Who You Gonna Believe?

 

Who You Gonna Believe?

 

My phone says 95 degrees. The gauge on the deck says 100 degrees. Guess which one is believable! It is just hot, hot, hot! Ah, but summer means fresh veggies, okra especially! Ready for some fried okra. But will let someone else do the frying right now. Would love to have fried okra, fried squash, and maybe some fried onions—rings or otherwise. Stir fried some red onion the other night to go with my last rib eye steak from Bill Brown’s Beef. Guess yours truly needs to order some more steak and liver. Visualizing the expression on my daughter’s face and giggling! She thinks liver is about nasty. My dogs love it, and it is good for us—me AND the dogs! Bought some expensive dog food that has to be mixed with water from Dr. Marty’s. It has liver from various critters in it plus veggies and fruits. Think maybe just cooking liver would do just about as good. The dogs eat the same food as yours truly most of the time. Well, they don’t seem to care much for cucumbers, cantaloupe, or apricots. But they like fried okra and squash. Smart critters!

 

Lewis’ cousin Jimmy and my sister-by-another mother, Sharon, came by this morning on their way to Quanah. They were going to a family reunion on the Pilcher side of Jim’s family. They were also intending to see about the sister-in-law who had not been expected to live while she was in Dallas Methodist Hospital. Not sure exactly what will happen next, but most likely she will have to be in a nursing home as she will be unable to care for herself. It is just sad to get in these situations. But life goes on one way or the other.

 

Sharon brought some material and showed me the quilt she was taking to her sister-in-law Paula. The quilt had a piece of material sewn on the back, and that piece of material included a picture of the woman who made the quilt and the story of how it came to be made. Her work really impressed me with Sharon’s talent. Anyway, she brought some for me to use on the back of Mother’s “Flower Garden” quilt that she had crocheted some years before we put her and Daddy in the nursing home in Henrietta. Jimmy’s description of how his mother felt he had been mean enough to put her in a nursing home reassured me that yours truly was not the only one considered a villain because of what we had to do for the parents. Jimmy said that she was probably angry for the longest, but then she also had become accustomed to the setting of the nursing home. My kids may have to do that some day as well, but here’s hoping that they won’t have to deal with a vicious old woman. God grant me the sweeter attitude that some old women develop!

 

Saw online this afternoon that the hospital here had misdiagnosed a broken back and told the person he had sprained some muscles. Another person said that our wonderful hospital said that the patient had strained muscles when it was obvious the ribs were making sounds while the broken pieces were rubbing against each other! This is the kind of thing that makes a person wish for a better hospital at the very least. We used to have a surgical center here so that people could have surgery without having to deal with United Regional. Wondering if another place is available. Not sure about Kell West or its availability to just any doctor. Lewis had a couple of surgeries there. The gall bladder surgery went very well with Dr. Thomas. The rotator cuff surgery had to be re-worked because the sutures caused a staph infection! THAT was a big mess! But apparently that had happened to others who had had that same kind of sutures. Can remember that Mrs. Sosebee’s son was messed up pretty badly after the sutures caused a staph infection in him. Wonder if anyone ever sued the company that sold that material.

 

Sitting here having some string cheese sticks to share with these two dogs! If they don’t get a small piece every bite or two, they give me the most betrayed look! Tossing small pieces to Thompson is pretty much entertainment. He can catch just about anything in the air! But if the tosses slow down, he comes right up beside me to nose my hand or lay his head in my lap. My dogs are NOT spoiled rotten; they have always smelled that way!

 

Michelle Malay called to say she would be by this next week. We talked about some of the things a recent widow has to do and the decisions that have to be made. It is different for each of us in some respects, but nothing makes living without our husbands any easier. Anyway, let us pray for peace of mind for those who must live their lives without the love of those with whom we have grown up and older.

 

Caleb Williams, one of Hanan’s friends with whom he went to school after we took Hanan out of public school and with whom he drove to CA as soon as he had finished his GED, texted me today and forwarded a picture of Hanan in a friend’s house in Ramona. He was such a sweet boy and so loving back then. So wish that he had never met the girl who messed with his heart and threw him away! If it were possible to break a person’s spirit and heart by withdrawing any affection, she did it. And yes, it still makes me angry. But life will do to others what they have done. God can offer forgiveness.

 

Gary and Jennifer are on vacation this week. Hoping that the storm off the Gulf does not cause them any problems. Maybe their accommodations will be just perfect for them so that they can rest and have fun! Everyone needs some fun once in a while, especially if the folks work all the hours that these two kids work!

 

When Jimmy and Sharon saw my kitchen this morning, they were so proud of Grayson for painting it for me. They thought it really looked nice. Yep, it does indeed! Something there is about a fresh coat of paint that makes things feel better.

 

Have one more in a series of books to read. These are the Whodunit books that are more than just scary stuff. Love the attitudes expressed about researching folks and finding out the backgrounds of all these people. This kind of writing always teaches me something even when it is just something about food or how certain laws work to protect the criminals as well as the victims. It is almost scary to see that those restraining orders are absolutely useless. And it is pretty understandable why police officers get disgusted by the fact that criminals can be released almost before the officers get the paperwork filed that put them in a holding cell to begin with! If someone has the money—either ill-gotten or otherwise—it is almost impossible to hold someone in jail unless an officer saw the person shoot or stab or otherwise attack someone! And even then, a good lawyer could get a person out of jail easily if there is enough money involved. That would never happen in my life. Two dogs and eighteen hens would probably be on their own! Oh well.

 

Don’t know much tonight except that the weather forecast for Monday suggests 90% chance of rain. JOY to the world! Yes, it makes for humidity, but that rain makes the ground so much softer and the earthworms so much more active. Could definitely use a couple of cooler nights for a good night’s sleep! Not going to need do anything except open the back door to listen to it rain if it decides to rain at night. Just love the sound of rain and the smell right before it rains. Ah, nature is wonderful, despite the heat and the freezing temps at times.

 

May you all find joy in what God has given us in our lives. Give love where you are able, and take care each day to appreciate what is around you that brings you happiness. Life is short, but it is full of surprises. Rest well, my friends. You are loved.