines have proven that they are no cure for anything. They simply limit the spread and delay the onset of diseases that are probably simply waiting for orders from higher up.
Incidentally, my whole family, like most Americans have been vaccinated against all the childhood diseases. We haven't had them, well chickenpox and measles we've had. I appear to be immune to mumps. Been exposed several times. But vaccinations haven't saved me from other diseases. In the long run, one isn't much different from another to me. I've probably lived longer, but I probably won't care before it is over.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
HPV - Cervical Cancer Vaccine
It isn't for me but I don't have a daughter. I do have a granddaughter and two nieces. You can bet their moms will get this information.
Cervical Cancer & HPV Information
Positive
I'm positive I am tired.
I'm positive I had a very long day today.
I'm positive tomorrow will be equally long with positively tons of work and postively hordes of people needing my postively brilliant mind.
I'm postive that I am an interesting, intelligent person . . . hold on, Jerry is snoring so loud I can't think.
I'm positive that if I go to bed now, I'll fall asleep in minutes.
I'm positive I locked the doors . . . hang on a sec . . . yep.
I'm positive I emptied the sink . . . hang on a sec . . . nope but now it is.
I'm positive I brushed my teeth . . . um . . . be right back . . . yep
I'm positive I had a point when I started this by have since forgotten it.
I'm positive if I continue, I will be positively bored.
Say, I think I'm feeling more positive now. It really works! One think is sure, I'm positive that being positive is postively annoying.
Good night!
Monday, August 4, 2008
End of a Miserable Day
She had seen my MRI and said the same thing the RA doctor said. No obvious problems. She said she thinks this pain is all related to my back and wanted to know what I had been doing. I told her I had been flat of my back except for work for two weeks. Basically that is true. No really heavy lifting or terribly strenuous work. But anyone with a back problem knows all you have to do is roll over wrong. Lifting often has nothing to do with it!
Anyway, here is the gist of our conversation.
"You need to take it easy. Take a couple of days off from work and go home and relax."
I said "It ain't happening. I can't afford to take any days off since my husband just got us over drawn at the bank and wiped out my savings."
Then she said, "You really need to go away from your family for a few day."
I said, "I have no place to go and no money to go on."
She asked, "You have no family where you can visit?"
I said, "My family doesn't live here. My family is mostly all dead since my grandparents raised me. I have a sister in Florida but my mother lives there too. She is not a person you can relax around."
Then she said, "You should try swimming. It is easy on the joints, would be good for your back and help you relax."
I said, "I'll have to look into that." I have no intention of it since it means joining a gym with a pool!! What part did she not understand about the money situation?
So, she gave me a scrip for Darvocet, prescription M&M's. I have one for Darvon from the RA doctor I haven't had filled. Then, she said there was no use going to pain management because I just needed to relax and take it easy. I have sciatica.
Really?
Good thing I have insurance. And they told me I had a $15 credit so didn't have to pay my co-pay. I hate this doctor. That was my LAST visit to her. I'm cancelling my appointment in two weeks.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Blessings and Bites
I truly believe that your prayers about this situation have been instrumental in this situation. I am so very thankful that God still hears and answers prayers and that there are people who will go to prayer for one another in times of need. If you prayed for us, thank you. If you asked others to pray for us, thank you and please let them know that we believe God had heard and answered those prayers.
My back has hurt all afternoon and I have lain on the couch all evening. The doctor called this morning and I am scheduled to go to a pain management doctor this month on the 28th.
I hate to keep asking for prayer. Seems I've always got a problem. However, lately, my physically situation seems to have worsened. I'm wondering how long I can work like this and know that even if I am in worse pain, I can't stop working. I am so sorry I complain about this so much lately. It isn't me, you know. I've always been healthy and able to do a lot of things. Now, I'm just so tired and I hurt somewhere all the time. It is really depressing and defeating.
I am on my way to bed shortly. I took a muscle relaxant to see if it will help. I am hoping for a better Saturday. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Twenty-third Psalm for Work
Psalm 23 |
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Good News for a Change
I believe that your prayers have contributed to this and I appreciate all of you who have kept us in prayers. We are praying for her to get this job with the day care. It would be such a relief on her and so much better for this little tot who loves to spend time with her Mommy. And Becca is trying to finish her schooling so this will put a hindrance in her way.
More good news - my back is better. Still very touchy and I must be very careful how I move or lift something. I can feel it when I do the wrong thing. And it gets very tired and begins to ache all across my lower back. There is a knot over the area where it hurts so I know it is inflamed. But overall, it is a lot better.
I was going to add a gripe here but decided I've had enough negative junk here for a while. I need, for myself it nothing else, to speak some positive things.
It is Thursday in about 30 minutes, so the week is nearly over. I am hoping to get some serious work done tomorrow so I don't get behind again. I've managed to get current at work and I handle that much better. One of the program assistants helped me two weeks ago and that has really put me where I should be.
I hope all of you have a great day. Thanks so much for all the encouragement and concern you have expressed. And thanks again for all the prayers. Truly, I am blessed.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Night Business
I promise to start on the next chapter. Things simply must come to a head soon. There are rumblings that have begun. Things will begin to shake, I think but I don't know from which direction destruction will come.
For all those puzzling over this, don't. Hidden is the Mist is a novel I've been working on for a while now (has it been two years online, Alice!!). At least another two off line! Anyway, it has some private readers, most of which have fallen away. But Alice remains faithful. She can fill you in if you like. I haven't opened it to other readers. If you are on my contact list, and interested, I will consider giving you a 30 day invite if you seem to care about reading it. I no longer post it for the public. Alice convinced me it was risky. She seems to think it a best seller. I have no confidence but it is an interesting story... I guess. She keeps coming back so there is something that draws people.
Night Everyone! Back seems to be better tonigh. Mostly. Have moments of pain but not like it last week. Thanks so much for the prayers. Continue to say a prayer for my son and his wife. They really must find jobs soon. A call came today from a temp service by my daughter-in-law was at my house and it was after five. She couldn't get in touch with the girl but will call in the early morning. There is another job she has applied for with the pre-school Sarah starts at in August. It would be the best job she could have. It is around the corner from my work, Sarah will be in a class there, and her hours would match mine. Transportation, job and child care all in one place. So, for those of you who will, keep praying for them.
Hairy Business
I have very long hair, just below my waist. I wear it up a lot for work because it gets into everything. Sometimes I wear it down but the top pulled back out of my face. Sometimes I french braid it. Some times I make a knot and pin this up into a bun or I use a hair thing I have that helps roll it into a bun. This is two thin metal strips covered in velvet that you snap when the roll is completed and it forms a round loop. Instant bun. But getting the roll right is tricky. Putting it up with the hair thing requires that I bend over and roll it onto the thingy and once it is positioned correctly, you snap it and spread the hair out to smooth it in place. Sounds simple and for the most part, it is. But sometimes getting it rolled where you can shape it is difficult. Bending at the waist seems to be very bad in this instance. So, I guess I'll have to stop that for a few days if it doesn't go up the first time.
I don't know yet what the doctor is going to suggest but I guess we will see. I would like a specialist to take a look at it to give me as many options as possible.
I do want to ask those of you who pray to pray for my son and his wife. They are both out of work and if they don't get something soon, they will lose their housing. I am very worried because I don't have any way to help and no place to put them. Please put them on any prayer list you can. I am getting calls ever day from people who can't pay their electirc bills and are on the brink of homelessness. It is very stressful when it is not your family but when it is, it is terrible.
Everyone have a great week. Tomorrow is hump day and nearly the end of the month. So, I hope August is better.
I'll be back.