caring for the garden

Happy New Year

2012-01-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

I am back, well partially. My surgery went well. I had all the pins pulled out on Friday (the 13th). I can now take a shower, a full one. I can walk , a bit. I can even drive. But there are still some pretty harsh restrictions that limit my freedom. The first of these is that I can only have my leg down for a maximom of 45 minutes. That essentially means that while I can take a quick run to the store, I can't can't really shop. I can't go to church because it takes about that length of time to drive there and back. I can sit at the computer just long enough to take care of e-mail or post, but no longer than that. I still need to wear this rigid sandle to bed. I can put weight on the front of my foot, but am not to push it, the pain level is not to excede 3. Recovery really is 6-8 weeks. Tomarrow marks 4 weeks since my surgery. Oh well, I will be a good girl and do what I'm told. I honestly do NOT want any setbacks.

temporarily signing off

2011-12-18T13:18:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning, early morning, I am scheduled for surgery on my foot. I had it in mind that I would be able to do most chores (cooking, cleaning, etc) from my wheelchair, but NO. I am under strict Dr's orders to stay in a reclining position with my foot elevated. I am not to put it down any longer than it takes to use the restroom or to transfer from bed to couch. That obviously means I can't be sitting at the computer and I don't have wireless access. So I will be signing off line until at least after my pins are removed in early January.

I have taken measures to help Richard be able to care for both of us. Simple things such as preparing meals that he just needs to stick in the microwave, making sure all the laundry is done, putting supplies in an area he can easily access. Our grandson Chris will be here the first two days and an assortment of friends will be dropping by. So we should be fine.

I wish each and every one a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. May God bless you with true happiness that comes from the love of family. May you be safe and in good health. May the Lord provide all you needs and some of your wants and may a bit of laughter fill your soul.

See you in 2012. Nancy

we have a ramp

2011-11-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

Thank you Lord, we finally have a ramp. It goes along with Amy's post on waiting for God to provide with his big hand. We tried several options to make do with first a wooden and then a fabricated steel ramp. Many people tried to help meet our needs. But in the end, we bought an aluminum ramp that comes apart (cuts the weight in 1/2) and also folds (cuts the overall size in 1/2). The ramp arrived yesterday. We will try it out this weekend, providing Richard is well enough to go to church.

I haven't tried loading the chair yet, but looks simple enough. We will be transporting the ramp in a special carrying area that a volunteer created on the tongue end of the trailer. But given the cost and the fact that it is easy to cart, we will store it in the trunk of the car. No use tempting fate. This ramp is Christmas for both of us. We can't afford to replace it.

Progress

2011-11-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

Our trailer was in the driveway yesterday morning. It had evidently been delivered either pretty late in the evening or very early in the morning. The man who was working on it had said he and his wife would be going out of town for two weeks. It was very thoughtful of him to make sure we had it available during that period.

He has removed the steel ramp and replaced the original tail gate using hinges. He also put in some hardware to facilitate carrying a lighter, removable ramp on the tongue end of the trailer. A loaner ramp was in that area. His aluminum ramp folds in half, and because the spaces between the ramps braces was large enough that the wheelchair wheels would get caught, he has placed small pieces of plywood in them. This ramp is still a bit heavy, but certainly better than the steel ramp when it comes to weight.

Now I can move the trailer on my own again. I have also ordered a light weight portable wheelchair ramp on line. It separates into two sections and each section folds up. They can be carried with handles like two suitcases and stored in the car trunk. The ramp should be delivered in a couple weeks.

While this project is far from complete, the progress has been remarkabe. It has provided the gift of friendship between people who, to this point, did not know of the other's existance. It has also provided for a much needed service, a true blessing all the way around. We have much to be thankful for.

Answers

2011-11-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

The last Blog I wrote, I was so stressed out. But I gave it to the Lord and He does answer prayer. Most of us believers have had this expreience where, having tried to handle a situation on your ow and failed, you finally turn it over to Him. Why don;t we just do that in the first place? Or if we do, why do we then pick the problem back up and toy around with it instead of keeping hands off?

Well heres the latest. I did not pick it back up. It took nearly 2 weeks, but I did not pick it back up.
1) I went in for my physical yeaterday and got a really good report card. I am good to go for surgery.
2) The guy who put the steel ramp called today wanting to know how I was handling the weight. I was quite honest with him. It is just too heavy for me to manage. He was OK with that. He came over and we figured out a different approach. He took the trailer home with him and will work on it tomorrow. First he will remove the steel ramp (it will be used over the deck stairs to allow outside access for Richard to get on the deck) and replace it with the original tailgate. Then he is going to modify a light weight aluminumn ramp for our temporary use while we look for a more permanent solution. Since I will be laid up for awhile starting about 4 weeks from now, I will have time to "shop" on line for a ramp.

Buying a ramp was not something I planned, but that's the way it goes. At least the trailer will be useable until I can get one.

stress

2011-11-08T04:50:00.000-08:00

I am sooo stressed. I have a physical in about a week and am sure my BP is off the wall. It all centers around Richard's power chair. While having this chair gives him a small degree of independence he so needs, it is driving me up the wall.

1) We had to provide medical records (EEG, MRI, neurological/orthopedic evaluations) to the VA Clinic in Eugene for Richard, showing a medical need (April) and wait several months for a recommendation from the Dr. there.

2) Go to Roseberg to the VA Hospital (July) to be evaluated and take measurements.

3) The chair was approved (Aug), along with a lift to facilitate it being transported. But since our vehicle is not of sufficient weight to handle a lift, they canceled the order (VA does not pay for any sort of chair transport other than a lift). So when I called (early Sept) to see what was taking so long, I was told not just the order for the lift was canceled, but the whole thing - including the chair. They were sorry and would look into it. Long story short - the manufacturer didn't get the cancellation and the chair was delivered to the VA that same day. It arrived here just before Richard's birthday (mid Sept), but was too big and did not have the reclining feature we were promised.

4) A representative came out (early Oct) to remeasure and ordered a new seat for the chair. It arrived and they came and took the chair to Eugene, promising to have it back the next day. It did not come back for four days (mid Oct). But it did have the right size seat (several inches narrower to allow going through doors) and it did recline.

5) We had been looking at trailers to haul the chair all this time. They were available, but so far outside any one's budget that it was down right depressing. Rick was looking on Craig's List in the Seattle, Portland and Salem areas. He found several that sounded promising and we actually called some. We settled on a very small trailer in Salem, went up and looked at it, and made arrangements to have it delivered (late Oct). It is just the right size and very light. easy for me to handle.

6) We next had to put on a hitch and electrical harness to the car. We called everywhere, went to dealerships, private parties, wrecking yards, everywhere we and anyone else could think of. Finally we went back to the first place we had called, U-Haul. At $314.55 they were the least expensive and so we bit the bullet (early Nov).

7) But when I tried to hook up the electrical to the trailer, the connections wouldn't marry. So I called a friend from church who is a retired electrician. He came over and took a look. He bought some new parts and replaced the outdated connection and some lights, as well, another $20.00.

8) Our grandson Chris spent a couple days making minor modifications to the trailer. He attached PVC hoops and added a cover to keep the chair dry. He put in grommets to the tarp and attached hardware. He modified the tailgate to serve as a ramp. Parts and supplies were in the order of $100. But the ramp was to short and if he made it longer, it would have been too heavy for me to handle it. By this time Richard was chomping at the bit to use his chair to go to church. So we did. It was a bear. I had to put blocks under the tailgate and put an additional piece of plywood from there to the ground in order to get an angle that the chair would climb. By the time I got home I was so stressed from trying to load (even with help) that chair I didn't even want to talk about it.

9) We called the folks who had put the ramp on the house when I broke my leg and were told that for safely reasons, they didn't do ramps on anything mobile. So we called Love, Inc. They were going to give us the number for the folks who had just said no. On finding they wouldn't do it, the woman on the phone said she would ask her husband if he would give it a go. He would, and he did. He went way out of his way to do it (2nd week in Nov). It works great. This same guy is working on getting a trailer winch to help raise and lower the expanded steel ramp that he gathered materials for from as far away as Salem and fabricated in his shop, then attached to the steel frame of the trailer. So far, parts and supplies for this ramp have come to only $58.00. Two problems, the trailer is now so heavy and off balance that I can neither lift the end of it to attach it to the car, nor move it to the driveway without someone else's assistance.

10) Will the additional weight from the winch help with the balance or will it just make things worse? So many people have tried to help with this. So many "things" have happened to complicate the issue. I need to be able to manipulate this trailer, load and unload the chair. I need to be able to move the trailer from the street, up a short incline to store it in the driveway, all of these by myself.

Please pray for me. My nerves are absolutely shot. I am scheduled for surgery in December and all this needs to be done beforehand so I can recover without being stressed. Yes, I need to leave it in the Lord's hands.

So many changes

2011-11-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

Life brings many changes. As you get older, those changes become more pronounced. It takes more time to accomplish anything. You are forced to lower your standards because not everything can be accomplished. You don't fully recover from what you do do and some things just plain don't happen at all.

