Gratitude in Notes.

 Gratitude in Notes.

 

Many times, my daughter has told me that the children don’t really like those Jacqui Lawson e-cards, so guess who will do her best to find some decent stationery soon. Just finished writing a note to the men’s Bible study group at the church Sterling attends. Those men have lifted me up in prayer for some time now. And yes, it is encouraging and heartening to know that God shows His love through them and their prayers for me and for others. When one’s spirit is down due to pain and exhaustion, nothing is quite as good as being lifted up. Have you ever prayed for someone and felt yourself lifted up as well? If not, try it. We ALL know someone who needs our prayers.

 

Sterling shares my thoughts on these times, and we both feel concerned for our children and others who have no idea what is next. We are both so old that our lives are just a marginal note in the life of others around us. And we both have no dread for ourselves for the future because we have faith in God. But we both pray for our children and those we love and care about. This is our work now. Whatever we have or haven’t done in the past cannot do what God can do in their lives. May His mercy never cease!

 

Tried to take a “Grandmother nap” today. Jennifer said that Grandmother Pollard used to lie down at 2 in the afternoon and get up at 3 just as if an alarm had been set. Guess who tries to do that ever once in a while. My head does not want to stop thinking long enough for the old body to relax. Oh well.

 

It is supposed to get cold starting Thursday. No joy in that situation. But on the other hand, we are not going to need the AC units right away! Hmm. The calendar says that it is still February!

 

Thompson just got his nighttime pill, and Sylvia has learned that cheese is forthcoming about this time of night. She has to have her portion of the cheese, don’t you see. The office floor is total dog bodies at the moment. How they can be so comfortable and snore on the floor is beyond me.

 

Finally saw AJ over at Shona’s house this afternoon. Have not sent her any messages since she went to see her mom. Just was hoping that all was well. Maybe we will get to exchange hellos tomorrow. Her life is so full of children and their schedules. So glad that is no longer part of my life.

 

Niece Lesli got the news today that she has celiac disease. She at least can try to compensate for the loss of the foods that she can no longer eat and know what is causing her problems. Would not wish that kind of problem on anyone.

 

Let us be grateful for each day and the blessings—and flowers—that are given to us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Taking Some Advice.

 Taking Some Advice.

 

Paul Dowlearn suggested that anything that could be put in the ground right about now should be in the ground now. So, today the old woman pulled up a few dead things out of the raised bed in the front yard, pulled my little rake back and forth through the soil that needed to be chopped up a bit, and scattered seeds for turnips and carrots. We tend to go from 80 degrees to 100 so easily that getting those seeds in the soil now might actually give them a chance to sprout and grow. If not, well, that’s just how things work out sometimes.

 

Woke up hungry for the first time in—well, a while. So, someone was snacking on this or that all day. But on the bright side, some stuff was cooked and put into freezer Ziplocks for meals for either the old woman or to be mixed up for the dogs. It’s good food either way. Also cooked up four chicken breasts and have not exactly decided how they will be used. Getting a tiny bit tired of Chicken Fiesta soup after having it several times. Of course, that is my fault since there are plenty of other dishes in there that can be a meal. Peeled the last grapefruit and ate the sections with a bit of salt. That stuff is just so very good! Know that fruit is expensive and pretty much a luxury, but feel as if it is just as good for a body as two miles of steps. And even one mile right now is just not going to happen. Feeling SO much better, but still tire out quickly. Will tell you that your prayers have made a big difference.

 

The Upper Room is designed to be read along the lines of a calendar, but that doesn’t really satisfy me. Will have this one read and be ready to read it again before long. Just short little stories of how God has affected lives with scripture and prayer have helped to make this a better day. May God bless Sharon Dickerson and her gift of sharing.

 

The dogs got the zoomies this afternoon. Even Thompson ran just a bit. The warmer weather and the pain meds he is taking have made a difference. If the vets’ office will allow me to have another prescription for his gabapentin, that will probably be what helps him through the rest of this year. The galliprant has made a difference in his arthritis. This old woman knows how much difference it makes in life when things are not aching.

 

Looking in the workshop today for my three-pronged rake and saw that several fence panels were lying on the floor in there. Who or when that happened is a mystery to me, but those are going back down to the side lot soon to see if they can be wired to the fence in order to keep Thompson from trying to push under the fence. Loving my critters and not wanting them to get hurt means that getting things done around here just has to happen. Even noticed today that the battery on Thompson’s air tag is getting low, so need to get a new battery in order to keep up with him in case he does get out!

 

Oldest Dickerson grandchild had a birthday today. Called and sang the birthday song. Have not heard that it caused any ill effects, so maybe it was not too bad. Giggling.

 

Hoping that my neighbor and her children get home soon from their visit with Shona’s mom out in West Texas. Think they will be home either tonight or in the morning. Not sure if the children have school tomorrow or not. Anyway, have prayed that they will have a safe trip.

