No Mosquitoes!

 No Mosquitoes!

 

The nicest thing about this really cold weather coming up is the fact that we can run around outside and not be attacked by those nasty little blood-sucking skeeters! Now, if we have to TRY to have a positive outlook about cold weather, that should be the first thing on the list of benefits, don’t you think?

 

Lance and Tracy came today and did a few things for me that made me grin. They brought me a big container of Thanksgiving goodies along with cookies and a moon pie made by Tracy’s dad, Phil. He loves to cook all kinds of sweet things, and he is very good at it. Seems he and his brothers learned to cook in order to eat as they were growing up. So, Phil got to be the cookie and cake cook. Had never had a moon pie like that, but it was very tasty. Have not started on the cookies yet, but tomorrow is another day.

 

Lance covered up the faucets front and back for me. Think he also warned the neighbors across the street that it will be freezing soon. Monday night should be pretty cold, but tonight and Sunday night will only be 31 and 34 degrees. With the wind howling across this hill, even that little bit of frostiness can mess up the water lines. And the colder weather also affects some folks’ joints. And then there are folks like Roger who wears two shirts even in the summer time!

 

Tracy sat down and put the Houston Library connection on my iPad for me. Now the old woman can download books from there and not have to mess with Kindle unless they just happen to have something that really appeals to me. Houston Library is available to anyone in Texas! That is SO nice. It just amazes me at how much my daughter-in-law knows about all these different things. The woman could have a doctorate just in the different sources of information available through libraries.

 

Jennifer and Gary got home from Virginia this afternoon. At least this set of flights did not cause them to have to be at the airport by 2 a.m. That is EARLY, don’t you know! But then, the picture of the four lanes of traffic leading into the DFW airports before Thanksgiving were just about frightening! SO many people were leaving the day before Thanksgiving. Some things are worth the effort, but traveling right now just doesn’t really appeal to me.

 

Daniel Hernandez worked over my computer again to download something that kept the flashing lights from occurring. Not sure exactly what he said he downloaded, but apparently it worked. It makes me feel much less threatened by the possibility of the computer going down. So many things in my life are on my computer these days. Besides using Amazon Prime, all my banking is normally on my computer. It is just so much easier to pay bills and have things taken care of this way. Glad to have met Daniel back in college and later worked with him.

 

The kids helped me by mixing up some nuts and stuff to make little gift bags today. Sent some home with them and then one for Jennifer and Gary. Tracy made some comment about never having received the jar of apple butter that Grandma Joy made years ago. Kinda think the things that are sent down that direction have a tendency to get sidetracked occasionally. Know for a fact that it is easy to mess up who is supposed to get what.

 

The kids picked up chicken and ground beef for me at the store, so the old woman needs to get in there and bag it up or cook the beef and bag it this afternoon. Having things ready to use in a dish makes life so much simpler. Energy is never a given around here. Just moving around seems to hurt some days, so getting things done while still moving makes good sense.

 

We have so much for which to be thankful. Life and love and good health mean more than anything right now. Friends, neighbors, and good stores that cater to our needs make life better for all of us. For all the problems we might have in our nation, we are still so very blessed to have relative stability and calmness in our communities. Let us pray for those who make a difference in how our nation works and in how it is perceived. Let us reflect the love that God has given us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Funny Fights.

 Funny Fights.

 

Speaking with Patty this afternoon, she gave me the blow-by-blow of her struggle with her trash can and the “stuck” sack that took ten big jerks to remove. Honestly had to sit here and just laugh! She made it sound as if the trash sack was fighting back!! Guess she finally got it out, but she had not quite made it out front to put in the black bin yet. Asked her if she wanted help since it was a bit bulky, but she obviously had something in mind—maybe a swift kick or some “fowl” words—before the sack went into the bin. It doesn’t take much to get the two of us laughing about silly stuff.

 

The postal person brought my mail and a couple of packages to the porch this afternoon. The Covetous pharmacy sent the dogs’ Rx (Bravecto) by mail, and for some reason one of my Amazon purchases came in one of those postal boxes instead of a bag. Have not yet got out the big mixing bowls to mix up the nut and fruit stuff that gets put together around here every so often. Since Lance may be here tomorrow, will get him to help just a bit putting the stuff in Ziplock bags. It makes good snacks and doesn’t have too many calories and very little sugar, so it doesn’t make me feel guilty for going through a bag every few days. And that kind of snack food is also a neat little gift.

 

It's about time to put the hens up—well, to fasten the doors up. Have one hen that does not feel up to snuff, but have no idea what to do for her. She might have picked up something from the wild birds, but it seems like the entire flock would be affected rather than just one. So, not really sure what her problem might be.

 

Patty was fussing about the news media saying that the National Guard deaths or injuries were the fault of President Trump. While shaking my head, it reminded me that California has decided to rename the San Andreas Fault to Trump Fault. Makes about as much sense.

 

Bought a gallon of pickle juice rather than buying individual bottles of P.J. that hold sixteen ounces. Mixed up in a measuring cup and put in the bottles, it saves money and makes the juice more convenient. Can’t really tell if the P.J. is helping or not since taking Calcium with Vitamin D3 and Magnesium at the same time may be part of what keeps the muscle spasms from being so motion stopping. Never have had anything as crazy as this before. The heating pad on my back seems to help, but it does not take away the spasms in my thighs. Go figure.

 

Was glad to hear that my cousin’s son-in-law was getting better after whatever caused his heart problems. Can’t imagine having a blood clot on or in his heart, but apparently that was what put him in ICU. He still has young children at home, so they will need him to get better soon.

