Cool, cool, Monday - July - mid way til Labor Day

Good evening gentle readers.

It's another rainy Monday. Yes, we are still here, if anyone asks.

The first image I saw this morning: the cat caught a bird (found its remains on the back porch this morning.) Now I have renamed her "Killer" and she will stay outside until she gets rid of the remains in her tummy.

Forty years ago tonight we saw the men walk on the moon. Stan and I were lying on the floor (there was no carpet on the floor at that time) in front of the TV in this very house. Mom and Dad had gone to bed. It must have been after 10 o'clock. We heard Walter Cronkite repeat: "One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind." Or, at least, that's what I thought we heard... Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and who was the pilot of the circling craft?

Thirty-one years ago, I was in United Hospital giving birth to my second child. It was supposed to be a "natural" event... no drugs. By the time she arrived, we had quite a cheering section: the nursing class from Alderson Broaddus College waited to see her born - their shift ended sometime around 11pm. The official date is July 21, 1978 so I'm guessing she arrived after midnight on the 21st (or I have the day confused ;-) and all this happened 31 years ago tomorrow and she arrived just before midnight...)

I made it to my Dr's appointment in Salem and tomorrow I have a fasting blood draw: thank God for insurance. She made several suggestions and all of them involve more tests - I got some x-rays of my knees and ankle and we are going to see if this pain has a name...

If the pain goes away with movement-stretching or activity, it is not rheumatoid. blood tests will help nail the name we will be treating.

Norma will be coming tomorrow around 11 or so for a visit -

Brenda is in the hospital with an angina scare (over night) so Linda and Sandy will work three days day shift instead of two this week.

Kim came to work today and brought Emmie, her little girl. We were glad to see them. Emmie and Delia played together last Friday, too.

Stanley stayed in bed all day [I didn't get him into the "electric chair" or out of the house - due to my Dr's appointment] and now he's not too engaged - he's watching NCIS and Linda is frying zucchini that Bill Kerzak brought over today for supper - too bad I have a fasting blood test tomorrow morning...

July 15 - payday - one month to the Anniversary - and who knew we would be doing this!?

Welcome back gentle readers...

It has been a fabulous day, here in the valley: First, the sun is /was shining in a bright blue sky w/ fluffy but none too numerous clouds. The hum didity was nonexistent and the wind light and variable along with the temperature [near ninety.]

Then, the ladies that help on Wednesday showed up - no excuses.

Next, I escaped to the market and to the bank, and the boulevard to check my mail, and just generally walked around the mercantile world looking for yard gnomes to place atop the lights beside the front door ( a picture should be placed here for those of you with no clue for what I am looking. )

Grandpa Stan [Daddy to some of you] has been in training to get back into the electric chair [power chair to those of you in the physical therapy business] and we will have one more day of PT on Friday to get this done. I've cut his happy pill in half to give him some desire to be part of the action and I hope it works.

Grandma Freda [Great grandma to some of you] is enjoying the attentions of her care workers and the phone call from Marg, who remembers all the fun they had with the husbands playing cards, eating popcorn and just hanging out. She said she remembered that I made brownies... who knew I baked at one time???

A mysterious knock on the door and a "Howdy Miss Freda" led us straight to Bill Kerzak whio brought Mom some snap sugar peas and blue lake greenbeans straight from his garden. Bill told me how to fix them to eat with out cookin' em. And told us about Frances and the trouble walking w/o her cane. She can't do the steps or she would be here to visit. He's been working w/ a friend to put down a floor. We are all getting too creaky to do much of that kind of work ;-)

The Fiery Red petunias on the deck are in dire need of water - two straight days of low humidity.

The Chrysler Garage fixed the LHS (power steering pressure hose and return hose) to the tune of **$%^&*#@# - but after research with a knowledgeable fellow - Linda's husband, I discovered that the repair is very difficult on LHS because the works are hard to get to - ergo the gigantic-enormous bill.

