Resting.

 Resting.

 

Even the couch has seen an old woman lie down and soak in some sunshine! The dogs had to move over, but they seem fairly agreeable about the situation. We all three got in a good nap before someone had to step on me.

 

The FedEx man came a few minutes ago with the Bento balls for these two muttniks. The balls came with one treat ball already in the toy, but Sylvia has already managed to get the treat out of the ball. Even after rescuing it, she managed to get it out again. Kinda hope it is not going to be too rich for her tummy because she has chewed all around the edges of it. That sucker is NOT going back inside that circle!

 

Asked the FedEx man if he worked EVERY day, and he exclaimed, “Why yes! I work for FedEx!” Guess all the different delivery services are pretty busy. Folks have been ordering things that we don’t want to go out for. Have thought about ordering some things from Market Street, but will wait a couple of days. The box of stuff from Misfits is supposed to be at Connie’s sometime tomorrow. Hope it fits the needs. Then too, Shelby is going to bring a couple of packages of liver from Bill Brown Beef sometime this week. The dogs have just about gone wild over this latest batch of dog food. Cheese, bacon with its grease, rice, broccoli and cauliflower made up some good smelling stuff. Hope the next batch can be that good.

 

Jennifer sent me a text a bit ago asking how to get the smell of gasoline out of good clothes. Men don’t really think about something like that unless we say something and stand back and take the flack. By the time he had worked in that mess of nasty smells for nearly 30 years at Darr Caterpillar, Lewis appreciated it when his clothes just smelled like something clean. He used to say that Jennifer’s clothes smelled so good. Of course, he did not know that she used fabric softener with good smelling stuff in it. If any of you have some wonderful ideas about how to take out gasoline smells, please let us know. She tried vinegar, but maybe baking soda would have worked better. Sigh

 

This weather is strange. Tomorrow it is supposed to be up to 67 during the day and then back down to 30 that night. Four or five nights of freezing temps will not hurt us, but the back and forth can be a bit much. Oh well. If we did not have anything to gripe about, we would find something. The weather doesn’t pay any attention to us whatsoever!

 

Got tickled at my friend Michelle Malay. She said she would store the two or three walkers we had here at the house after Mom’s death. The one we bought for Mom was nice with a seat and brakes on the handles. It seems that Mother Malay thought it was pretty nice, too. She would sit on it on Michelle’s front porch and enjoy the sunshine in the mornings. That pleases me to think it was being enjoyed. Now it will come in handy after Dr. Kern gets through trying to put me back together. But since his office had to change the surgery date, it will be a bit longer before we really need it. Just glad that it is going to save us another purchase.

 

Just put another treat ball in Sylvia’s toy, and she is griping because she can see it on the counter out of her reach. Really don’t want to give her the one for Thompson. Guess it will depend on patience—both mine and hers! Silly dog. The directions say to wait until the treat dries before letting the dog have the new treat in its ball. Not sure how long that will take, but the barking is a bit much. OH! Slobbers will do the trick!

 

Had intended to stuff a sleeved thing for the bottom of the dog crate, but have only gotten to the point of bringing the throw pillows into the living room. Their stuffing is going inside that flat sleeve. Not sure it will work, but can always Throw a few stitches in the middle to keep it in place. Can’t remember what mother-in-law called it when doing that with embroidery thread. Shaking my head here. Leta Sawyer could probably tell me in a heartbeat! TACKING! Ah, the brain does work on occasion.

 

This weather makes me want to dig in the dirt! No, won’t even go outside and look at the spade fork, but maybe you can understand that it is a bit like wanting to go wading in a clear stream or walk in the woods. It feels as if one is closer to God when touching the dirt or enjoying the sounds of nature.

 

Talk about determination! If this were a critter, Sylvia’s ball would be killed ten times over! Have a feeling it will be a bit messy to clean up after, too. Oh well. Will hide them tonight—the toys, not the dogs.

 

Read a sermon by a minister who used to work on AOL with the high school kids in the rooms where we taught. He is a Lutheran minister and a teacher of special high school age kids. Sometimes we need to be reminded that folks have always been easily discouraged by the seeming lack of progress in their world. But we also need to be reminded that perseverance is a most commendable habit. Heads up and determined steps—or occasionally, simply standing still and waiting patiently for the next step. The most significant verse that meant something to me as a teenager was “be still and know that I am God.” Sometimes it is pretty difficult to understand that what is happening is in His hands. For all our worry and work, things are ultimately in His hands and in His plans. Let us rejoice in knowing that we are in His hands.

 

Rest well and enjoy life and what we can see of this world. You are loved.