 

Sterling and Jacqui were out looking for their two big dogs this afternoon. Becky gave them a big female dog that is the kind that looks after livestock, and they already had a young male dog that was bad to get out of the yard. Between the two dogs, they were about ready to give them both away! Their little Toby dog is about all the dog they need according to Sterling. Understand how he feels about trying to keep dogs out of trouble, but mine have been here from the time they were pups. It makes a difference when they have been trained from the get go. It is so hard to think of losing one of these two. Sylvia and Thompson both are so very loving. Stubborn sometimes, but loving.

 

As far as the old woman is concerned, the days of the week are messed up again. Know for a fact that tomorrow is Saturday, but it doesn’t feel like the weekend. Oh well. Can still be thankful that God gave me another day of life and love and apparently the ability to gripe just the same as any other day!!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Korean Barbecue?

 Korean Barbecue?

 

Put a piece of meat on to cook in the slow cooker. It was labeled “Korean Barbecue” and has an orange color to it. Dear Hearts, that orange is spicey! Nice, but spicey. Have another pork loin made with mushroom sauce that will probably make Thanksgiving’s meal. Patty said she was making soup for her dinner that day. Whatever works, huh.

 

Walked down to Patty’s earlier today. Roxie got to go wandering around while we sat outside and visited, but it got a little cool out there, so we went inside. Had to get the wasp spray out and kill a yellow jacket for Patty. We got to laughing about her making a dent in her floor when she accidentally knocked her oxygen bottle off the cabinet and frightened herself and Roxie. She said she nearly jumped over the refrigerator when that bottle hit the floor!

 

The old woman has been drinking pickle juice and lots of water to try to alleviate the stupid muscle spasms. Yes, and taking at least one muscle relaxer a day. A heating pad helps the lower back, but it does not prevent the spasms in my thighs. Go figure. Thought for sure that the blood tests would tell us what is missing, but guess not. Meanwhile, someone among my friends suggested zinc, so will order some of that to go with the magnesium. Sigh.

 

Cored some small apples given to me by Maggie Sewell and made them into apple dumplings. Not bad! They are not Mom’s apple pie, but they will do in a pinch.

 

Talked to Michelle Malay earlier and discovered that she had made a trip to the ER in Henrietta for her head—sinuses or tooth ache or both? She is pretty sure it is her teeth causing the problem, but the dentist is out of the office until sometime after Thanksgiving. Think that is just about true for all the doctors, dentists, and even the pharmacists. At least the postal folks are still on their routes.

 

The old woman lay down earlier and took a short nap. Thought Sylvia was going to lie down on top of me! She seems to think that “mom” needs her comforter right next to her. She really is not all that wrong about it. Sylvia and Thompson both are so sweet to me.

 

When Jenn and Lance get text messages from me, sometimes they are both included in one text. Today Jenn said that they had arrived in Charlotte and Lance made the remark, “And the scenery is just beautiful!” Of course, he was still down around Saginaw! Just being funny. My kids are funny.

 

Rachel let me know this morning that she and Damien are going to Japan in January. His grandfather got their tickets with his airline points, so they just have to pay for a place to stay and food. He has some friends who come to the kids’ house and they go to their friends’ house, so they will be traveling with people they know. That sounds good to me. Damien is a pretty good mechanic and does this stuff called “drifting.” It started out in Japan and they even made a movie featuring this kind of thing. Seems weird to me, but then, the Japanese probably think that barrel racing and bronc riding is worse.

 

No matter how grumpy we can get when our bodies give us fits, we still have plenty of reasons to be grateful each day. Patty laughs and says she hardly ever runs so short of breath that she can’t manage to gripe about something. The old woman just keeps on getting around while groaning and moaning, but at least watching the dogs, the hens, and the sweet little birds around here are enough to make her smile. A sweet little wren has taken up residence inside the middle coop. Feed and water is about all they need along with some freedom to fly and sing. It’s good that God gives us such freedom—whether it is to gripe or groan or squawk!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Fish and Chips.

 Fish and Chips.

 

The English call them fish and chips. We have fish, French fries, fried corn drops, and hush puppies. My dogs love hush puppies. The thoughts of fish and chips were just too good to pass up this evening, so a quick trip to Chicken Express finally got my fish. It took a while—probably because everyone else was ordering chicken! Anyway, the fish and the sauce for it are both in the box inside the fridge for tomorrow. So, there is that.

 

Thought that Michelle Malay would be here today, but she did not show up. Have to remember to send her ice machine home with her when she comes—whichever day that happens to be.

 

Planned to make cookies this afternoon and did not get very far. At least the butter will be ready to whip tomorrow along with the sugar, salt, vanilla, etc. Have not made cookies in ages! Have some macadamia nuts along with chocolate and caramel chips. Not sure just how that will turn out, but should be interesting.

 

Despite drinking pickle juice and lots of water, still having these interesting cramps. They make getting up and moving around very challenging. Keep trying to just walk more each day and find things to do that do not require bending down to tie my shoes or that sort of thing. Got out and scraped some dirt and hay away from the coop doors so that it is easier to open and close the hen house, but that only exercises the shoulders more than the legs. Oh well. Maybe eventually this mess will straighten up.

 

We got a pretty good little rain Sunday and early this morning. Lots of thunder kept me waiting for the dogs to start complaining, but maybe it did not bother them too much. Patty said that even Roxie did not fuss about the thunder! Still, the water bowls needed to be cleaned out and the metal water stand filled again. The leaves made such a mess in those things.

 

John Rhoads stopped by with a couple of cans of dog food that their little dog refused to eat. Mine thought it was ok when divided between their bowls. Still had their cheese on the kibble this evening for their meal. Maybe the other can of dog food with their morning kibble.