It has been quite apparent for anyone paying any attention at all, that as I need to take over more and more of the routine chores at home, I am less and less capable of doing so. Richard is now using a power wheelchair because he has very poor balance and his left arm no longer functions well (deteriorating bone, nerves and connective tissue). This makes it hard for him to manipulate a manual wheelchair. At the same time, my arthritis makes it difficult, if not impossible to do such simple chores as opening a jar, and I have trouble holding onto small items like a needle and even mildly heavy objects. The condition of my left foot makes walking painful. The longest bone in the inside of my left foot (between my big toe and ankle) is sitting cockeyed. Only a small portion of the bone is actually articulating with the bones on either end. In addition, the 2nd toe is what is called a "hammer toe". One of the joints in the toe is rigid and locked at an angle. The 2nd toe on my right foot is this way too.

My podiatrist has scheduled me for surgery on December 19 to correct at least part of the situation on the left foot. So I will be laid up for several weeks of recovery. They will cut out the joint at the base of the left big toe, insert a pin to hold the long foot bone closer to a normal position and pin the 2nd left toe at the same time. The hope is that this will prevent additional tork to the foot bone and reduce the pain of walking. Oh, I should be better able to wear something other than Berk's again. Of course my feet will still need heavy duty arch supports because I have developed flat feet.

Our grandson Chris has agreed to stay with us and perform vital chores such as laundry and fetching the mail during my recovery. I will be in a wheelchair and/or on crutches again. But I learned how to manage a surprising number tasks when I broke my leg and later had a total knee replacement. So we will manage.

Richard and I have decided to spend the holidays at home this year. Just too many crowds, too much activity, and too many barriers to our abilities. Not a problem. We can still have a nice dinner, watch the TV specials and will still expect friends and family to drop by.

Changes in ability, activity, and in all other aspects of living. We are really feeling our age this year. I've heard that getting old is not for sissies. I can now vouch for that statement from personal experience. The alternative is not acceptable. So I will get up every day, do what I can, and the rest will just have to go wanting. No sense worrying about those thing you have no control over anyway.

Starting Over

2011-10-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

This has been a rewarding and a frustrating week:
I got the new trailer painted, but even though I sanded the metal, the "Rustoleum" paint I picked up is not sticking well to the old fenders. It said it would on the label, but so much for labels. I will need to try again with something else.

I bought a brown tarp and a grommet set and Chris installed three PVC pipe as ribs over the trailer. It will look like an old Conestoga wagon. He also attached hardware to the outside to attach the cover (tie it down) and rings to the inside to attach bungee cords that will secure the wheel chair on the inside. We will eventually get the cover on there. The ramp takes priority.

Chris worked hard to finish the ramp for the trailer. This was a challenge both in engineering and in physics. We worked out the engineering part, but the physics part needs to be re-thought. Basically, the ramp needs to be longer in order for the length to height ratio to be decreased. That will allow the chair to climb the ramp with less effort (i.e. we need to extend it).

We made the ramp the way we did (extended it, but not enough) in order to use the original tail gate. The gate needs to be lifted up from the "tabs" at the base and hooks that secure it to the sides. Since we need even more length, that system won't work. It will be too heavy and awkward for me to lift up. So we will need to cut off the bottom tabs and fasten the ramp to the trailer bed with heavy duty hinges. That way it can be raised and lowered without my needing to physically lift the whole thing up above the trailer bed. We may even rig a pulley system to help with the raising and lowering part. That would sure help my back.

The hitch and electrical harness was installed on Thursday. They did a good job, even though it was expensive. But the trailer is so old that the electrical attachment would not marry to the new harness. So I called a friend who is a retired electrician. He came over and took a look. Then he purchased (reimbursed of course) what he needed to fix it. But when checking the lights, not only were the bulbs burned out, the sockets were very rusty. So next day, he cleaned out the sockets and replaced the bulbs. He has also offered to install a power pulley system for the ramp.

So after Chris re-makes the ramp, (he's going to get so tired of this) I will park the trailer at my friend's house for a few days. He suggested that the motor from our old lift chair that is broken
would work for this project. Lord does provide. The chair was donated a few years ago and really came in handy during my recovery from a crushed leg and later knee surgery. But the chair it's elf no longer works. Recycling is really great, but I just hate starting over.

Out and About

2011-10-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

We are Out & About, or at least somewhat, these days. First, Richard couldn't go walking with me because he just plain couldn't walk and I had trouble pushing his wheelchair on anything but level streets. Then he got a power wheel chair and we walked more. Now my foot is giving me trouble. So here is a temperary solution. I really don't like it because I have to constantly hold or turn the wheel of my chair to keep from running into the curb. But it did work.

There is a pond (Christal Lake) about 2 blocks from the house. More often than not, we make this pond our destimation. We throw dry bread to the ducks and nutria that make the pond their home.

With mild fall weather and leaves turning color, this wooded area is beautiful. Before long though, we won't be able to get out. So we will take advantage before the heavy rains and cold set in for the winter.

This guy doesn't see very well, but he makes up for it in hearing and smell. Nutria live here all year long.

Unlike the nutria, these ducks will soon be on their way south for the winter. We will see them again in the spring.

Lots of "Small Stuff"

2011-10-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

The world is made up of every day things, spiced with small stuff. We go about our routines not even actually taking note until something catches our eye, ear, or feelings. That is how life is.

This week Richard and I went for a run. Not your normal run, but a run none the less. I had been in the habit of walking with him as he scooted around the neighborhood in his new power chair. But one day last week my foot cramped so bad it took half an hour to get back home. I iced and elevated it, didn't walk any more than absolutely necessary for a couple days afterward. But this day, it was so nice out that Richard was chomping at the bit to go. So we tied my wheel chair (from when I broke my leg) to the back of his power chair and down the street we went. No, I don't have a picture.

Speaking of my foot, I saw the Dr. on Tuesday. He ordered x-rays and will study them to determine a course of action. If my joints are OK, they may go in and do some complicated procedures which will lay me low for about 5 months of recovery. However, this procedure would just make my foot more painful if those joints are eroded with arthritis. In that case the procedure of choice will be to shave a section of bone (the bunion) to relieve pressure on the nerve. Not as long a recovery (5-8 weeks). Neither procedure would correct my flat feet. Orthotics or a good arch support insert should help. By the way, I was told that bunions are hereditary, sorry kids. They develop over time and can be exasperated by wearing tight shoes. Wearing good shoes can slow the process (all my girls wear good shoes) but not entirely prevent it.

Back to Richard's power chair. We got a call yesterday afternoon telling us that someone will be by this morning to pick up the chair. They will replace the seat and return the chair tomorrow. He almost cried when he realized his only means of independent travel was disappearing. So he will take a run before the guy gets here and I will take him shopping for a new mattress this afternoon. This should take his mind off of his loss.

We have been looking forward to getting a new mattress for about 4 years, but just couldn't afford it. Well I got my annual annuity payment in the mail yesterday. Part of it has been dedicated to that mattress. Our old one (about 20 years old) gives me a back ache and Richard has actually slid off the side of it on more than one occasion. A new one is past due.

Amy, here is the recipe for beef stew that I promised:

Put 2 quarts of water in a crock pot set on low. Add 2 cups each of large chunked potatoes and carrots -1 cup each onions and peas. I just use frozen. It makes it real easy. Cut a really cheap cut of beef (about 1 lb) into 1/2 inch cubes. Add the meat and 8 cubes of boullion (beef or chicken) and let cook over night. If you want the gravy to be a bit thicker, mix 3 tablespoons of corn starch in 1/2 cup cold water and stir into the cooked stew. Allow it to cook for another couple hours. That is all there is to it. No additional salt or spices required. Just enjoy.

Living Today-Looking Ahead

2011-09-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

This past week saw painting completed in the bathroom and touch up in the bedroom. Chris is doing a bit of touch up on the bathroom ceiling and is starting to paint the small closet in the office this morning. I have decided to paint a small cabinet white before I put it back in the bathroom. So I'll tackle that task this morning when he finishes in that room.

Next, I'll finish up the work in the office, either this afternoon or tomorrow. When I get off here, I need to move some stuff for better access. Only one more area to work on in my current radar.

Change of subject - For quite awhile, my left big toe has been quite painful. I started noticing a deformity (bunion) forming even before I retired 5 years ago, But lately it has become painful, making walking hard and wearing anything but Burks, impossible. I asked my podiatrist about options a couple years ago, and was told that surgery to correct it is effective. The problem is that I would need to be non-weight bearing (again) for 6 weeks. Up-side to this is that winter is on the horizon, so would need to be inside anyway. Doing it now (probably late January or early February) would mean I would be in better shape for our trip next spring. I will have time now to prep (put my house in order, fix meals and freeze them, take care of other DR appointments, etc) beforehand. Chris comes every Friday and can do minor housework and laundry. I have my wheelchair so I can get around and do some things. Of course we will be stuck at home for the duration. But I can make arrangements for Gleaners to deliver once a week and I'm sure others will be willing to "shop" occasionally for perishable items that aren't available through Gleaners.

I do not look forward to being down for the third time in almost as many years, but sometimes ya gotta do, what ya gotta do. The option of not taking care of this problem would eventually mean neither Richard or I would be mobile. That is not acceptable.

Progress

2011-09-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

Monday was Richard's 72nd birthday. Our son Rick and his family came down from Washington over the weekend to help celebrate the occasion. While here, Rick and his crew surprised us by painting our bedroom a soft, warm brown. That color draws from the curtains, the oak furniture, and the throw rugs and pops against the white trim.