 

Sterling called and wanted a picture of my zero-turn mower and the year it was bought. He wanted me to be able to get a decent price for it since it is unlikely that the old woman will be doing the mowing anytime in the future. We will see how that works out. Mowing is actually fun on that thing, but not sure just how good it is on my back. Need to use common sense even when it is so tempting to just DO things. May just have to talk to Julian about mowing for me some in the future.

 

It’s dark and the old woman needs to sleep, so will tell you that we all need to remind ourselves that what we have done so far may be nothing compared to what we can do in the future that God has in store for us. Please pray for the opened eyes of those who cannot or will not see that the son of God is our savior.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Resting Easy.

 Resting Easy.

 

Jennifer finally got to go home today. That young woman is a special loving person. She has put up with her mom—not just when she was getting driving directions, but when she saw mom do a few things she was not supposed to do. Anyway, we got the doctor’s visit finished and the six staples removed, went to the vet’s office where she nearly lost her temper with the front row dipsticks who were doing their best to ignore her, and then we got gas for her car, and finally took the stinky heater back to Sutherlands. We stopped by Whataburger for a meal—the only eating out that we did while she was here! She got her car reloaded with all the suitcases, computer stuff, and whatever else that needed to go back to Rendon. Got a message shortly after she got home to let me know she was there. Know she was tired, but can’t stop telling God thank you for giving me such sweet children. She cooked extra food and froze it in some neat little sectioned holders that are easy to pop out and thaw for a quick meal. She cooked extra food for these two dogs, so the old woman did not have to drag up a chair to the stove and cook something to put on top of their kibble. Anyway, no one can imagine how wonderful it has been to have her with me since the week before my back surgery when it was so very hard to just move around. The PA explained to us today why the pain had been so very intense. Yes, it will take some time to get over this completely, but at least we are headed in the right direction. Just going to need patience.

 

Got a call from a friend from elementary school—Mark Ogle. Somehow, when trying to let Sterling know he would get a call back, the old woman managed to “MERGE” the two calls. Now that was interesting. Anyway, guess Mark will be up this way in a few days. Meanwhile, Sterling says that the walker they took home from here has been just exactly what they needed to help Jacqui get around. It is really too heavy to haul around, but maybe it will help them in the long run if they can manage to stay on their feet.

 

Don’t know about everyone else, but we appreciated that the snow and ice did not really have any bad effects on the electricity around here. The ground got a good soaking, so who knows what will come up out there this spring!

 

Patty has been drinking cherry juice to try to ward off the pain in her foot from the gout she has. She has another bottle ordered in her next batch of groceries anyway. And the old woman noticed that Albert took their trash out to the roadside yesterday. He may be feeling much better since he had the reaction to the diabetes meds. Honestly, some meds are pretty scary. This old person is trying to be very careful not to take anything that makes me even the slightest bit more wobbly than usual. God gives us good health as long as we pay attention to eating, sleeping, resting, and otherwise trying to take care of our bodies. Let us hope that our decisions and our efforts to do the right things in life will make life easier for ourselves and those around us.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

Write, Read, Delete.

 Write, Read, Delete.

 

When a person has an attitude that even upsets the dogs, it is better not to share with others, one would think. Such is the situation around here right now. Have hoped and prayed that things would even out and that maybe some kind of answer to the problem would appear out of the blue or out of the MRI. Whatever. Will attempt to find humor or at least reasonable thoughts as soon as possible, but the gratitude quotient has been less than satisfactory lately.

 

Tried starting on Romans again, but Paul’s tortuous explanations had me shaking my head again. Still, it was worth a try to get my mind in other territory for a bit. Have about decided to download the King James version on my Kindle so reading after dark is possible. Love my big print Bible, but it is just difficult after a bit to keep my eyes clear enough to appreciate what is on the page.

 

Shona Leos just sent a Christmas dinner to me in two large paper plates. She had AJ place them on my front bench on the porch. Wow! Had to start with the pink fluffy stuff. Absolutely love that stuff! Nibbled on some of the other stuff, but will wait on the meat and sides until after returning from Barnett Road. By then the appetite should be up there with the goal posts! Such sweet neighbors! God surely has blessed me!

 

Messages today from family and friends remind me that this old woman is so blessed. Sister-in-law must be feeling quite a bit better from her text. SO thankful that she is recovering from the repair to her hiatal hernia! Have heard that it is a rough recovery, but she is a tough bird! Thankful that she has Sterling and vice versa. They needed each other.

 

Guess the fangs need to be brushed again until returning the uppers and lowers early tomorrow. Getting old has been an adventure, but some parts of it have certainly been challenging! Still, God has some reason for leaving me around yet. May He guide me when stubbornness takes the lead, and may He forgive me when my hard-headedness gets me into trouble.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.

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.