 

Briefly spoke with Jennifer this evening. Reece and Grey have one cat that has never seen a dog! Can’t imagine! Anyway, they will just have to deal with it. Jenn and Gary leave in the morning for Virginia—flying after all. The flight back home goes to DC and then back to DFW. Will be praying for the safety of ALL these flights during this time. SO many folks are heading home for the holidays.

 

Saw that Montana or one of those border states has been stopping big rigs and arresting drivers with fake CDL licenses. Scary. Let’s hope that they keep them off the roads!

 

It feels funny to think that it is already dark thirty by just a bit after six in the evening. The hens go up earlier with sundown and the dogs think it is time to call it a day. Good thing the old woman does not have any cows to milk!

 

Thanksgiving brings memories of home and so many thoughts of how my parents brought us up to pray and truly give thanks to God for all His blessings to us. Daddy didn’t use the “thee and thou” type of language, but he spoke to our heavenly father just as if He were among us—on ALL occasions. Maybe that memory makes Thanksgiving more blessed than all the different foods we ever had. We knew God heard our prayers. Let us pray with that same sense of gratitude today—and every day. As a nation, we are so very blessed. Let us become a blessing to others.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Three Eggs!

 Three Eggs!

 

Funny thing that when the girls are busy laying five to seven eggs a day, for sure everyone doesn’t need eggs. Right here before Thanksgiving, everyone could use some eggs. So, naturally, the hens are putting out maybe two eggs a day. Today, they produced three whole eggs! Yay! Will have enough for Michelle Malay to have a dozen next week.

 

Got up with the moans today, but can still walk at least. Taking Tylenol and muscle relaxers tends to mess up my system somewhat, but moaning messes up my attitude. About time to read something more uplifting. Have two sets of mysteries on my iPad, but one of them needs to be deleted. Too much unnecessary use of words even this ol’ woman would not use! Even when moaning and whining, it isn’t necessary to use language that would shock my mom.

 

Patty got her yard mowed yesterday and her house cleaned today, so she is feeling pretty sharp! About the only thing accomplished around here today is another good pot of Fiesta Soup. Mighty tasty. Will try tomorrow to get at least the bedroom, living room, and kitchen floors cleaned. Will dust mop before using the vacuum, then wet mop, and see how that goes. The wet mop always leaves things smelling so much better. If it rains as is in the forecast, this house may just smell like wet dog again. Sigh.

 

 Seems as if the West Coast is getting oodles of rain in the form of flash floods that are pretty dangerous for those living in the desert areas. Have seen what a flash flood can do in Arizona and would not want to try to cross a highway out there during that kind of flooding. Flash flooding can be dangerous in any area, but at least in North Central Texas we have some grasslands to absorb much of the rainfall.

 

Watched an episode on meat prices and what is going on in the local areas where beef is produced. It seems that we have four big packers of beef, and two of them are not even American. The folks who can do something about the situation believe that producers (ranchers) should be able to take their beef to local packers where they can get better prices locally without having to give a big cut to the big four. It makes sense to me. Not sure if the rancher out in Megargel (Bill Brown Beef) is still in production or not. Guess it would be worth it to check. Right now, this old woman cannot afford ground beef!

 

Fox News also had an episode about the SNAP abuse and fraud that was somewhat upsetting. No one wants to see anyone going hungry, but coming into a country and expecting the government to feed and house you and your family is pretty unrealistic; however, in any other country some immediate medical care and a food allowance can be given to illegal aliens. England has food banks that help alien families. Almost every European country has some sort of provisions for alien care, especially for children. It made me wonder what kind of provisions are made in any country in South America. Illegal immigration has been and continues to be a problem across the world. Well, maybe not in Russia or China.

 

Parts of Texas were settled by Germans who came here trying to find religious and political freedom. Those areas near the Hill Country are famous for the neatly kept farms and homes along with the famous churches. Near my home county of Clay, the German people farmed and raised a church near Hurnville that became a center point for an entire community. Many of their descendants went to school with my father and some of their descendants became my classmates. We became a stronger community with their arrival and their families. We can only hope that some of the illegal aliens that have come across the borders today will become good citizens and care about this land as home. The German folks brought their strong beliefs in God and community. Perhaps God will bless the latest arrivals with His grace.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Pickle Juice?

 Pickle Juice?

 

About the time things seem to be doing better, the twitchy, stupid muscle spasms hit again. Took a muscle relaxer this morning, but not anything else. Guess a trip to United for dill pickles might be next. Shaking my head. And somehow, we need to avoid salt.

 

My floors have a coating of dog hair on them again, and guess who does not feel like vacuuming. Sigh. May have to call Maria to see if she can handle another fur-lined house to clean. Patty says her floors are exactly the same, but we are looking for rain this week, so who knows if we will have a coating of mud on top of the dog hair! Oh well. Maria will clean Patty’s house tomorrow, so at least one house on the street will be dog hair free(ish). Well, Shona’s house has no dogs or cats in it. Can’t imagine how that would be. We have always had critters. But our mom did not have dogs that lived in the house with us—or a cat that lived inside 24/7. Different times.

 

Had a conversation with Patty the other day about phones and how their purpose has changed so drastically. We are told not to let the world corrupt us, yet some of us spend time either watching YouTube or videos and other “interesting” things on our phones. It is no longer enough to simply have a way to call home or to call our friends. Not much different is our usage of computers, for that matter. We check the weather report and see what the latest news from this place or that place might be, but we also tend to listen to the political stuff that could warp our viewpoint about how life should be lived. It is just inevitable that we find something to make us either fear the future or be concerned about the state of our nation right now. We mentioned the fact that pennies would no longer be minted. Sterling (and others) reminded me that eventually all monetary dealings would be digital. The mark of the beast is supposed to be something in our hand that would be the equivalent of monetary exchange. Without that “mark,” one could neither buy or sell. Things seem to be getting closer to the end days than we have ever been before.