They moved all the heavy furniture away from the walls, dismantled a shelving unit, painted, and then moved the furniture back into place. What a blessing. That furniture has not been moved in about 5 years ( I just can't do it any more). The cobwebs and accumulation of debris that had fallen behind it was impressive. But now it is clean. This week I am going through cloths, nick knacks, medications, etc. and discarding a lot of "stuff" before putting what I will keep back in place. I also need to have my grandson Chris help me reassemble the shelving for my antique toy collection. The toys will be cleaned and placed back on the shelf only after the shelves are painted.

I will also have Chis paint the upper 2 feet of the bathroom. It will be the same shade of brown.
Earlier this month, Chris and I painted the living room. It hadn't been painted in about 16 years, when we moved back from Washington. That room is a soft, almost apple green that brings out the green in the carpet and contrasts well with the dark blue furniture.

My job next week will be to complete the work in the bathroom and do some repairs in the entry way in preparation for painting in there. I haven't quite decided what color this area will be. There is also a small area in my office that has never been painted. It consists of two short walls that make up a closet. I may use a shade of lighter green on it to highlight the green in the wall paper elsewhere in the room. Well before Halloween, our house, at least the part we actually live in, should be looking good. The rest of it will take a bit more time.

grrr

2011-09-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow has arrived and it's the 13th, not Friday, but the 13th none the less. Oh why did I get out of bed this morning? OK, it isn't really that bad. Most everything is working out in the end. But the process is leaving me with indigestion.

The day started out with both Richard and I full of anticipation for his motorized wheel chair being delivered. Then the enemy jumped in and started stirring everything up. He just loves doing that.

The husband of the lady I had arranged to stay with an older lady called to say she was ill. This was the 3rd one to cancel and today is when she was needed. No one else I called before I left for bible study was available and no one at bible study could fill in. When I got home I made a couple more calls and finally found someone willing and able to stay with our elderly lady so her daughter could attend a care givers support group meeting.

The man with Richard's chair was already here when I got home. But the chair is not as anticipated. It is wider and does not recline at all. I called the VA to complain. They grudgingly said they would check into it. In the mean time the guy here tried to adjust the seat without any success. He also had problems adjusting nearly everything else. He even had to borrow some of our tools, because what he needed was not in his case. Just before he left, he got a call back from the VA, saying he should leave the chair and the VA will discuss how they can "fix"the reclining problem.

I have asked several times via e-mail if I can deliver some meals to a family in our church who recently lost a family member in another town. I have not gotten an OK and I am not the kind of person who is presumptuous. I understand that the same request has been made by another church member. Neither of us has received an answer. I have provided information and assurance at the request of this same grieving family. But since the death was somewhere else, I don't even know when this family is going to be at home. Maybe I am being too sensitive, but it just didn't set right when that other church member said I should just take food and not ask first. I didn't need that sort of remark, especially not today. I will re-think my attitude. This person is probably frustrated too.

I still haven't heard anything from the guy who is supposed to take the lead for the Crisis Support class I am co-teaching starting tomorrow night. He is out of town. Oh well, if I have to step in tomorrow I will. I don't have the study disc, but I do have notes, a teacher's guide, and books. Meanwhile I invited several ladies at the bible study who are in crisis to join the class.

I'd say today is a prime example of how we humans deal or don't deal with crisis and that if we will allow him, God will take control and work things out.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow

2011-09-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

First thing this morning, we got a call from the equipment company who will be delivering Richard's power wheel chair - Tomorrow afternoon. Yeah! It is finally happening. None too soon either. Richard's legs are fast losing all feeling (except pain) due to progressive neuropathy, as part of the process of diabetes. He also has chronic gout in his feet and difficulty with balance due to abdominal surgery that destroyed his core muscles. 1, 2, 3 strikes and he's out. He really needs that chair. The VA wouldn't give him one 5 years ago, but they did come through this time. PTL for this provision.

Today I move furniture back in place after having painted the living room last week, eliminating one small piece, to better accommodate the movement of Richard's new vehicle. This is exciting. Hopefully no more falls that are such a struggle to get up from. PTL and hallelujah.

This & That

2011-09-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

Boy is it hot. Not as hot nor as humid as it has been for so long in most of the country, but hot for here, at least. I don't do well in the heat. How on earth did I survive 19 years in Phoenix? When it is hot I lose all my energy, not that there is much of that commodity anymore. The heat quite literally gives me a headache. It must be the barometric pressure. I just can't seem to function. Where is our Oregon rain?

We called the VA on Tuesday, only to be told that Richard's power wheelchair order had been canceled on August 25. Long story short, because our vehicle will not accommodate a lift, the VA canceled the order for it. But the tech misunderstood and canceled both the lift and the chair. OOPS! We protested, the tech said she would check with her supervisor and call us back. She did, and actually praising God when the call came. Seems the chair manufacturer had not received the cancellation order and the chair had been delivered to the VA in Roseburg that same afternoon. Richard will get it some time next week. At least that is the plan. PTL. Now we need to figure out a way of hauling the chair around. I'm thinking a very small trailer, but we need dimensions before we can even start looking.

Chris and I have been painting in the living room for a couple weeks now. He painted the 2 feet of wall and trim around the ceiling and I painted the walls up as far as I could reach. I'm not supposed to climb on ladders any more. We both worked on the lower woodwork. Next week we will start working on the entryway. Then there is the bathroom and the master bedroom to do. It has been about 10 years since most of the inside of the house was painted. Much over due. I will post some photos when we get done (probably a month or six weeks from now).

On Thursday afternoon, when I went out to the car, I noticed cracked glass - the windshield was broken. It must have happened Wednesday night, because it was OK the afternoon prior. So the car has an appointment on Richard's birthday for a lot of cosmetic work where adjacent paint was deeply scratched as well as a new windshield. PTL for good insurance. Please pray this claim doesn't raise our premium.

I have been tracking my ancestors for several months. This process has been both frustrating and rewarding. Frustrating because some key people seem to appear out of nowhere and clue after clue have fallen short as to when and where they arrived on America's shores and who their parents were has petered out before those questions could be answered. Rewarding, because I have discovered so many awesome connections and incredible stories that accompany them.

The most frustrating of all, is the fact that I have not been able to find information on Richard's family beyond what I already had from his mom. BUT TODAY, I stumbled on a possible lead. Seems in order to file for social security you have to fill out a form that includes parental names, and to submit proof of age in the form of records (birth certificate, church records, etc). Under the Freedom of Information Act, the government is required to disclose this info. I need to submit a written request, enclose a check for $27.00, and wait several weeks/months, but "Papa, I may ID your mom & dad after all". Also, a couple weeks ago, I went on line and located an anthropological Spanish professor at the University of Arizona who was willing to translate my mother-in-law's grandmother's hand written journal (it is written in an obsolete Spanish dialect). We may get somewhere with that side of the family after all.

Enough "This & That" for now. Have a good week.

2011-08-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

OK, my 6 month subscription (plus a 30 day free trial) to Ancestry.com has ended. For many, this would have been more than enough time to find, enter, catalogue and do anything else you wanted with all the names of your reletives from the past. Richard has less than 30 family names available using both this program and information we already had from his mom. But when I got into the search engine for my family, it just went on, and on, and on. I have accumulated over 15,000 names to date. Most from the first 16 generations. But I did vear off a few times, actually following a couple family lines as far back as BC. How can that be? Well, contrary to general thought, there are records out there. They consist of land transfers, wills, church records (births, christenings, marrages, deaths), etc., as well as historical records. This geneology program brings them all together in a powerful search engine.

It was fun to play around with this program. For the free trial period, I plugged in what I already knew and was able to sort of fill in some blanks. Then I started to do some real research, pulling up political, religious, and geographical info surrounding some of the periods of history and circumstances of these folks. There are some amazing personal stories available too. What's more, I discovered that my family, both sides of my family, were directly connected to an incredible number of historical events. For instance, between my mom and dad, there were passengers on the Mayflower numbering in the teens. Richard teases me about this and several other findings.

The past few weeks I have been systematically trying to complete the work on those first 16 generations. Of course not every line goes out that far, but certainly many do. When you consider that each tree has the potential for 30 new names (4 generations per tree) and that each of the 16 names in that 4th generation then has the potention for a whole new tree, well you get the picture. Bottom line is that I completed all 16 generations for my moms family and about half for my dad's. They are all catalogued by family (mom or dad), generation, branch, and number. Now to file them in order, ID info that ties to them, etc. By the way, I have run into many duplications, where more than one branch follows the same line. If I pick up on this, I generally make note of the fact and follow it from that point only once. This saves a whole lot of duplicity. An example of this is that several lines run through Charlemagne. So if I get to him (again), I just add *THIS LINE NOTED ELSEWEHRE and stop. I will fill in info later as to just where to look for continuation of that particular line.

There is enough family info here already to fill a library. But in a few months I will go at it again. I still have a lot of family to pull up and plug into their rightful slot. But for now I need a break. Next project, paint the living room.

overdue visit

2011-07-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

It has been 22 years since Yau Tang and Judy Tsai have been in Corvallis. Can you believe it? It has been 9 years since we last saw them at their son's wedding in California. Time passes so quickly. Our visit was sweet, but oh too short. They arrived around noon on Monday and left just after lunch on Wednesday. We just did not have enough time together, but they promised to come back soon.

