A Good Sleep.

 A Good Sleep.

 

A shot in both hips yesterday led to a good night’s rest last night. Took a nap after Judie Brunson brought me home and then fell asleep last night and did not even have to get up once. That in itself is pretty amazing! Anyway, looking forward to getting over this mess. Have to go on the 26^th for an MRI over on Barnett Road. Maybe by then driving won’t be such a problem. The x-rays of my shoulder and hip only showed arthritis and bone spurs but no cracks or breaks. Not much telling what the back images will show in the MRI.

 

Sterling said that he and Jacqui were going shopping today for a twin-sized bed for him. His bed has about lost its integrity and stability. Can just see him ending up on the floor some late night and coming up cussing! Better to go find a solid built bed now than to get bucked out of bed! Surprised that he has not thought about building one for himself! Bet it would be a good bed with shelves for books along the headboard! He can build anything that comes to his mind. Wish that talent had been passed on to this old woman. Sigh.

 

Spoke with Shona this morning and she was very concerned because her mother’s phone was saying it was out of service or some such. It worried her, of course. Her sister found out that the bank had canceled the card that pays all her mom’s bills instead of one that Shona had had them cancel for her to take care of her mom’s account. Anyway, things are getting all squared away on that front so that her mom will be able to keep the phone number that she has had forever. Remembered getting a phone for my parents to have in the nursing home. Daddy would go to the nurses’ desk to tell them to call me even after the phone was in their room. He was deaf in one ear and could barely hear out of the other, so he knew the nurses would get in touch with me. It was just a bit hard to handle at times. Going over there was easier sometimes than sending him a message. At least it was easier to check on them. They knew the doctor and many of the folks in the home there in Henrietta. After they finally settled down and Daddy decided the meals were good, they did pretty well. The only thing that really irritated him were the so-called baths. “Why! They use a water hose to wet us down instead of letting us get a real bath!” was his complaint. Bet they used a hose rather than try to get those old folks up from a tub—just a shower instead of a sit-down bath. But the idea of a water-hose bath really does not sound all that great. Understanding does not make it all that easily appreciated.

 

Sterling used to raise baby dairy calves that would quite often get the scours. He would buy the kind of yogurt that had the good stuff in it (like Greek yogurt) and put it in with their milk replacer. It would get the calves back on track overnight. However, the old woman uses Greek yogurt for the opposite effect. Just a few pain pills can mess up the works pretty quickly. The pills that prevent the problems can have adverse effects almost as quickly as the pain pills can make the problems in the first place. That old saying: “If it isn’t one thing, it’s another” comes to mind.

 

On FB lots of folks are showing pretty wreaths and decorations in various colors. Still think that the sight of a newborn kid (the goat kind) is about as good a decoration as a person can find. Olga’s daughter and her husband have little goats all over the place where they live. That has to be enough to cause smiles for miles!

 

Maria told me that my hens seem pretty happy. Their rooster has a tendency to herd them into the coop about the time that the sun is going down. So far, the girls have delivered a couple of eggs in the baskets sent with them. Will ask Julian to come get some of this oyster shell to put with their feed so the shells will be harder and won’t get broken in the nests. Have never given away all my hens at once, but somehow these girls are special to me. Just happy that Julian is going to be the one to keep the ice off their water this winter and not the old woman.

 

Judie B. was reading a good mystery book the other day when she was out hauling me around. No bad language and no sketchy acts of immodesty is a pretty good recommendation for a book. Honestly can’t see why people can’t just enjoy a good story with realistic thoughts and kindnesses instead of the garbage usually found in today’s books. Currently reading a series of mysteries that have no cursing or sex scenes. Imagine that! This series looks at all that nature and life has to offer as coming from God. It does not have any “preachy” language, but it does seem to have a good handle on common sense. How can we live life today without acknowledging the source of all good things? Yes, even the fog that covers the land or the water that floods the rivers? We just have to take whatever comes with courage and the attitude that things will improve eventually.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Thinking about the Blue Toad.

 Thinking about the Blue Toad.