 

Told Maggie Sewell the other day that some days it seems better not to post since my attitude is reflected in what my words become—not especially uplifting. Guess this might have been just one of those days. Maybe tomorrow will be a happier day. At least rain is in the forecast. Right now, we are wall to wall dust. Guess a bit of rain might make wall to wall mudpies!!

 

May your days be bright and happy; may your soul sing with joy.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Looking at the Calendar.

 Looking at the Calendar.

 

This afternoon, some butterflies were flitting around the fall asters out front. Taking a picture of them close up revealed the name of two as Queen butterflies. Who knew we had royalty flying around our flowers here in WF. They were pretty and it may be that one of the pictures was uploaded to Common Sense if things went right. Just taking pictures is about all the technical issues handled around here.

 

Asked Lance about his and Tracy’s trip to OKC on the train. Apparently, it was nice and easy. They saw the downtown library that Lance said was very big, the botanical garden, and the memorial next to the bomb museum. Anyway, getting to visit something different sometimes gives a person perspective on one’s own home and city. Most of my perspective comes from memories that have probably been warped by time and attitude.

 

Jennifer said that she and Gary would be driving to Virginia for Thanksgiving with his uncle and aunt. For sure, holidays are not good travel days anytime, but right now the planes may or may not be scheduled to fit the situations. Anyway, about all a person can do at this point is pray for safety for all those traveling.

 

Maggie Sewell came today and brought some goodies—cabbage, apples, and a butternut squash. She also mentioned apple dumplings that sounded wonderful. Actually, apple anything is usually pretty good. But cinnamon, sugar, and cooked apples make me think of Thanksgiving at Mom’s house. Funny how certain foods remind us of times, places, or people.

 

Sterling said that he and Jacqui both had eight o’clock doctor appointments this morning. Teasing him, reminded him that the older we get, the more we travel—but mostly to doctor appointments! It is just strange that no matter what is prescribed, we aren’t likely to get all that much healthier. Shaking my head.

 

Got the results from the tests taken last Friday. That does not mean that my understanding of those results has been enlightened at all. Some tests were labeled “abnormal.” Sounds about right. Have never been all that normal most of my life, so why should anything change? Eventually, if she has time to read the results, perhaps Dr. B will let me know what she thinks of the situation. Not going to worry about it right this red-hot minute. Have managed not to take anything for pain all this past week. That has to be doing somewhat better.

 

Need to rearrange some things in my kitchen tomorrow. The water filter jugs just take up an inordinate amount of cabinet top space. A large green jug is filled with kitchen implements that could easily go right under the cabinet. Just remembering where they are would be great, but you know the saying: out of sight, out of mind. Honestly don’t think they even have to be out of sight to miss out on the mindfulness situation.

 

Got ONE egg today. It was a pretty pink and even saw the old girl laying it. She was in a hurry to get it done and get in on the feed being thrown out to the others. It was still damp and had one of her belly feathers stuck to it. Have a feeling the girls are taking turns laying eggs—a different hen each day. Hmm. Now if they would all get on the same time table, we might be able to save up a dozen every few days. Sent two dozen home with Maggie, but only have four or five in a carton currently. Not like anyone is eating eggs around here right now.

 

Lance made cornbread and beans for their dinner tonight, and it looked delicious. What is it about good ol’ Southern food that just makes a person feel hungry? The only thing he didn’t have was chow chow. That is an essential to go with beans!!

 

Talking about the parents with Sterling today made me think about their birthdays and Thanksgiving. Mom’s birthday was on the 26^th and Dad’s was the 28^th of November. They were two years apart. We did not really celebrate their birthdays because of Thanksgiving except the year Mom turned 62. We had a cake baked and decorated and took out to her. She thought we had brought her a towel and stuck her hand in the box. She got a finger full of icing! She said it was the best birthday ever! Dad thought it was pretty good because they both had social security after that. Funny memories.

 

Let us look forward to being with our families and friends. We are so very blessed.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Does and a Roof.

 Does and a Roof.

 

Noise this morning turned out to be some little Mexican men on top of the house across from the open lot that belongs to the Leos family. That house almost burned to the ground several years ago, but Donny Anderson got there first with a garden hose before the fire fighters got there. They saved the house. Now maybe it will be a home to some of the Miranda family. Meanwhile, the Mexican music has been entertaining.

 

Driving up this end of Kemp to head for United, two young does ran across the road in front of me. Put on my brakes and warned the vehicle behind me as they scooted across those five lanes. Glad they made it. Some wild brush on one side of the road is perfect for bedding down, but the other side is roving territory for the bobcats out here. Could never have unprotected livestock out here, for sure!

 

Here it is 2:30 in the afternoon and having my first cup of coffee. Reece woke me up early (3:30 a.m.) to ask me about the Berlin Wall when I first knew about it and its history. Yes, it was an interesting “conversation.” He had a migraine for which he had just received pain meds and needed something to think about other than the pain. Seems the IV steroids were doing a number on him. Hoping that whatever he has to take at home will not have the same effect. Jenn said that he and Grey have to be at their house next week for Thanksgiving while she and Gary go to visit his family (uncle and aunt) in Virginia. Here’s hoping they have no trouble getting service on a plane. Anyway, Reece and Grey will take care of three dogs and three cats. Such fun.

 

Mary Rhoads had planned to bring her grandson to visit my hens, but never made it yesterday for some reason. Maybe today. Kids love critters and vice versa.