Judy really loved all the green around the house, took tons of pictures of our flowers, and spent time sitting on the deck looking at photos of our trips to Europe. She would like to float the Rhine and see all the castles on the hills, now that they are finally retired.

Even though Yau Tang and Judy had lived in Corvallis for many years, they had never visited the municipal rose garden in Avery Park. I took them there after dinner on Tuesday.

Judy loved our quiet hideaway, the deck on the northeast corner of the house. It is bathed in morning sun and is shady in the heat of the afternoon. Very nice for sipping morning coffee and for reading later in the day.

random thoughts

2011-06-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my sister the other day. She is moving to Arizona because, among other things, she really needs to see blue sky. Many people have a problem with the cloud cover in the northwest. Fortunately, I am not one of them. To me it is like a warm comforter, cozy. Yesterday the sun was out all day. Yes, it was beautiful. But the air pressure changes when it is warm, really warm. I had problems with my sinus and just didn't feel well at all. Of course the pollen count was up too. But these two things often go together. Today I feel better because the sky is overcast. The pollen count and air pressure are down. I won't be moving any time soon.

We are getting ready for company. Some dear friends who live in Taiwan will be coming to visit next week. It will be so good to see them after many years. He just retired and is finally able to travel. Hopefully there will be many more visits in years to come. I have already done some deep cleaning and will give the floors a good polish just before they arrive. But these friends are not picky. They are coming to see us, not our home. I just hope I can get the weed eater going next week end to spruce up the lawn a little. Our mower is in the shop and won't be ready for about 2 weeks. These friends have always enjoyed our garden and it is extra incentive to work outside.

The squirrels have been driving me wild again. Last year they repeatedly knocked the glass top off an old crock I use as a table on the deck. I ended up putting a heavy pot on it, seemed to solve the problem. Turns out they are after the salt/brine that has seeped into the crock from when I used to make pickles in it. They still lick the sides of the crock. This year they have been digging in my potted plants. I have gone out several times to find plants nearly uprooted. I guess the soil is soft and easy to dig in. Anyway, I ended up placing shells and/or stones around the top of the bare soil. I don't think they will be digging in that, but we will see. These critters are amusing to watch, but they are a real pain as well.

My research into our family genealogy has been going on since the first of the year. To give credit where due, my cousin Mike has been doing research on my dad's side of the family for some 20 years now. He was gracious enough to share those results. I have spent way too much time in adding to his findings and delving into mom's line, first using only the Internet, then Ancestry.com. Amy purchased 6 months worth for me. Boy do we have a lot of identifiable ancestors. So far, I have identified no less that 12 individuals on the passenger list for the 1620 Mayflower, tied into the European nobility on both sides of the family, and pin pointed the dates and state of immigration for most of those who came over from the British Isles and Europe, some 19 pages of them, all but two prior to 1750. It is a mixed bag of folks. Some escaping political or religious persecution, some looking for land, still others just needing a way to make a living. These people all brought with them stories that could fill volumes, as attested by the printer ink I have gone through (I don't have that much space on my hard drive).

My intent is to use this vast amount of information as the basis for gifts. There is enough there to last for many years. In fact I have already given a small gift of the direct paternal family line as a graduation present to one family member. So if you are related to me, you can count on receiving at least a branch or two off this forest of a family tree. We are related to Lady Godiva, King Henry I, William the Conqueror, Charlemagne, Antony (as in Antony & Cleopatra), and so many, many more notables. But it is the stories of those who laid it all on the line to settle this country that intrigue me most. It reads something like our own family version of "How the West Was Won", a real study in American history. I will spend time this fall, after the 6 month subscription is over, putting material together for Christmas gifts. It should be fun.

53 years and counting

2011-06-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

Time flies in more than one way. Not only has it been more than 2 months since my last post, but today marks 53 years since Richard and I vowed to love, honor, and cherish one another till the Lord took us home. Some of those years were pretty rocky. Some were exhausting. Yet it was those same hard times that have mellowed us like a fine wine. We are closer now than ever before. We depend on one another. We are each other's best friend.

Richard can no longer get out to shop. We don't have disposable cash anyway. So he drew a couple pictures of me as a gift. I like the less colored one best. Which one do you like?

I am fixing a steak dinner with all the trimmings as my gift to Richard. This is something he loves and doesn't often get. We will eat on the deck surrounded by roses. I will put on some quiet music. It will be secluded and intimate. What more could you ask for than to share a good meal in a lovely setting, with the one you love?

2011-04-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

Ouch, it's been over 2 months since I last posted anything. Yes, I have been here, but pre-occupied with research and the chore of day to day life. But yesterday Shelley gave a tea for my birthay and I just want to recognize her for the effort. It was not something expected, but much appeciated. This was sort of an odd year. I turned 71. Just a year ago I had a total knee replacement. All is healing beautifully, but I don't get around as easily as I used to. My energy level is fading as well. Things I was compelled to do (gardening, shopping, etc) take a lot out of and so they don't happen as frequently. But yesterday was nice. I slept in, had a simple breakfast, took a long hot bath, got dressed, fixed a bite for Richard's lunch, and spent the afternoon being pampered. Shelley spent a lot of time and effort preparing high tea. We had small delecacies inthe form of cucumbr and chichen sandwiches, mini scones and chocolate cupcakes, fruit, and of course tea. It was very laid back, but famcy at the same time. Dianna, Lissa and Charlotte, Gladys, two of Eric's sisters and one of his nieces were guests. The presented both Shelley (her birthday is in a couple weeks) and I with a variety of gifts, too. I recieved a beautiful scarf, hand cream, an assortment of garden supplies, jams and jellies, and a cute Oregon tea towel and placemats for the deck. Shelley even sent home some gluten free mixes for her dad. Thank you everyone. It was nice to visit with you and catch up. Thank you also for the thoughtful gifts. I know I will use and enjoy them all.

Slowly making progress

2011-01-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

2011 is getting off to a slow start. I am just plain tired. Why, you ask? There are a number of contributing factors. Some have to do with activity levels that I can control. Some to climate and temperature levels (inside as well as out) that I can't control. Then there are so many interruptions that I can't seem to really concentrate on what I need to accomplish.

Yes, I am being vague. I could blame the fact that I don't sleep well due to being too warm (my husband suffers from poor circulation). To house dust that affects my sinus (totally my fault). to rain and icy conditions that make it unsafe for me to take my "normal" 30 minute walk this time of year. To scheduled medical appointments and other weekly commitments that interrupt my day. But I will be able to move forward soon.

One more week of physical therapy will free up 2 days a week. Holiday stuff is down and most of it put away. I am cleaning a section of the house every day and cooking enough at a time that there is enough prepared to last at least 2 or 3 days. Income tax computations are complete with one small exception that I must wait on. No, I am not just sitting on my rear doing sudoku, even if it might sound appealing. However, I do spend several hours each day in the living room with Richard. This is a priority - spending time together. The work will get done. It just takes forever to do it at my snails pace.

easy to lose time

2011-01-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

It is so easy to get lost in the process of research. One thing leads to another and before you know it, hours have passed. Focus on details makes all else just fade into the background.

Over the past couple weeks I have been following the trail of a couple ancestors. One of my cousins back in Kansas has been sending me copies of his research for several, actually more like 20, years. So after getting set for Christmas, I started looking at his information. Long story short, I found some discrepancies, new information, and some family lines that are off the wall.

One line thought to connect us directly to Presidents John and John Quincy Adams turns out to be false. Oh we share DNA through John Adam's great grandfather, but not through the presidents themselves.

This finding lead me to discover that John Adams great grandfather had married a widow following the death of his first wife. We are directly descended from the second wife who's family line leads directly to John Alden and Priscilla Mullins of "Mayflower" fame.

Still further research found me going into the LDS ancestral files only to trace still other family lines through an illegitimate son to British and European nobility, early (600 AD) Welsh ancestors and still another to ancient nordic kings (200 AD). All this takes a bit to digest.

I plan on taking small segments of "family" history at a time, putting it together with photos and stories, where available, and giving a copy to each of my off spring. It should be good for several years worth of Christmas presents. Some of the grandchildren have asked for information on family history in the past. Now they can get it from their folks and add to it from their own additional branches.

This will be quite the undertaking. Each branch needs to be verified. I don't really need another huge project right now. I am still far from wrapping up all the sorting of boxes in the basement. So I will work on genealogy as a diversion from that priority task only, at least for awhile. Life has challenges. Some are external and some self-imposed. This falls into the latter category, so I can pick it up or put it down as I see fit. It should be fun, not a burden.

Happy New Year everyone.

Family fun

2010-12-27T07:38:00.000-08:00

After a quiet Christmas, after a good night sleep, and after a leisurely morning, we shared a family meal with Rick, Amy and Preston.

Kids will always be kids. Kids will always find a way to express themselves. Kids will be creative. Kids will always play with their food.

No, not 11 year old Preston, but his dad. Before downing a full meal, the artist in Rick just couldn't help itself. It also made for a light hearted meal and set the mood for many laughs.