 

When the children were little, the old woman had to tell good night stories before they would settle down to go to sleep. Not the three little bears or Goldilocks, but made-up stories based on things they knew. We had many adventures together concerning rabbits, fish, ducks, and assorted critters. Sometimes those critters got names and adventures of their own in my stories. For instance, Ma Bell was the mother rabbit we found running loose in the neighborhood after the young couple who raised rabbits could no longer afford to feed their rabbits. Not sure whether the man or the woman turned them loose, but they would have certainly been coyote bait very quickly had we not caught the one female rabbit. As we took her inside the house, right on the living room threshold, she dropped a baby bunny. She went on to have six babies—enough for each of our three children to have one in each hand. We made up a litter box for the mother rabbit, and she used it like a champ. But we really did not have a good place to keep her since she would make noises in the night that kept the children awake. Finally put her in a very small closet in the bathroom where we had a telephone plugged in on an upper shelf. Got up one morning to find that the mother rabbit had chewed up the phone cord to go into her “nest” for her babies. That is how she earned the name of “Ma Bell.”

 

Our children were born from 1970 to 1979, so the last child thought that he was just as big as the first one. But we thanked God that the older two were very good about watching over him. When our first child was about five years old, he had already been cautioned about snakes out in high grass or anywhere near things that could provide cover for a snake. The old woman was relatively agile back then, so when that child screamed in fear and fell down among the cucumber vines, she sprinted to the fence and was about to heave herself over it when a grin appeared on the child’s face. “It’s a frog, Mom!” he said. Whew! What a relief! After he brought the “frog” into the house, we had a discussion about whether it was a frog or a toad. But meanwhile, little sister sat in her little table chair playing in blue finger paints. Her first request, of course, was “See, see!” So, the “frog” was placed gently on her table amidst the water and the blue finger paint while a trip to the bookcase helped the oldest and Mom to discover that our “frog” was in actuality a toad. Returning to the kitchen to get his toad, the older brother discovered that the toad was missing. It had hopped down from the little table to plop across the linoleum floor—leaving behind blue toad prints. It was easy to find the toad with its blue underside. Of course, the next question from the oldest child was “Can we keep it?” Some discussion about toads and what they ate ensued, but the little boy was happy to know that the toad could take up residence in the flower bed near the back door. For years afterward, the boy guaranteed that any toads found in that vicinity were the famous blue toad!

 

As the children got older, they were more aware of how the wild animals around us needed a bit of help once in a while. They brought up a duck from the lake that had its mouth pierced by a fish hook. They took that duck to the next-door neighbor so that he could remove the hook from its bill. Then they put the duck in a small pool of water and fed it some oatmeal. Two days later, it flew off and quacked all the way back to the lake! Another duck (a female) had been attacked by something and just needed to recoup and rest, so the children brought it inside the yard and let it stay until it felt like leaving again. Strange as it may seem, that duck must have had a mate because it came and lay down beside her. And for years after that, those two ducks—or some just like them—came back every spring to get into the chicken feed and mess up the water bowls.

 

We always had a dog, but one of our dogs had a sneaky habit. He would leave our yard and bring things back to the children. One time it would be a baseball, and the next time it would be a ball glove. The oldest child told the dog that they really needed a bat. Believe it or not, that silly dog brought home a bat the next day! Not sure whose equipment that dog was stealing, but the kids thought they had a real ball player in the guise of a dog!

 

We were so very blessed to live out here on the hill above Lake Wichita. Yes, we had to watch for snakes and other varmints, but we had plenty of room to walk and enjoy the wild flowers and a place to fly kites. And the children were always ready for their dad to get home from work to tell him of their latest “finds” among the wild animals. No phones or video games in those days kept our children entertained, but what they got instead was fresh air, an acceptance of the nature of wild animals, and plenty of adventures that made God’s world valuable to them. Truly wish that kind of life had been available to all children. Nature is just another blessing from God.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

A Visitor and a Phone Call or Two.

 A Visitor and a Phone Call or Two.

 

Barry Levy stopped by this afternoon to pick up some jars for canning and to just visit. It was fun to get to know him better and to hear him talk about his children and his wife. Some folks are just pretty doggone interesting. He brought some salsa that he made that he promised would be “mild.” Might just have to open a bag of taco chips to try out this batch he has made. LOVE salsa and chips. Sometimes the salsa at Pioneer up on Maplewood is just a tad too spicy, but a bit of cheese sauce with it calms the burn to make it mighty edible. Living dangerously is starting on the salsa and chips before the waitress gets the drinks brought around!

 

Sterling said that boiled egg won’t work with this surgery Jacqui had. Told him to make her some scrambled eggs WITHOUT pepper in them. It took him a minute to understand why no pepper makes a difference. He will learn. Hope he remains to be a good nurse for Jacqui. He is as kind as a man could be when taking care of her, but men don’t always think of things the way a woman would.