 

Mary also told me that she drinks pickle juice to keep the muscle spasms at bay. So, the old woman bought something called pickle juice in a small bottle--$2 for a SMALL bottle. Guess buying dill pickles would make more sense. But maybe the blood tests will let me know which minerals or whatever that my body needs. Here's hoping.

 

Got a head of cabbage to cook with some onion, an apple, and some sausage. Tomorrow is cabbage stew day around here. Looking forward to good cabbage stew! Who would have thought that an old woman would find something like that better than anyone’s t-bone steak!

 

The news has not looked horrible from this viewpoint, but have not searched it diligently. Some things are better ignored. Just hoping that things are getting back on an even keel around the nation with salaries being paid and benefits recovered. It is difficult to be happy when one’s bills are bigger than one’s hopes. At least we never have that problem with God’s promises. What he promises, He delivers—always.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Remaking the Bed.

 Remaking the Bed.

 

Have been using a big ol’ cozy comforter on my bed, but it has not been quite enough to keep me comfortable. SO, you KNOW that the temps will get warmer for at least the next few days! It never fails that if the old woman decides to light the pilot light on the kitchen heater, the weather warms up! Well, at least during Indian Summer.

 

Making my bed means lots of walking and stretching. Avoiding any kind of pain killer means that the making of the bed and the spreading of blankets is accompanied by groans, moans, and ouches! Circling a king-sized bed actually takes more steps than around a twin bed—if for no other reason than the difference in area around the frame. Last year, since the corners of the sheet set that just tickles my comfort bone started to slip off the corners, the old woman bought some elastic straps that have pinch style fasteners on each end. Here’s hoping that the second corner won’t really need any right now even though the straps are still handy.

 

Can hear the dove hunters out there blasting away this morning. Wish they had this flock of doves in my backyard. Lance managed to get rid of—or at least discourage—most of the doves while he was here. It means the hens are limited to just a few extra grains of wheat so no surplus will lie around out there. That means the old woman has to remember not to put out too much.

 

Put a five-pound chicken in the sink to thaw. No, it really does not appeal to me at the moment, but it needed to be cooked and used up. Have decided to just buy ground turkey from now on for kibble toppers for these two brats of mine. They really liked that fried turkey meat. Mrs. Dash seasoned it just slightly so it was not the least bit bland. A little bit even ended up being consumed in a sandwich kind of meal.

 

Need to hook up the water hose and fill up the water bowls for the hens. They make such a mess of the one in the coop, but it is just so they always have water. Sterling swears that they would rather have dirty water off the ground than clean water from a container!

 

Shona felt somewhat amazed and happy that her mom has had such a good attitude about staying with this woman for rehab and care. It might not be what either of them would really prefer, but living by herself will simply not work. The day will come, if we stay even somewhat healthy, that we might each need someone to live in and watch over us. Someone with a head for both business and compassion could do a wonderful thing by combining the needs of those who need help—of different kinds. Thinking that women in a shelter who need a place to stay could work for an older person so that the elder could remain at home. Two homes for two folks. Maybe that sounds like two buildings, but homes are not just real estate. They are an assurance of belonging. Wish someone would develop something like this here in WF.

 

Guess the biggest issue for joining elders with those who need a home would be the safety factors of character and maybe records of behavior. Even the women finding new homes need to feel assured that the elder is not going to be abusive or even tacky. It occurs to me that this system would work for both male and female who are in a shelter. We tend to think that only women have to leave a relationship, but know for a fact that it can go the other way just as easily. Anyway, background checks on both parties would have to include interviews with friends and neighbors, social services being used, and mobility both physically and socially (with a vehicle). The types of food available in an area might make a difference, too. Some areas don’t even have a tiny food store at all, much less a larger grocery store. Mobility in that case would include the ability to either shop online or actually to drive to a physical facility. Can’t imagine this whole idea would not make it so much easier for families to encourage their parents to remain at home where things are familiar. Maybe someone has the imagination and courage to implement something like this.

 

The shower last night felt good and made me relax quite a bit, but because some old woman moved things around in the shower stall, the shampoo without conditioner was much handier than the one with conditioner. The resulting “hairdo” this morning was curls everywhere that were not amendable to efforts of control!

 

Just ate brunch: Wolf’s Brand tamales in meat sauce. Yep, starting this day just right!! But since my iPad is charged up, maybe the book started yesterday will be about ready to give it up! Meanwhile, think about the One Who would never “give it up.”

Numbers 23:19 “What he says he will do, he does. What he promises, he makes come true.”

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Frost Out on the Grasses.

 Frost Out on the Grasses.

 

SO thankful to live in Central North Texas this morning. It is about 39 degrees currently on the south side of the house with just a light frost on the grasses down in the east lots. My niece sent pictures of their light snow up near Chicago, and Sterling said that his thermometer was shaking so hard it was impossible to read!!

 

Love humor, but the truth is almost funnier than any joke we can make when it comes to how we react to weather! Bet everyone near Chicago has already been to the store for bread and milk! If they got snow—even a tiny drift of it—in Houston, the entire town would about shut down! NOT that that would be a bad thing! LOL But folks up north are ready with salt and gravel to put on the roads while we just call out the tow trucks and try to slow down. The deep freezes always bother me when the ice gets on the electric lines and the water lines start breaking around town. Our city really needs to work on infrastructure before we buy any more big buildings and replace the police department structures. The city water lines are always somewhat vulnerable. The trees over the electric lines are everywhere in this city. No company will cut them back and most folks cannot afford to have it done. My place has electric lines on two sides with trees in both sides. ONE tree is my fault, but the others have been there forever. Sigh.

 

Guess ordering dog food is on the agenda for today. These two dogs really like this new food for older dogs with probiotics in it. They clean up their bowls each time, so have reduced the amount of kibble given to them to just a cup. Getting fed twice a day has worked so far. Thompson comes it to tell me about four every afternoon when he thinks it is time for his dinner. Funny critter!

