Hot.

 

Hot.

Yep, my phone says 94 degrees. The gauge on the deck says 99 degrees. The hens say that it is “panting” degrees hot. Got six eggs today (two more now), so you can tell that they think it is too hot to sit on those nests. Even released the two broody hens, and they made a beeline for cooler climes—under the deck and inside to the diatomaceous earth in the nesting area. Both were ready to be OUT of that jail. Maybe this will be the last of the broodiness for a while. Hope so. [Just picked up the broody hen who went back to the nest and dunked her happy feathers in the baby pool. Will do that again tonight before shutting them up.]

Got up and started messing around here inside the house and thinking about what kind of clutter could be tossed. Took a basket of ‘shtuff’ out to the workshop that included some extra tools and painting things from when Grayson came up to paint for me. Wasn’t much, but each extra piece of junk needs to be removed from inside the house. Next week will be the closet in the bathroom! Connie said she would come over and help me. She is an organizer! One thing that is a little difficult is deciding which pieces of clothing really need to be kept. Have a good coat that is a definite keeper, but also have a corduroy jacket that has been around for ages. Have not worn it for three or four years at least. Then there are the things that have not and will not be worn ever again. Mom crocheted some capes once upon a time. They are pretty, but capes are not a part of my style—not that any kind of style belongs to yours truly. Jeans, blouse or tee shirt, sandals or my SAS brogues are about the limit of my style. Have a pair of winter boots, a pair of mud boots, a pair of cowboy boots, a couple of pairs of sneakers, and an extra pair of sandals that have never felt just right. Think the cowboy boots (Ropers) and that pair of white sandals can go any day now. Will never have another pair of “Earth Spirit” sandals that fit as comfortably as the pair currently being worn. And these poor things look pretty ragged. Sigh

Eventually my office needs to be reorganized. Not sure it will be possible, but there’s nothing like trying. Then there are the bookcases. Found out yesterday that Dr. Blackwell’s husband is starting a new school to replace part of Notre Dame for the Catholic families—or for others who were going there. Told her it would make me happy to help in some way. At least have some books that could be donated to the library.

Have to tell you something that amazes me. Cousin Sharron from Quanah was sent home to Hospice and not expected to live even long enough to make the trip home. Well, guess who is feeling better, talking, and wanting to go home. Think she is still on oxygen 24/7, and she would need someone with her all the time, but isn’t it amazing that the body can recover after all that surgery and crud that happened to her. Aneurysms and blood loss apparently messed up her lungs, but she may eventually be able to leave the hospital or wherever she is now. One of the biggest problems in Wilbarger County is the lack of anyone who can stay with patients. Can’t even get someone to come and help make a bed according to my friend BR who lives outside of Paducah. No young people around or no one who is willing to work. Whichever, it is a problem for folks who really need the help. In larger metroplexes, the available manpower is much better as far as numbers. Not too sure about the quality of those who are willing to work, however. Too many drug addicts are willing to “work” in exchange for a place to stay—without being truly trustworthy. My grandparents needed someone to stay with them and help with the housework since Grandmother had problems with her heart and Granddad had dementia. We found a State Hospital patient who needed a place to stay and was willing to work for room and board plus a little bit of spending money. She was not the best answer to the problems, but as long as she was there, Grandmother could keep up with Granddad. He had a tendency to wander. Ah life! But Juanita was no longer needed after Granddad died. Not sure that sort of thing would work out for many folks. It would certainly bother me to have someone in the house who might be a problem around a gun. Anyway, hope that never becomes a problem here.

My dogs just got huffy about something outside the window. Have to remember tonight to put a pan out by the Bradford pear and fill it with water for the birds. It is just absolutely too hot and dry for life to go on in a normal situation. —Just took a shallow pan outside and filled it with water. Will watch and see what happens next.

SO glad that JoAnn got the grass cut on Jerry’s place and most of the trash picked up. It is so dry that a spark would burn the entire place—well, not the house as it is surrounded by a very large concrete slab where fire would have trouble getting to it. But at least the high grass is no longer out there near the road. Wondering how long it will be before my grass gets that dry. Will never let mine get that high, of course. At least the heat makes it less necessary to mow in the summer. Remembering that Janis used to gripe about having her two acres mowed every week. She had a man who came and mowed, clipped the hedges, and hauled off any fallen mesquite limbs. And he used his own mower and clippers. But she said it really griped her to have to pay to have it done. Her body got a bit like mine, however. Kinda hurts to do much. But she was 85 when she died, so it was not exactly something she had been able to do for a while. Not sure how many years she had been having her place kept up by that man. Oh well. What has to be done by someone else is just how things work out in life.

Finally got an appointment with Dr. Kerns, the neurosurgeon. Will go pick up the paperwork early in the morning so that it will be ready to take back on Friday. They had my old home phone number, so had to send a message to Dr. Blackwell’s office to have Jennifer put my correct number into their records. Also found out that it appears that the insurance currently being used is NOT medicare. Go figure. Since it has not been used in the doctor’s office for a few years, it had not even occurred to me that it was different. Oh well. We will see what is covered and what is not when it gets down to what is necessary to take place. Joy to the world. Sigh

Have a book started and will go do some reading. This is one of seven in a boxed series and each one has been good. Always learn something! Love using the Kindle app so that books don’t pile up around here. Not sure what it would be like if trips to the library were still necessary! As it is, my daughter-in-law taught me how to use Libby to get Kindle books from our local library. So very neat!

Ah! The birds have found the pan of water out under the Bradford pear! Happy to see them drinking and using the “facilities.”

Let us thank God for cool mornings and birds that sing—even at 3 a.m.! Rest well, my friends. You are loved.