 

David Baxter, Sterling’s son-in-law, had a heart attack recently, and they had to use the paddles to bring him back. He normally heads up their family painting business, so it may be that Becky has to take over that job and let her brother Danny do all the screen printing by himself. Just praying for them is all the old woman can do, but it is my desire that they will be able to live long and happily.

 

The weather has been quite decent today without the wind and whatever pollen has been in the air lately. Patty said that just breathing has been very problematic. Understand completely. My allergies have been going wild with itchy eyes and stuffy nose. Oh well. God has blessed me with the strength to walk and the determination to keep going.

 

Michelle Malay has an abscessed tooth and needs to have three of them pulled. The dentist does not have a payment plan, so she is supposed to come up with $1500 right up front! She is on some heavy-duty antibiotics for the second round after having a sinus infection. You can almost bet the sinus infection was caused by the abscessed tooth/teeth! Please pray for her that she can handle both the money situation and the health problems.

 

Thinking about the books by P.K. Adams based on the true life of the first woman who became a doctor in Medieval Germany has left me shaking my head at some of the stupid practices that were considered “helpful.” Imagine that bloodletting was considered good for a person. How many men and women would have had more years of life had the practice been totally abandoned!  Those first women who changed the way medicine became part of the lives of every man, woman, and child have to be admired and appreciated. When we think about how “germ” conscious we are today, we have to be amazed that this woman believed that vinegar and washing one’s hands made it possible for women in childbirth to avoid infections from nasty hands and nasty water.

 

Cousin Betty down in Garland called to say that her son-in-law was somewhat better even though he still has a blood clot in his heart. At least he does not have to work. He sold his business as an electrician some years ago to his nephew. Thank you for your prayers for him. Kevin is a good guy and a good husband and father according to Betty.

 

Scraps usually put out for the hens to eat now have to go into the trash until the old woman manages to arrange some kind of compost bin. Will have to think about how to do this without doing any digging. Managed to plant an amaryllis bulb in a flower pot that got moved into the living room recently. Then planted some tiny bulbs in another flower pot and put them into the kitchen window. Here’s hoping they sprout and do well. It occurred to me that it would be possible to have a flower bed in the back yard now so that even some asparagus roots could be planted back there. The hens nearly wiped out the yellow irises before Jerry Hobbs moved them for me. They ate the things down to the roots! 

 

When the old woman gets over whatever is causing the problems with this left hip, have so many little “jobs” that need to be taken care of. The front coop with be a good place to store some of the smaller stuff that clutters up the workshop. Wish it were possible to get the two coops cleaned out good right now before we get any snow or heavy rains, but these things will just have to wait. Patience is a virtue—and a necessity as well.

 

Sterling told me that it is supposed to get down to 17 degrees up his way tonight! He reminded me to keep an eye on the temps so that the water could be dripped to avoid freezing any water lines. Need to set a reminded to check for freezing weather! Definitely do not want to have frozen water lines!

 

Found a “scarf” like thing that works for cleaning my glasses. Jennifer gave it to me and it got set aside before it actually made sense to have around to use as needed. Did not even realize that was how it was used! My sweet girl probably shakes her head to think that her mom is so ditzy. Sigh.

 

Not watching any news or otherwise keeping up with the flames and smoke abounding in our world. We know that Satan keeps stirring the pot. But we also know that God will only allow some things before He will bring a sudden change to this world. May we live close to the knowledge that God is always with us!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Cousin John and the Roosters.

 Cousin John and the Roosters.

 

Cousin John and his sister came to live with us in Petrolia back when Little Rock was in an uproar with integration and kids feeling as if they needed to express their parents’ disapproval. Anyway, he was older than us and thought we were just “little kids.” That’s ok. Time keeps up with us one way or another. Anyway, it was John’s opinion that my “girls” out in the coops needed a rooster to make their lives complete. Well, he might approve of their situation now. Last night Julian and Maria came and took all fourteen to their little farm along with the feed buckets, the heated water bowl, the nesting boxes, and other assorted hen things. Maria has TWO roosters. Julian says that one attacks him every time he turns his back. Wouldn’t take the old woman long to cure that rooster of attacking! Last time a rooster attacked me, Billie Ruth got to watch him being clobbered a couple of times until he backed off. Just not going to be attacked by a critter.