 

Really enjoyed the visit by Rylan, Isabella, Josiah, and Rylan’s stepsister Gabby. (Guessing the Gabby is short for Gabrielle.) Josiah is growing and so far, is willing to be still while he is held. It is going to be harder to hold him (for me, at least) pretty soon. Rylan was explaining about his work at Walmart on some kind of machine that costs something like 50 million. During the day, they have 12 people working on it, but at night, it is just him and some other guy—with one night a week working alone! Anyway, he is trying to get the bosses to hire ONE more person for nights. Hope it works out ok for him.

 

Have just about decided that this is going to be a two-cup morning. One was just not quite enough! What is it about cooler weather that just makes snuggling down with a book and a cup of coffee feel so perfect?

 

Well, read until my iPad was down to 16% and the hens have been shut inside their coop. These two dogs have been fed and the old woman had some cooked potatoes with sour cream and ranch stuff sprinkled on them. It is getting colder and darker earlier now, so it’s time to break out the PJs with long legs and some knee socks. Even looked and found my finger tipless gloves today. My hands and feet get so very cold with the least bit of excuse. It makes me remember hearing Granddad Pollard come in our front door and reaching out to put me in his lap. He always asked Mom where my socks were! Know he must have laughed inside that my feet were always as cold as Grandmother Pollard’s. They had a joke about her coming to bed and sticking her cold feet to him! Good memories.

 

Have stayed away from the computer news today since it seemed as if we have plenty to think about without dipping into the absurd or horrifying. Spoke with both Shona and Patty today. Shona was happy that her mom has such a positive attitude. Patty is determined to BE positive. That is about all we can do when confronted with the stuff going on in the world. The hurricanes and other storms are making life miserable for so many that we should be grateful for the many blessings we have right here in our lives. Family, friends, good neighbors mean more than money in the bank! Let us strive to be loving and to show God’s love to others.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Nap Weather.

 Nap Weather.

 

Apparently, this weather is perfect for napping! Just had to lie down for a few minutes this afternoon and found myself in a very deep sleep when the phone rang. Here’s hoping the experience of the nap (not the phone call) can soon be repeated. Sylvia let me know that she definitely did not like the wind and cold front that came in a bit ago. My leg was attached to her, it seemed. Or maybe the other way around. Anyway, the dogs are in the house, the hens are on their roosts, and the coops are fastened up tight for a cold night. It will be a good night for resting.

 

Took the water hose off the water faucet and put the little arctic sack on that faucet to prevent a frozen problem. Here’s hoping that is all it will take. With the wind blowing the back dog door open onto the back deck, we can be sure that more limbs will decorate the backyard by morning if the wind keeps up. And if it were rainy, we would probably have ice. As it is, we definitely need rain again. Such is life.

 

Even though the morning came with the stupid muscle problems again, by this afternoon, the old woman was feeling fairly good. Just wish it were possible to understand what exactly is causing the stupid spasms. Maybe more exercise would help?

 

One bit of unwanted and totally ridiculous exercise today was getting the dogs to go into the bathtub to get their feet cleaned off. The water bowl in the middle coop had DE in it, so dumped it under the crate that held the DE. Both dogs walked in the water and then in the DE. Nasty! Now, along with dog hair, some interesting grey paw prints decorate the kitchen and living room floors. Sigh.

 

Got the laundry done and hung up or folded and put away. SO glad for automatic washers and dryers! Thinking about my mom having to use a wringer washer on her back porch years ago. And she was so very happy not to have to go to Mattie Rutledge’s laundry. That was a job, too! Times have definitely changed.

 

Got some ground turkey that cooked up nicely. Both dogs and the old woman thought it was pretty good. Had mine with some little tomatoes and pepper slices left from some that Roger brought over. Ranch dressing mix in sour cream worked nicely as a dip. Just used a fork to pick up those little purple tomatoes and lifted the dip up with each one. Tasty!

 

Some folks think that the government shutdown is all the fault of President Trump. It makes me wonder why it is so difficult for some to see the bigger picture. Simply handing over billions of dollars to the insurance companies is nothing but pure stupidity. That is effectively what would happen if the current bill pushed by the Democrats were to be allowed. That money would not serve the American people because the price of services would definitely not go down. It reminds me that many years ago, Doctor Hurn from Henrietta said that Medicare would simply create an agency that would prevent real medical care from happening. He was right. It has created possibilities for more fraud than nearly any other act created. And it will never get better as long as care is designed for money alone. Sad. Just sad.

 

Still thinking that this month is for Thanksgiving—and not just for one day. Yes, Veterans’ Day is Tuesday, but some of us are just thankful that our brothers, husbands, and friends came home from whatever war occurred in our lifetimes. Every day, my thoughts go out to my brother and prayers for his life and health. The same is true about all my family, friends, neighbors, and those who are attempting to lead our nation in the way God would have us go. We have so many reasons to be grateful. Perhaps we need more attention in families about why we are blessed. Only good blessings come from God. May we thank Him every day and in every way.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Just Reading Again.

 Just Reading Again.

 

Have accomplished not one tiny thing this week despite the level of dog hair and dust on my living room floor. And what is more, that bunch of hair and dirt may take another bit of time before it is raked out. Definitely not going to use the vacuum! The dust mop might get employed, however. If being still and not doing squat has helped with the muscle spasms this much already, it might just be a good idea to keep being still for a bit longer. Anyway, have decided not to feel guilty about the dust and the dog hair until the old woman feels like doing something.