Richard was blessed this Christmas by all our children. There seemed to be a general theme in the gifts each of them presented. He received colored pens, sketch and drawing paper, cartoon books of several kinds and even a collection of cartoon pages from the Sunday papers. All most welcome and appreciated. Supplies that will stimulate his imagination and allow him to create his own cartoons for many months to come.

We also received many intimate gifts related to family, beauty and comfort. Thank you Lord for all the love and caring that fills our hearts with joy and warms the soul. Thank you for family.

Fun with Family

2010-12-17T10:58:00.001-08:00

Amy M with their two babies.

Grandpa is getting tired. Bridget's three young ones are good kids, but very active.

Brigdet loves dogs and they love her too.

Rick and Juergen are looking at something.

Hanna bought a new hat with part of her prize money. She took 1st place in an essay contest. It was a good essay and well presented too. Congratulations Hannah.

Alki Beach in West Seattle

2010-12-17T10:51:00.001-08:00

Juergen with space needle in background.

Alki Beach looking across Eliot Bay toward Seattle.

Seattle ferry as seen from Alki Beach.

Downtown Seattle across bay.

Sako Field from across Eliot Bay.

On the ferry

2010-12-17T10:44:00.001-08:00

View from the Fontlaroy shore south of the vacation house.

Area of the vacation house as viewed from the water.

Juergen on deck of ferry headed to Vashon Island.

Wheel house of ferry.

Boarding the ferry.

Seattle retreat

2010-12-17T10:34:00.000-08:00

Logs for the fire. A cozy wooded setting overlooking Puget Sound.

The landlord lives on the upper story.

The view from the bank of windows in the living room.

We spent time with family in the spacious dining area. We indulged on steak, baked potato, green salad, and apple pie.

The cabin-like setting was very relaxing. Next post, on the ferry.

Home again, home again ---

2010-12-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

Home again, home again, jiggity jog. What an intense 3 days we had. It was so nice to spend time with family in Seattle, especially Juergen, We had not seen him in almost 2 years.

Juergen was teaching all week at a conference in Vancouver BC. He slipped down to Seattle on his way home to Germany. Richard and I drove up to see him and to touch base with Rick, his family and with our grandchildren and great great grandchildren in the area. The time was short and visiting all too brief. But we made the best of what we had.

Amy rented a vacation house overlooking Puget Sound for Richard, Juergen and I. It was a great location, quiet and secluded. It had a modern cabin feel to it. All the amenities but also a wood burning fireplace and wide windows with a view. Rick, his Amy and Preston came for dinner. On Friday Juergen, Richard and I rode the ferry to Vashon Island before we went to Rick's house in Renton for a late lunch on Saturday. Our grandson Chis, our granddaughter Bridget and her 3 kids were also there. Chris and Bridget had not seen their uncle Juergen in many years. We all had a nice visit and a wonderful Mexican lunch together. Back at the rental, we had dinner utilizing leftovers from Friday. We watched a movie before going to bed. I have pictures, but it will take a few days to post them.

On Sunday we had a BIG American breakfast at Denny's before dropping Juergen at the airport. It was hard to say good by, but then it always is. It took about 6 hours to drive home. The rain was torrential nearly all the way. But PTL we made it without any problems.

Richard has a week of medical appointments starting this morning. He sees his primary physician and his nutritionist today, has physical therapy on Tues. and Thurs., and sees his hematologist on Wednesday. He had lab work on Thursday last week in prep for these appointments. His hematologist mailed some results that were waiting when we got home. His while count and a couple other areas of concern are normal. But his red count, hematacrits, and platelets are low. They are not low enough to get another infusion though. I'm not sure where the iron count is at this point. But I do know he has been very tired. I will ask his doctor today.

It will come together

2010-12-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

Richard and I talked to our son-in-law very briefly this morning. He is due to fly out to Canada tonight. We are supposed to meet him in Seattle on Friday and spend the weekend together. That's the plan. We did manage to get his flight number and arrival time. Now if any of us knew exactly where we are to go after that, it would sure be nice.

Yes, I really do understand and empathise with our over whelmed daughter. There are a bunch of kids to look after and not all of them are well. She is stressed out with harsh reality. A daughter that can't sleep. Two pre-teen boys that are climbing the walls. A second daughter trying to study for her comprehensive exams and a young daughter having difficulties with her social life. Life is REALLY hard right now and she is facing 10 days without a shoulder to lean on or to spell her for a 5 minutes break. These next 10 days will leave her needing a vacation. One where she has no defined responsibilities. One where she can actually sleep in. She has asked for grace. I am also praying for patience, courage, and an inner peace. She will need all these while her help mate is away.

But I need a physical address so that I can plot directions to wherever it is we are going. No, I don't actually need it today. I will however need it no later than Thursday. We have to pack the car Thursday evening so we can be on the road by 7:30 am on Friday. Why so early? We have to pick our son-in-law up at SEATAC at around 1:00. It is a 4 hour non-stop drive in good weather. But there is no good weather in the NW right now and there is no telling what the traffic will be like. We will be going through Portland during morning rush hour on a Friday, just 2 weeks before Christmas.

We may not know how, why, when, or where things will come together. But I know from experience that "IT" will all come together on both sides of the pond. Amy and the kids will live through their ordeal and we will have a great time. The tables have been reversed more times that I can count. It always comes together. We can all take comfort in knowing who has it all in His hands.

Blessings Great and Small

2010-12-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

Each day my husband and I begin our day with bible study and devotions. This has not always been so. In years gone by we usually prayed individually and I would red the word to him only on rare occasions. Richard is not a reader. He does better with audio. But we started our current routine a few years back, after I retired and it is a good one. It begins our day on the same page. Oh God has always been with each of us, being with Him together is more productive though. I have certainly noticed less tension between us. Blessing #1.

We are blessed. I ran into someone at the Grocery Outlet yesterday who looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place. She evidently had the same impression, but found me again in another section of the store to ask if I was who she thought, I am. We had a wonderful chat about were we had worked together some 30 years earlier and about many other topics. Blessing #2.

Around 4:30 last evening our son called from Washington. You could hear in his voice that something was terribly wrong. He haltingly told us that his 11 year old son had been missing since right after school. Many people were already involved in the search and the police had been called. Our grandson was dressed lightly and it was now getting dark. The temperature was dropping and it was pouring down rain. He had been despondent for several days and had received some poor grades at school. Our son was desperate. We prayed. When he got off the phone, I called and e-mailed asking others to pray, as well. A couple hours later Preston was found. Praise God he is OK. Blessing #3.

These are but a sampling of God's presence in our lives. There would be no time for anything else, should I attempt to write all His blessings down, even those for a single day. I praise Him for His love, His guidance, and His hand upon all aspects of my life. Another day begins. Make God a part of your day today.

Anticipation and dread

2010-11-29T08:51:00.001-08:00

The difference between anticipation and dread is quite simple. Anticipation is full of known variables leading to a probable positive outcome. Dread is the anticipation of undesirable factors leading to either an uncontrolled negative conclusion or a known negative process necessary to arrive at a positive conclusion. OK, so where am I going with this?

Richard and I anticipate a wonderful short visit with our German son-in-law in less than two weeks. However, we dread the trip to Seattle. The roads are icy and long, making this trip stressful. I have a very short list of items requested by Amy that Juergen will either take home with him or enjoy while in Seattle. So today while I have nothing else on my schedule, I will try to find used Dr. Suese books from the Goodwill and masa harina from Winco. I also am taking some hand-carved camels made of olive wood in Jordan (found among Christmas decorations I am sorting) and an American apple pie to Seattle. Juergen loves apple pie and though Germany has wonderful pastries, you can't get apple pie there.

Since we will be going very close to Bridget's, we will try to see her family too. I have some things for her and her kids, as well. We anticipate that Rick and his family will be in Oregon at Christmas time. Not sure if they will be here on Christmas day, but certainly sometime around the holiday. But we will also see them while in Washington.

Looks like a month of travel (dread) and celebration (anticipation) for us. We dread the fast pace but anticipate a wonderful time spent with loved ones. So it all begins.

It was nice to see Lissa, Nate and Charlie at church yesterday, even though briefly. It was also nice to have friends over for dinner and an afternoon spent just kicking back with folks who share the same values and concerns. What with all the health issues over the past few years, we haven't done this nearly as often as we would like. It was very relaxing, I made sure it would be. I made sure the floors were swept and the bathroom was clean then just put a roast in the oven before church. Aside from that, no stressing out about a cluttered desk or planning special activities. No wondering if we had the right napkins to match the dishes or if the cider was right to go with the meat. I just pulled some things off the shelf and out of the freezer. We enjoyed what the Lord provided. He always privides our needs. It was really a good time had by all. We anticipate doing this sort of entertaining more often in the future. As for our guests, they are about to enter into health related concerns of their own. He is scheduled for knee replacement surgery on December 6, so will be spending most of this Christmas season stuck at home. While they dread the process, they anticipate a good result. We anticipate visiting them there during his long recovery. Maybe we can take with us a little Christmas cheer to brighten their imposed isolation.

We also received a call from our oldest granddaughter yesterday. She wanted to let us know that she had received the package I had sent last week. She was thrilled to have the afghan she used as a baby, some family artifacts and items for her upcoming wedding. She had questions about the family tree and about some of the artifacts. She expressed an interest in knowing more about individuals and the family in general. Since other grandchildren have also expressed a similar interest, I anticipate putting together a book of sorts for all my grandchildren with this information. But not until I finish going through all those boxes in the basement. I could get very distracted without even trying.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T15:42:00.001-08:00

There was more than frost on these pumpkins. We got about an inch of snow on Monday night. The temperature was in the 20s.