 

Went to bed early last night and woke up at 5:30—naturally. Thompson wanted out anyway, so it was about time to get up and get some long-legged sleepers on along with socks on my feet. The wind is howling this morning, but the weather report says that it will get warmer today. We will see. Just hope that the hens are adapting to their new home and discovering that the roosters are pests. At least they will be loved. Yes, you can tell what is on my mind this morning. It will undoubtedly take awhile to adapt to this change, for both the old woman and the hens.

 

Finished reading the Lis Howell Complete Tarnfield Cozy Mystery set of six books. Truly enjoyed them and will look for more books by this author. Apparently, the author is much like the character portrayed in her books. Guess that helps to make the ideas even more believable.

 

Have bottles of water and those neat cups that the kids have given me filled with water on just about every surface near where the old woman might find herself, so, naturally, the one usually on my desk is in the kitchen awaiting a refill this morning. If it didn’t hurt so much just to move, that cup or container would already be in here in the office! At least with bottles and cups everywhere, there is no excuse to become dehydrated.

 

This morning my prayers have come back more than a few times to my sister-in-law. Jacqui is having surgery this morning to try to alleviate the problem with her hiatal hernia. Hers must be pretty bad to need surgery. Some of us have minor hernias like that, but don’t keep having problems like she has had. Would appreciate your prayers for her and for Sterling as he takes care of her. After a person hits the eighth decade, things can get drastic in a hurry. Well, for that matter, even five decades can force some changes in our “usual” behavior. Julian told me last night that in his head he is still 25 years old (he’s 72). And there was the old woman crippling along at 77 as if she might be ancient! May God give me patience and common sense to deal with life on a better footing.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Sniffing Mr Clean!

 Sniffing Mr. Clean!

 

Maria cleaned my house and mopped the floors with Mr. Clean. AH!! Lovely to be able to walk across clean floors that are not currently coated with dog hair. She also ran up to Walmart and picked up a few things for me. Meanwhile, Julian went to pick up chicken feed and hauled off some sunflower stems for me. Here’s hoping that he was paid enough. It certainly saved me from doing too much today.

 

Went out to the third coop and dug out the heated water bowl and strung the extension cord between the shop and the first coop so that the water bowl had electricity to it. Filled the water bowl and put out feed for the time being. With any planning at all along with keeping up with the weather reports, it should be possible to take care of the hens without too much tromping back and forth to the coops. Even though Mary gave me the phone number of a lady who might want the hens, it just doesn’t sit quite right with me to give them to someone who might not take good care of them. Maria has five hens, and it would be easier to give all fourteen to her and Julian than to some stranger.

 

The back surgeon requires a referral from my doctor, and then the quickest appointment with my GP is next Tuesday. It made me laugh to think that my back may be perfectly all healthy by the time it would be possible to see a doctor. But then, that might be ok, too. The main thing is to forget how life used to be and just handle things a bit more slowly and with less expectation of being able to do the things in the “usual” way!

 

Lance sent me a picture of a bunch of goodies plus the box with the flower bulbs sent to Tracy. He thought that his mom had sent the goodies. Nope, his friend David from New York had sent them. Kinda neat. Had never considered doing it the way David did with little containers of all kinds of neat things to nibble on. May have to remember that idea.

 

The weather report says that tomorrow will be warmer, but then this next weekend will be another cold one. All this ol’ person can do is keep up with the days of the week and which day the trash truck comes!!

 

Have been reading a series of books that include scriptural references from different books of the Bible. A person never can tell where knowledge may dribble into one’s mind. Did you know that some folks say that there were three Isaiahs? Did you know that the “Song of Songs” does not mention God? Yet three separate entities believe that those songs relate to God and His bride. Neat. God provides the backgrounds for life in nearly every thing to which man has set his hand. And God’s love keeps each thread taut to weave our world. Praise God!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Considering a Few Good Ideas.

 Considering a Few Good Ideas.

 

Monday afternoon, Maria will come shovel out the dog hair and dirt from this ol’ barn. It feels so irresponsible of me to need a house cleaner and helper, but such is life in the “fast” lane. Having dogs living in the house simply means that they shed inside as well as outside the house. The more they are inside, the more they shed in here! They don’t care where they shed and are probably totally unaware of the entire idea of shedding. Oh well.