I'm going to Charleston tomorrow to be informed about retirement. Richard is driving and Pam and Val maybe coming along. I'm looking forward to it. We are also going to the State History Museum.

July 6, 2009 Sunny fluffy clouds Monday

Greeting fair readers wherever you are.



Last night I took pictures of the moon from the deck. Some one has set the camera for flash - I'll have to get the book out to find out how to set it for time and nighttime pictures ;-) But I stil don't know how to get the pictures off the camera into the computer - duh... so, this photo will have to do.


Good news: Daddy went out on the deck today and I cut some of his hair. I wouldn't call it a hair cut, just a trim. But it was warm and sunny (we slathered on the sun screen and sat in the shade - or we would not have been able to stay our for two hours!) :) We drank lemonade. We made jokes. I trimmed his fingernails and we squinted at the sun. Got lots of vitamin D today.





Good news 2: Jeff, our grass cutter, and his family came by today and took care of the acres of grass and clover that cover the estate. He's been busy putting in a new kitchen for a retired nurse, but he'll be back to help us [with the boardwalk, gates and maybe a deck out back???? ]





Note to self -- (I have to figure if we have the money for such an extravagant project before I set to doing anything about it. I would also like to paint inside and CLEAN... help does not seem to be at hand however. When I get my youthful strength and wisdom back - oh, I know that's a faint hope , I can do it my self!)





He said he would do the job of weatherizing the deck, but we don't need to do it this year. He will power wash it and prepare it for the stain and all when we decide to do it - maybe in the spring - we'll need about a week of good weather...





Good news 3: Joy called. She and Jean are coming to visit me on Friday - the 10th - for lunch their treat ;-)





Health nurses will visit tomorrow to check the coumadin levels of Grandma and Daddy. The PT lady's last day is tomorrow. Unless I can figure out how to keep her coming...

Sunday, July 5, 2009 - A BEAUTIFUL Day in the Valley

You guys don't know what you are missing.
The air was cooler today(about 70) the sun was muted but shining.

It is a typical Sunday in the valley.
Flowers fragrant on the deck. Sunday newspaper. Sleeping later than usual.
On the way to retrieve the paper, I discovered the remains of the chipmunk, who thought living in the patio drain was a good idea. Wrong! His tail and entrails tell the story. Kitty has been sleepin somewhere in the house most of the day... the balance of nature at work.

Daddy and I watched Oceans 12 after breakfast. Windy took good care of Grandma while I went for a drive to get Daddy Taco Bell and Grandma butterfly shrimp @ the fabulous seafood in the mountains shop : LJS.

I've printed several pictures today: Barb n Ed in the wine country; Ronin and Zoey, etc. Please post more so I can share them!!!!!

Linda is fixin Grandma's supper, and I have to quit this missive to get Daddy's ready.

July 2, 2009 Rainy day -- again!

If this is Thursday, this must be Paris...
Today I will recount only the successes.Tracy (the physical therapist) and I got Daddy out onto the deck in his rolling chair. Yippie! and Horray for us.
The temperature never rose above 64 degrees today, but it was quite comfortable (although a tad bit wet). He did his therapy on the deck wrapped in sheets (the wind was breezy) and when the sun shines I'll bring out the cowboy hat we got in Yellowstone. I'm sure he's like his Tony Llama boots too.

The table looks good for checkers.

The ramp needs a little whittlin' at the top. There's a little bump, but it's big if you are pulling a wheelchair. And, I want Jeff to finish the boardwalk around the house with a platform at the bottom of the ramp so we can turn if we want to...

July 1, 2009

Wednesday - a new month. a new year in the insurance business.

It rained in C-burg today.
I went to Mo-town.
I also did business w/ the accountant, the drs' assistant, and thought about acquiring more office stuff, but I already have enuff stuff, just need to use the space better...
Dee has a new kitten named Jack (the mitten kitten)
All's well in Mo-town.
I have a new bog to follow; but I don't know the author...
too hot in here after the rain - need ac.
gotta go now.
Love, Yo Mamma