With it came the need to scrape windows and de-ice the steps and ramp. But only a little snow stayed around for Thanksgiving. It is warmer too, in the 30s.

Thanksgiving came with all it's color, enticing smells, and flavors. Just not all the quantity of years gone by (No bread or pie). Both good and good for us.

Turkey (no dressing)
Mashed potatoes and gravy (made with corn starch)
Baked winter squash
Fresh broccoli
Cranberry sauce
Black olives
Sparkling cider

No gluten and we really didn't miss it. We will have pumpkin soup for dinner and some pineapple sherbet for desert. All very satisfying. A meal for two, with leftovers for a couple more meals. The Lord has truly blessed us this year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

White Christmas?

2010-11-24T10:59:00.000-08:00

It snowed about an inch night before last. A blast of arctic cold has kept the snow from melting. But it is Thanksgiving tom arrow, not Christmas. Richard and I need to go out this afternoon for a physical therapy appointment up on the "hill". I have no doubt the roads, especially those to the hospital, have been well sanded. But just getting down the ramp to the car will be the biggest challenge. I went out and sprinkled rock salt on the ramp, the front steps (for the mail carrier), and on the front walk way. We will see. I really don't want to cancel. Richard doesn't have another session scheduled until a week from now and it really does help with flexibility. This is true especially when the cold affects his arthritic joints so badly.

The temperature is supposed to modify by tom arrow. We may even get a little rain. That will take care of any remaining ice and snow. It will also make the roads safer for all those folks going to grandma's house for Thanksgiving. Dianna called. Paul is on his way north from California and is expected to join her for the meal. They will meet at Paul's brother's home in Eugene. I am so very glad for this gathering. Paul's family has been through a lot of difficulties in the last few years. They need each other's support.

Richard and I will be spending the day alone, unless someone wants to join us. We can always make room at our table for a few more. We have much to be thankful for:

A loving family
Improving health
A warm home with no mortgage
Plenty to eat
No indebtedness
Good insurance and
A car in good running order

Our Lord Jesus is faithful to provide all our needs. We are truly blessed. So as we celebrate Thanksgiving and enter into the Christmas season, we look at the snow as a symbol of life. It is white and gentle as it falls, bringing with it an atmosphere of peace. Snow provides a warm blanket, protecting vegetation from the icy cold. It covers every landscape flaw just as the blood of Christ covers our sins and washes us clean. Finally, snow provides the life giving water of streams as it melts in high mountains during hot summer days. Snow is the basis of life on earth, just as Christ is our salvation for eternity. So we celebrate Christmas snow and the birth of our blessed savior. Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas everyone. Will we actually have Christmas snow? What a gift that would be.

Up early, yes again

2010-11-23T04:53:00.000-08:00

Seems that when my mind is busy I just can't sleep. So I am once again, up before the crack of dawn. I'm really going to need a nap today. What am I thinking about? Nothing and everything.

I am grateful to God that Yesterday with all the "things" going on was indeed yesterday. Richard had an appointment at 9:00 to get his eyes checked. Richards gout is flaring, so we swung by his primary physician's office for prescription. That took about an hour. Snow was forecast and my grandsons had put my studded tires in the car. So I dropped Richard off at the house, then spent some 2 hours at the tire store waiting to have the tires changed out. I got home just in time to throw together something to eat on the way to Richards 1:15 physical therapy appointment. On the way home we stopped to fill his prescription. At home I then made the rounds in anticipation of a cold night, covering outside faucets, making sure no windows were cracked open (we had company over the last few days) and that plumbing was either covered or in a warm area. The last thing we need is frozen pipes. After dinner I had just settled in when it dawned on me that today was trash pick up. So out I went to take the cans to the curb.

There is about an inch of snow on the ground this morning. The temperature was forecast to reach a low of 24 over night. I'm quite sure it came close. The snow is beautiful. No cars have yet marred the road. No pedestrians have left foot prints on the sidewalk. The cars look like mounds of marshmallow in the landscape. All is peaceful and quiet out there. I have an eye appointment today. But is not until 1:00. Richard is sensitive to cold and he does not have to go out again until tom arrow. That is good, because the ramp can get a bit slippery. The fireplace looks warm and cozy. I have home made pumpkin soup and cider. Today will be a good day.

We gather together

2010-11-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

We gathered together yesterday for an early Thanksgiving. We, meaning Shelley and Eric and both extended families. Shelley really out did herself, as usual. The house and offerings were amazing. It was so very Martha, if you know what I mean. So much work. She is going to need to sleep for a week in order to just break even on the stress scale.

Eric's mom and dad and all five siblings, along with three spouses (and one spouses mom) and five nieces (plus one boyfriend) were there. Of course Shelley and Eric's own two daughters, their spouses and a precious grandchild were also there. It was a regular Stuewe family reunion. Let me do the math. That makes 22.

Then there were Richard and I, two more of our children and one of their spouse, and two of our other grandchildren. That makes seven Morenos (besides Shelley and her immediate family), for a total of 31(Shelley and Eric had not yet been counted). That is a lot of people in any house.

Shelley cooked up a storm. Everyone else brought food. We all ate our fill and took home enough for a couple meals besides. Four out of town family members were also staying with us. Occasions like this happen about two or three times a year. They are usually at Shelley's simply because she has the most space. But once in awhile they are here.

It is nice to go out somewhere for festivities. It is also nice to have folks over. I just enjoy getting together one in awhile, certainly not every other week though. It would wear me out and I don't recover that quickly any more. Maybe I am getting old?

I have reason to believe I am getting old. First my body has about given out. Now I wonder about my brain. I asked my sister last week if she could locate and send a digital copy of a certain old photo. In amongst the boxes of stored "stuff" I am going through. I found the photo I wanted a copy of. Sorry sis, I will send you a digital copy. I had all but forgotten that mom had given me several old photos a few years before she died.

Richard was feeling pretty good yesterday, with the exception of a sore foot. It has been bothering him for about a week now, I'm not sure what is wrong, but he can hardly bear weight on it. Guess we are both getting old. Old or not. We will continue to gather together to praise God for each other and for His many blessings as long as we are able. Have a bountiful and blessed Thanksgiving out there.

The comforts of home

2010-11-16T17:00:00.001-08:00

Home, this simple four letter word brings different images to mind for different people. Home can be described as a special place, a town or a single house filled with those things that trigger pleasant memories of the past, or even a group of people who have traditions in common. For me it is all three. Home is Oregon, the house I have called home for nearly 40 years, the family that I love, and too many memories to wrap my mind around.

We are all most comfortable around familiar people, places, and things. The welcoming front door, a crackling fire on the hearth, background chatter of friends and loved ones, a good cup of coffee and a cushy old chair. All these evoke thoughts of what we call home.

The preparation for a big gathering fosters excitement, even when the primary feast is not at your house. It can also be stressful if we forget priorities. Ask yourself, "is the house safe? Will anyone get sick or injured from being here". If you can reasonably answer no, you're half way there. Yes, it is important to have a clean house, well relatively clean. The bathroom needs to be scrubbed. But just as important is that care be taken to make everyone feel at home. It is not really important that everything be perfect. At least I don't think so. After all, if you are too worn out to feel at ease with your guests, they will know it and be uncomfortable. So I am sweeping and mopping floors. I am cleaning bathrooms. I am making sure clean sheets are on the guest beds. I am picking up clutter. Beyond that, I don't think it really matters. Who cares if my desk isn't completely empty or that some of the boxes of stuff I am in the middle of going through are in sight in the rec-room? We will eat till we are full. We will enjoy putting our feet up and reminiscing. We will probably watch a DVD or two. Yes, we will discuss politics and religion and we will be sad when it is time to say good by.

The comforts of home will still be here the next time family or friends come round. The comforts of home are, after all, making everyone who comes through your front door feel welcome and at ease. Most of that feeling is the attitude you display. So take a deep breath. De-stress and prioritize. No one will think less of you should some of the laundry not get folded. This is home, not the Grand Ritz Hotel.

God has blessed me

2010-11-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

For several months now, I have been asking God to keep me from infection. You see, I had what I truly believed to be a crack in one of my brittle teeth. Why hadn't I gone to the dentist immediately? In short, money. Our car needed work. We had a huge medication bill. Money around here is tight.

My first annual annuity payment came in in early October. It covered both of those other needs, but almost nothing was left. Property taxes and 6 month's worth of car insurance were due this month. We have a savings account that annually covers those two items. So when everything else was paid, I called the dentist.

Yesterday I had a day and a half. In the morning my annual physical revealed that I am in very good health. My cholesterol is a little high, but not enough to be concerned about. Because I have reached 70, I no longer require a pap smear. Seems that the risk of cervical cancer actually diminish as you get older. That is a perk. In the afternoon, I saw my dentist. While I had visions of a root canal and cap, he could find absolutely nothing wrong with the tooth in question. Thank you Lord. We can actually pay utilities, fill the car with gas, and cover all those other routine expenses without dipping into what is left of savings. We can also take a short trip in December.