 

Have been considering giving my hens to a new home. They are loved here and spoiled rotten, but getting out to take care of them has become increasingly difficult. Finding a safe and loving home where they can still remain “free range” hens may not be all that easy. Maria’s husband thought that they were very neat hens when he was here working on taking down the pagoda recently. But his hens were attacked by a coyote and had to be replaced. That worries me a bit. Not that the hawks, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons, possums, and assorted stray cats are not a problem here. Recently lost two hens simply because they got out and the old woman was unable to go get them. Thinking of Brenda Jones who has hens and sells eggs. Not sure she would want any more hens, however. Just really appreciate fresh eggs that didn’t come from a factory setting. Can’t stand the thought of animals being forced to sit in a cage and produce eggs whether or not they have any freedom.

 

My “turkin” hen has a tendency to jump the driveway gate and scratch out all the dirt in the front flower bed. She has already managed to dig down to the flower bulbs that should be coming up this spring. Silly girl. She strows dirt all over the place and digs holes like a danged armadillo! Don’t know what the old woman would do without them, but unless this old body gets over the major problems with mobility, it seems more sensible to stop trying to get out and about that much.

 

Going to look up a recipe for Spanish rice this morning. It just sounds so good to go with chili and tamales. Know it’s the weather that makes me think about such foods, but such is the way my mind works. And yes, that is a lot of carbs, but that does not happen often. Usually Brussel sprouts, cucumber, spinach in one form or the other and such as that. Still have some crackers that Jenn bought for me when she was here during the knee recovery.

 

Sterling reminded me that Jacqui is going in for surgery on her hiatal hernia on Wednesday this week. Please keep her in your prayers.

 

Have the heater going in the bathroom so a shower will not leave me like a popsicle. Patty said that she took a shower and washed her hair yesterday and felt frozen most of the day. Her house stays warm, so the old woman is just going to have to be tough! Central air may be more expensive, but at least the rooms are not like a refrigerator!

 

Looking up at the bulletin boards above my desk. SO many good memories up there. God has blessed this old woman in so many ways. A good husband, sweet kids, friends, neighbors, and a home that has welcomed others for food and laughter. No longer make cookies to share with the neighbor kids, but still remember the kids’ delight in seeing those cookies come out of the oven. Recently heard from one of the neighbor kids who reminded me of those cookies. We never know what kids will remember about us.

 

Let us hold on to the love that we can share with those we meet and find in our lives. Let us praise God for His love that He allows us to share.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Just Little Things.

 Just Little Things.

 

Sometimes the little things are what can get to a person quicker than the big ones. This morning—or maybe yesterday—my favorite coffee cup from Padre Island got a chip right in the space where one drinks. Hate to throw it away, but know better than to try to use it and cut myself. Maybe a vase for flowers? Sigh.

 

Texted Shona since her trash was not out on the roadside. About that time, Albert came driving up and moved her bin to the road. He is taking good care of her, but today she finally realized that she—and probably her daughter—have covid. Dadgumit!

 

The dogs have been on a tear about mice/rats in the hen coops. Opened the third door today to have them go tearing into some panels and a long ladder leaning against one wall. Well, those things are no longer leaning, Dear Hearts. The old woman will have to close up that door tonight before the hens go down or it will be Katie-Bar-the-Door to get the dogs out again. Just glad the hens are used to these two dogs. Would prefer not to have them refusing to go inside just because the dogs are in there.

 

Getting more capable of moving around now, but it is such a difference from what has always been the “normal” for me. Can hardly stand up straight in the morning. Wish some of the energy and strength that we have as young people could be spread around more when we are older. Even so, it is a blessing to be able to walk and get around at all. Cousin John’s wife has had two hip and two knee replacements and still does not seem to complain. Gutsy lady!

 

It looks as if the congressional actions taken about limiting government offices to only those who are actually Americans may cause some upset folks, but when we think about the fact that our friends, uncles, fathers, and brothers and sisters have given their blood in defense of our Constitutional rights, how can we allow those from other countries (with or without dual citizenship) to have a say in how our laws are administered. Plus, the idea that those from other countries can prevent women from sharing equal status in this country just irks the living crud out of me. It has been difficult enough for women in this country to gain the rights of men as it is. And if a person just reads through some of the historical posts about women inventors, scientists, doctors, lawyers, and other professions, how can we allow anyone to prevent a woman from being whatever she seeks just because of her sex? Well, it does not take much to get an old woman hot and stomping, so we’ll just say that Senator John Kennedy has my appreciation.

 

Let us attempt to stay healthy and keep a loving attitude toward friends, family, and those with whom we associate. At least be kind even if gritting one’s teeth.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.