 

Have enjoyed watching more of the “Death in Paradise” series on the new TV that Jennifer bought to keep me occupied. Then my Kindle has been in use today reading about this Texas couple, a retired sheriff and his retired 911 operator wife, who sold all their stuff and became house and dog sitters internationally. Right now, they are in Scotland and learning about the food, the language, and some of the customs of that country. Can’t imagine trying to understand their language! It’s difficult enough to understand folks from other parts of the U.S., but trying to listen to the English language from a Scottish viewpoint might be pretty tricky!

 

Not that it would do any good to gripe, but the girls are still only providing a couple of eggs per day. Can’t imagine that all fourteen have decided it is too much trouble to lay an egg every once in a while! Oh well. Not like the old woman eats eggs, but still.

 

Have pretty much stayed away from any news on the computer. It simply is not worth getting interested when it just irritates the wee out of me to see what is going on. The hogs that are stirring the creek up in D.C. really need to be rounded up and taken to a Texas sausage factory down in Windthorst or maybe down in Muenster. If they are already financially able to live in that part of the country, maybe they don’t need any salary for working for us?

 

Called Sam’s today to be sure that they were sending Thompson’s Rx and the pharmacist said that it was sent yesterday. That sounded good to me as that means it could come tomorrow or at the latest, by Monday. No mail on Tuesday for Veterans’ Day.

 

On FB, Tara Ross and others post information about men who earned the Purple Heart and the Medal of Honor for their service in various wars/battles. We should be so aware of the men and women who have and are serving our country. God has blessed us with exceptional people in so many situations from presidents to the men who serve in the National Guard. These folks deserve our prayers that God may protect and bless them in the ways that are needed. May God set His guardian angels around our president and our nation.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Hesitant Steps.

 Hesitant Steps.

 

Another day that the old woman should probably not be on the computer. Talk about gripey! The spasms have not gone away by a long shot. They just pick strange times to hit the joints and the legs. Dadgumit! Like Patty says, “At least we have enough breath to b*tch!”

 

For the past two days, FB has been inaccessible to me. Jenn could get on my account, but my computer or my stupidity prevented me from getting on. Not that it is all that important, but the posts that would normally go on FB are posted on Mesquite Country. Can’t really put a link here, but it is just a blogger site.

 

It is supposed to get down to 29 degrees this Sunday, so maybe we will see some frost again. That kind of weather makes the dogs want to play and the cattle kick up their heels in the pastures. Not miserable cold, but just enough cold to make things feel totally different.

 

Have finally learned enough about using the new TV that it has been enjoyable to watch “Death in Paradise.” Had seen the first version years ago, but now the new inspector has taken over and things just get more interesting. Can’t imagine how it would be to live on an island where everything you eat or wear has to be brought in by boat. Well, folks in Alaska probably know how that feels, come to think of it.

 

Patty was going over the latest elections and the passing of the amendments to the Texas constitution. Lance was fussing about the amendment that called for the schools to be financed by the state rather than by the districts. He seemed to think that would only work as long as Texas has a surplus of funds. But it seems to me that the poorer districts will need all the help that they can get rather than depending on their tax bases. It simply is never going to be possible to provide true equity as long as things like libraries and hospitals are not available in every area. If it were possible to prevent fraud in funding, each county would be better off. But at least Ft. Worth has discovered that malfeasance happens no matter how much money is involved. So sad.

 

You know, politics are just a matter of trying to get folks to get along and help each other out. Even God put the Levites in charge of taking care of widows and orphans, but what men can do to mess up order just keeps expanding as populations grow. We can praise God that some folks are genuinely ready to help others so that they don’t need to go hungry or freeze to death in winter. Of all the soup kitchens and pantries, each area is blessed with a kind-hearted soul who is willing to be there for others. For this, we should all praise God. It is HIS love that blesses us through others.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Messed Up Account.

 Messed Up Account.

Apparently, someone has taken over my FB account, so whatever the old woman wants to post will have to be posted on Mesquite Country. SO, not much to talk about right now anyway. My sister-in-law had an endoscopy this morning and does NOT have an ulcer, but the hiatal hernia is nothing to joke about. She will have to make a decision about that situation this next week.

Having spent some time at the doctor's office the other day, the discussion included the loss of Kell West as an operating center for the doctors from OSTC--orthopaedic surgery. Dr. V said that the operating situation at United is much slower because of the number of patients in the line for surgery, and that might have something to do with the number of nurses available for recovery as well. Not sure about that part. It just seemed to me when Lewis was there that no one knew what they were doing and were not all about taking care of their patients. Sad. It's all about money rather than good medical care.

Once upon a time, we actually had a surgical center out on the Expressway. And yes, Lewis had a procedure done out there. Poor man had more "minor" surgeries than a cat has lives! He was a tough dude and had more patience than most of us can imagine.

Have managed to make my bed and fill up a water can for the hens today. Nothing that takes a lot of effort or anything heavy to move around. My back still is giving me fits, but not as much. At least the old woman can walk now without feeling as if someone is hitting me every few minutes.

The moon last night was so big and full! It was almost like having a flashlight on everything. The hens were happy to go up to their roosts, but the light from the moon was showing in their coop, too. This morning they were ready to hit the doors early. Nothing like having hens hit your legs on their way out the door! At least they did not end up on my shoulders! Still have feathers all over the back yard, but they seem to have stopped dropping feathers all over the place. Now if only they would get busy and lay eggs. sigh

Really don't feel much like saying anything about what is going on in our nation or the world right now. Patty said that no one seems to remember that old saying: If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Too much evil is rolling around in every ditch available. Satan's hatred of God reflects too often among those in this world. It is our job to reflect God's love, so let us do our best to be what He would want us to be.

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

A Visit to the Doctor's Office.