Seems our son-in-law in Germany has a conference in British Columbia the second week of December. He plans on slipping down to Seattle afterward for a couple days. Our daughter Amy went on-line and rented a vacation home for a few days. It was cheaper than a hotel and large enough for us and him. So we will be putting together a Christmas package to send home and delivering it there. Thank you Lord for you love, your provision. We are truly blessed.

God's provision & His timing

2010-10-16T17:06:00.001-07:00

How often I have wondered why, when, how, and if. Why did this or that happen? When is it going to be done? How will I ever pay for it? If it is intended at all.

Several months ago my car started acting up. It made this horrible sound when it first started up. So I took it in to a mechanic. He looked under the hood and listened to it run. Then he said he didn't think it was in the engine, sounded more like the muffler. I could make an appointment to have it looked at more carefully. OK, if it seemed to be the muffler, I would take it to a muffler shop. The guy there also looked and listened, saying it was a faulty baffle in the muffler. It was OK to to drive, provided I didn't take it too far out of town. He gave me an estimate of $265 to fix the problem. Basically a new muffler.

Right about that same time we received a backlog (6 mths worth) of medical bills from the VA. They hadn't billed us earlier because we had over-paid in a previous year and the only way they could bill us was to rectify their books. Basically they needed to cut us a check for about $30 before their computer would generate a bill. So they did, and we have been playing catchup since.

On September 30 I turned 70 1/2. By law, I have now to draw 1/20th of my IRA savings. So last week the first annual payment arrived in the mail. So I paid off the last of the VA bill and took my car into AAMCO (by now the transmission was acting sluggish) to have the transmission fluid checked. I had had the oil changed and the other fluids changed about a month ago, but they didn't check this fluid. AAMCO offered to run a computer diagnostic free of charge, so I took the car in yesterday. The diagnostic indicated that the transmission is fine. The culprit seems to be the catalytic converter. It is partially clogged and putting pressure on those baffles. I will take the car back in on Tuesday afternoon for servicing. They will run another diagnostic before I bring it home.

In the Lord's time, all things work together. Money, diagnosis/service, and medical bills all came together. It has to be His provision, His timing. Thank you Lord.

up & at ehm

2010-10-11T05:57:00.001-07:00

Up again early, 5:00 am. Nice to have a few silent moments to sit in the dark and nurse a cup of hot coffee. Time to reflect on the day's schedule and to talk to the Lord without any distractions.

Today Richard has a 10:00 physical therapy session. It is nice to get this sort of appointment out of the way early. We will stop on the way home to pick up a few items from the grocery store, milk and the like. Then I will pick the remainder of the concord grapes, wash and juice them when we get home. Not having to stop before processing to keep an appointment will make the day flow a little smoother.

I finished all the tomatoes and am working on pears now. Most of the pears will end up in the dehydrator for snack food. I discovered a large number of canned pears last week that had been hiding on a top shelf in my storage area. I think I am going to designate those top shelves for empty jars and other true storage only. They are too tall and deep for me to see what's there without standing on a step stool.

I hear my honey getting up, so need to get off here. We are out of milk so will fix something with eggs for breakfast. Maybe some French toast using gluten free bread and coconut milk? Could be interesting.

Jet lag

2010-10-07T10:13:00.000-07:00

OK, it isn't really jet lag, but it sure feels like it. I have endured that strange phenomenon enough times it know it's symptoms. I can't seem to catch up with sleep, need to nap at all hours of the day, can't really concentrate for any length of time, head ache, etc. I know what the problem(s) is/are. First of all the weather is in transition and the barometric pressure is changing. Along with that it is cooler and days are shorter, resulting in an urge to hibernate. Secondly, I stayed up several hours beyond my normal bedtime the other day in order to finish processing salsa. It really threw my body clock out of whack. Hence, mock jet lag. I have a couple dozen more jars of pears and tomato something to work up before I can put away the canner, but this not too frequent task will soon be complete. Then I can get back to cleaning, sorting, etc.

I have been asked more than once why I can. I have resources for food. But I have canned since I was a child. I remember canning with my mom during WWII. We lived in the NW where food is everywhere then too. We canned everything from fruit to salmon. We raised pigs and had a large vegetable garden. My dad hunted and brought home wild rabbit and deer. Most of the meet was either canned or placed in a smoke house to cure. Preserving God's summer and fall bounty for use during less productive seasons was a way of life.

Richard grew up on a produce farm in Arizona. Fresh fruit and vegetables were available year round. Still I found myself canning. Not so much canning and perhaps not the same things, but still it was something I did. There it was more using extra ripe fruit to make preserves or drying it for portable snacks. When we moved back up to the NW, earlier training picked in again. We were feeding 7 people on money that just did not seem to go around. So I kept 1,000 jars filled each year. Four teenage kids go through a lot of food.

There have been years more recently when my canning has been limited to a few jars of tomatoes and maybe some green beans. Last year, because of my health, I didn't can at all. Well, I did manage to preserve a couple jars of sun dried tomatoes from plants set in the garden before my accident. But this year I found I had absolutely no tomatoes on my storage shelves and most of my jars sat empty. On top of that I had access to so much fresh food through a variety of resources. I just could not stand any of it going to waste.

Why do I can? I can because I can. I can because I can not stand good food going to waste. I can because I am in the habit of canning, it is a family tradition. I can because I enjoy the process of canning. I can because I love seeing all those full jars on the shelf, it is a confirmation of God's blessing on my life and His provision in both times of plenty and times of little.

Uhh

2010-10-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

This fall has been much busier and exhausting than I had planned. I am making progress on the storage areas in the basement. These areas include several very large closeted sheves used to store canned goods, canning equipment, and misc. other items used on an occasional basis. During the years when all the kids were at home those shelves housed over 1,000 jars of produce. These were routinely used during those months when fresh produce was either out of season or too high to purchase. I haven't canned more than a couple dozen jars of produce a year for the past several years. But this year I have both the jars, the time, and the produce. Some produce we have from our garden. Some comes from friends and family, and still more from another resource. So I am canning again. Not a tremendous amount, but enough to wear me out.

The selves are filling up as I clean them. I am making salsa this afternoon (after bible study) from tomatoes gathered at a relative of a relative's garden yesterday morning. I picked pears at friend's home on Friday of last week and will can and dry them as they ripen. I was given coconut milk and re-processed it with the help of my daughter Shelley yesterday afternoon. I have already canned over 50 jars of tomatoes, 20 of green beans, 15 summer squash/tomatoes/onion mix and several other smaller amounts of beets, apple sauce, etc. Is that the end of it? I have no idea. We are happy to have the resources for food that have come our way, especially now that there are high medical and other critical bills. The Lord is good. He always provides.

Another Monday

2010-09-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

It is yet another Monday. After breakfast and after the fog had lifted from the valley, I took my morning walk. Amy was on the phone when I got home. She has been told that the big house she looked at has been sold, but she is still hopefu. It just seems so right for them. Amy went down and got a bunch of boxes to start packing up all those little extras she would need to put away in order to show their current house if they decide to sell. While we were on the phone Shelley called to see if I wanted to go pick some more tomatoes. I would have done so, but she didn't get my message in time. She dropped off some veggies instead. Thanks Shelley.

I spent a hunk of the afternoon canning tomatoes. My allotted jars and the shelf for tomatoes is neerly full. In fact I may need to buy still more jars in order to can the pears I was promised from a friend. Our coffers will be ready for winter for sure.

Where to go from here?

2010-09-20T13:07:00.000-07:00

Richard saw the neurologist this morning in Albany. The results from his EMG indicated that all the nerves are still intact, so they do not recommend surgery. Instead, they are recommending physical theropy again. As I recall, it did help last time, but certainly didn't take away the chronic pain. So looks like Richard will not get an appointment with the surgeon at least until after he finishes physical theropy and the heavy meds will continue for now, very disappointing.

Happy Birthaday

2010-09-19T15:56:00.001-07:00

Today is my beloved's 71st birthday. A day to truly celebrate. It has been many years since Richard has been well. This year he is actually in better condition than in all the previous 10. No longer on oxygen, blood sugar stabilized, iron in good shape after recent infusions. All things to celebrate. So happy birthday honey.

We had a frantic call from Dianna at around 6:30 this morning. The hose on her washer had sprung a leak while she slept and there was water all over the house. Part of the ceiling on the lower floor had fallen in and the upstairs carpet was a lake. She said that her cat had waken her by pawing her face and meowing. I took over (to Albany) our big shop vac to help eliminate the standing water, but there is a whole lot of damage. She will need to take a day off work and do a lot of clean up. Insurance should cover most of the damages and replace anything that may have been ruined. Thank God for insurance both home owners (the house belongs to our daughter-in-law), and renters (Dianna). I will drop off boxes to her place on the way to a Dr. appointment tomarrow morning.

We managed to make it to Sunday school and church, even if we were a little late. I am not doing anything else but keep Richard company today. Everyone is pretty well spent.

Process

2010-09-17T05:27:00.000-07:00

Life in general is a process made up of sub-processes. It is left to each individual and/or group to figure out what that process. It is ever changing and never the same from one to the other. Action upon action, word upon word affects each action or word that follows. Each revelation or bit of new knowledge, the action or word of others also causes an affect. This week has been an extraordinary week. So many things that have or will affect our family and our lives outside the family.