 A Visit to the Doctor’s Office.

 

Mary Rhoads was kind enough to take me to see Dr. Vietenheimer today. The usual knee x-rays showed nothing different, or at least it was not mentioned. However, Dr. V had a couple of x-rays of my back taken to see if any obvious problems would show him some reason for the muscle spasms. Other than some stenosis (narrowing) of the spine in the area where surgery had already taken place, he could not see anything that would be the cause of the problems. He thought that since the spasms had already lessened, maybe just rest would improve the situation. Here’s hoping. Will have to try to behave myself.

 

Today the heirloom tomatoes and the sweet peppers brought to my house by Roger were put in a bowl for nibbling. Jenn picked up some sour cream the other day that will mix up good with some ranch dressing powder. Fresh veggies are so much better raw and with some kind of dip. Just my opinion.

 

My grandson Rylan just left with a few eggs and such. He showed me videos of Josiah laughing. That little one is growing so quickly! But then, that is what babies do. Isabella is having some dental work done soon, so it makes me think that she is going to need some soups. Rylan picked up some of the beef Ramen noodles to take home with him for her. Anyway, it is neat to be able to open my pantry to the kids when they need a bit of extra stuff.

 

Patty is sending Roxy to the vet’s office tomorrow with her friend Roy. SO glad that Roy will take her and do this for her right now. The old woman is simply not able to handle anything like that right now. But Rylan said that he could come back and handle anything during the daytime that needed to be done for me. Glad to have his help available. This old woman is SO blessed to have friends and family and good neighbors!

 

Thinking about Josiah and the fact that he is already over three months old reminds me that our children started teething about that age. Rylan said he was very fussy this evening and would have had a melt down if he had put him in his car seat! Can remember our kids doing that a few times! We took Lance and Jenn to a pizza place when she was about three months old and had ordered a beer. Rubbed some beer on her gums and she got pretty happy. Sitting here laughing about that. Could have had a little beer hound on our hands if we had kept beer around!!

 

This is November and a special time to be thankful since the only good public holiday is Thanksgiving. It is not all turkey and dressing and pumpkin pies. It is family and friends and praise to God for all the blessings He has given us. Not that we should not be grateful every day, but this month is a special reminder of how we should be grateful! Veterans Day is on the eleventh this month. SO many lost their lives to preserve our freedom. This month is a time to show them appreciation especially. Finally, we should be grateful to the farmers who feed us. It has to be especially difficult right now with the way things have happened in agriculture! Let us ask God to bless our farmers and ranchers.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

The Ones Who Light Up My Life.

 The Ones Who Light Up My Life.

 

The two brightest stars in my life came today and completed an entire list of “honey-do’s.” The coops, now labeled A, B, and C, were straightened up and feed cans placed in convenient locations. Lance unloaded three 50-pound bags of feed to fill the trash bins that hold the feed. Then Jennifer took my truck and made a quick trip to United on Fairway so that she could also fill up the truck for me. Two neat things also happened: breakfast and din-upper were made by my two kids with ideas for later meals mentioned as we decided that Mom needed to stay off her feet for a while to let her back recover from whatever is wrong. It has been so strange to find that just standing up could hurt from my lower back down both hips to my knees. Go figure!

 

Then we talked about how the old woman would get to the doctor’s office this coming Monday. Susan Thonton was not available since she is taking Roger to the doctor about the same time as my appointment. But she would have been happy to have helped otherwise. Finally, called my friend Mary Rhoads, and she was so happy that she could do something to help me. John had already told her about the dogs knocking me down week before last. Not sure exactly that is what caused this mess, but it probably did not help. Anyway, Mary gets up early just like any country girl, so she will be here bright and early to take me to see Dr. Vietenheimer. We will see what he says.

 

On Thursday, Julian E. came and took down the pagoda that Hanan built some years ago. If we had known that the posts were all set in cement, we would not have been concerned that it might fall over and hit the house. Poor Julian is not any taller than the old woman, but a few years younger and very much stronger. Even so, it was a hard day’s work for him to use a big drill to break up the concrete and then remove those posts. Then he made the front flower bed look so nice and neat. It may not have any flowers this next year, but at least the Bermuda grass has not taken over. He also hauled off the tree branches that the wind took out of the top of the Western Soapberry tree. That thing is SO brittle. It is a blessing that it is not any closer to the house or to the carport.

 

The trash can is pretty full after Lance threw in some branches that he cut off the stupid Bradford pear tree that were going to hit the house. Then he kicked up a couple of stumps from the dead apricot trees and threw those two chunks in the bin. May have to get AJ to haul the thing across the road for me on Monday evening!

 

Julian dug up a small pecan tree that a squirrel planted in the flower bed next to the front porch. It is sitting in a pitcher of water, but it probably won’t get planted since digging holes is not happening for me right now. Oh well.

 

Lance hung the bird house that Sterling made for me, but this time he put it in the pear tree so that the wind would not unscrew the fastener that holds it in place. The only thing that had been thought of and then forgotten was the job of trying to straighten out the new water hose purchased from Amazon. It has more wrinkles in it than my face! Should have bought a more expensive hose that would be easier to handle. Sigh.

 

My reading has not included any deep thinking lately. God knows that sometimes we connect in smaller ways that just have to be reminders that we know He is there and that we trust in Him. Have been thinking about Tami Yonts lately and hoping that she and Mike have more time together. Know how it feels to realize that nothing mankind can do will ever make a true difference and that we have only one true love in our lives. When Lewis came to the last few weeks of our lives together, we could only hold hands and know that the love would never cease. We know that someday we will be together again in God’s kingdom. No matter when we go out of this world, we are assured that we have another place to go that is filled with His love. Praise God!

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.