On Monday Shelley called and wanted to know if I would like to join her in a partial harvest of Tina's garden. I had planned on working on the book shelves in the basement, but instead, I have been canning and drying fresh produce all week. I ran out of jars (so did Shelley) and spent time getting more. Shelley had to round up many jars and even Dianna spent time finding used jars both in Corvallis and Albany. My book shelves will hopefully still get done on Saturday - a process.

Tuesday started off with a new bible study. There was a great turn out. I gave a ride home to one of the ladies I hadn't talked to in quite awhile. It was nice. Then in the afternoon I and other C&HH members met with the pastor and the decoration committee about a matter that had been placed on our hearts. It went better than we could have anticipated. But we have also been given a major challenge for which I need to be in prayer - a process.

On Wednesday Richard had a very sophisticated EMG in Springfield. The new hospital complex there is really nice. The view from the neurology center overlooks a pleasant landscape that is very calming. The car was really acting up on the way down there. We actually wondered if we were going to make it. We got behind a piece of farm machinery and our motor cut out three times. But after we finally got around the slow moving vehicle and were able to pick up a little speed, the car did pretty good. Richard thinks we may have gotten some dirty gas in the lines - a process.

We had to wait almost an hour beyond our appointment time to see the Dr. The tests were hard. It is painful to have needles stuck in your muscles and electricity shot through them. But the results were reveling. Richard is getting electrical messages in all his muscles, but some a weak. According to the Dr. there are two ways discs pressing on the spinal chord can effect you. So we have eliminated one of them. The other is loss of balance and numbing in the extremities. We talk to the neurologist for official results on Monday. Only after all the test results are given to the surgeon, will we actually get an appointment with him - a process.

Yesterday, our granddaughter called to let us know that she has been definitely been diagnosed with a digestive problem that will mean she can no longer eat any foods containing gluten. They had strongly suspected this diagnosis, but had to do both blood work and a bowel biopsy to confirm it. Now she knows for sure and will make the dietary changes accordingly - a process.

Rick also reported this week that because his dogs did their thing on Preston's bedroom floor he had to pull the rug up. In doing so he discovered hardwood floors. Rick loves hardwood. It is also going to be a process to refinish them.

Life is itself, a process. We never know when we get up in the morning just what the day will bring. We can anticipate, even plan what we will do on any given day, but we are not always in charge. We must trust God and one another that we will be able to get through it and accomplish something positive in our own lives and the lives of others. Have a nice day out there.

The Lord is Faithful

2010-09-14T19:40:00.000-07:00

For some months I and other members of Caring & Helping Hands (church service group) have been carrying a burden for the HELPS food locker at church. Years ago a collection box was established in the main hallway to hold non-perishable foods to be distributed to those in need. When the church was painted and redecorated, this box was removed.

This afternoon we met with the pastor and the decoration committee to voice our concerns about the box. We had had one meeting with the church secretary late last spring that included this subject, so the reason for this meeting was clear. It went better than we could have hoped. The box will be repalced with something more striking and a campaign started to challenge everyone in the church to contribute. The food will be used for various ministries as well as for the needy. It is a win win situation for everyone.

Thank you for your prayers. The Lord really does honor the desires of our heart.

Oh my

2010-09-13T19:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, Shelley more than wore me out today. We went to Tina's and picked our fill of veggies. Tina was very gracious in allowing us to take whatever we wanted and as much as we wanted. She even helped us pick part of it. Thank you Tina.

By the time we got home I was so tired. We had a bowl of soup and I rested for about an hour. Then Richard and I got busy. I canned 4 quarts of tomatoes and another 4 of mixed tomato, summer-type squash and onions. In the mean time, Richard cut up three large cabbage and filled jars for kraut. I washed jars, added water and salt, and did the actual canning. We ended up with 14 quarts and 10 pints of kraut. The purple cabbage looks so pretty in the jars. It will need to sit for at least 6 weeks before it will be ready and should last for about 3 or 4 years.

Tomarrow and Wednesday we will be very busy with other things. But Thursday I plan on taking care of the rest of the veggies. There are more tomatoes, celery. more squash and beets. I also got a lot of nice turnips that Richard will use as snack food and a few hard shell squash, some egg plant, and a few other odds and end that will best eaten fresh.

Like Shelley, I am running out of jars. I really couldn't believe it until I realized that nothing from stores was used last year because I couldn't manage the basement stairs last winter. We are in really good shape food wise this year. Both freezers are full from all the produce I have been getting from the gleaners. When the Lord provides, you need a lot of baskets to hold all the blessing.

Scheduling

2010-09-09T05:42:00.001-07:00

Our life is being scheduled for awhile, again. It is nice when retired, to not have every day scheduled. If I feel like going A instead of B or even C I can. But sometimes the option is not mine. Medical appointments mandate such scheduling.

Last week Richard had the first of 2 long sessions required for replenishing his iron. Tomorrow he will complete this process. While he is doing this I will will have access to where he spends most of his time, the area around the living room couch. So I intend to pull out the furniture and give the floor, rug, and coffee table a good cleaning. Then I will go to gleaners, come home and put stuff away, and by then Richard should be ready to come home.

Next Wednesday He has an appointment in Springfield at the Oregon Neurology Center for a sophisticated EMG. That will take the better part of the day. Springfield is about an hour drive away. Then the following Monday he needs to go to Albany for another neurology appointment so the Dr can formally explain what is going on with his neck. Only after that will we be able to make an appointment with the neuro-surgeon. As you can see, this process of repairs is going to take the entire fall. PTL for health enough to finally get this far in the process. Please be in prayer that they can and will do something to relieve Richard's constant pain. Also pray that my car holds out. I won't have money to fix it until October and it is starting to give me trouble.

In late May or early June the muffler started rattling when I started the car up. I took it in and the mechanic confirmed that one of the baffles in the muffler was damaged. He assured me that I could go ahead and drive it, but cautioned about going out of town very far. I hope Springfield isn't too far. Then a couple weeks ago the car started loosing oomph. It takes forever to get into what I would call second gear and while it can climb hills, I hold my breath because it just seems to crawl. Richard seems to think there may be a leek of transmission fluid or even a broken rear main seal. I hate the idea of using a credit card for this, but if it gets any worse, I may need to. I could pay it off in October when my mandatory annuity payment comes in. Always something, isn't there. So much for the fantacy of saving a little money aside for a rainy day, it is pouring outside now.

marathon

2010-09-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

I lay in bed till almost 7:00 this morning. I knew that once up, I would not be able to sit down again until late afternoon. Some days are like that, there are so many activities scheduled that you can't even catch your breath:
7:00-7:30 Get dressed, fix breakfast
7:30-8:30 Prepare all the stuff needed for the day
8:30-10:00 Shop for items needed from the store
10:00-11:00 Put groceries away and load car (had a cup of coffee)
11:00 Delivered greens to a special friend
11:00 Got Richard set up at the clinic for an iron infussion
11:30 Picked up Richard's new medical equipment - returned a loaner
12:10-1:30 Gleaners
1:30-1:50 Put food away, ate a sandwich
1:50-2:15 Additional shopping
2:15-3:30 Went to pick Richard up (not ready), delivered paper work to friend
3:30-4:00 Went to open house for another friend
4:00-4:30 Picked up few items from yet another store, finally got home with Richard
4:30-5:00 Drank a cold drink, put my tired feet up
5:00-6:00 Fixed dinner, ate, started dish washer.
6:00-6:30 Absolutely nothing.
6:30-now Catching up on blogs, e-mails, prayer list, etc.

I am pooped. It is gratifying to know I can still manage a marathon, just don't ask me to do it ofte. It will take a week to recover. Have a good night. I plan on going to bed early,

One more stepping stone

2010-08-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today Richard went to see a neurologist in Albany. Actually we drove over there and filled out paper work in late morning and returned for the actual appointment at 2:00. I was thinking of the appointment that had been originally scheduled for the 24th and got the time wrong. Yes, I am getting old and forgetful.

Anyway, the Dr. went over the findings of the MRI, did some basic poking and proding and then told us that Richard would need a sophisticated EMG. They can do simple EMGs locally, but he needs a more complicated version for which we will have to go to Eugene. They will verify insurance, make the appointment and then give us a call. Then after the EMG we will need to return for another appointment with the neurologist in Albany. Maybe after that we can make an actual appointment with the neuro-surgeon? We will see, based on results, if something else needs to be done first. One thing I am certain of, it pays to have good insurance.

What we do know as of today is that Richard's arthritis is really bad. In addition to the disc problem, the openings in the spine through which the main nerves pass are closing and impinging on the nerves. This is very painful and causing a lot of numbness, as well.

I will keep you posted.

Wo said God does not hear us?

2010-08-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

I finished my last post, went outside to turn off the water to the yard, came back in and put water on for tea. The phone rang. It was the clinic saying they had an opening in Albany on Monday for another neurologist. I am shedding tears of releif as I write. Thank you Lord. Thank you. You knew the need and were answering it even before I could ask.

Grrrrrrrrr

2010-08-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Did you ever get soooo exasperated over anything that you could almost scream? I know at least some of you have. I also know that because you've been there that you can empathise with me.

For almost 10 years , Richard has suffered with pain (extreme pain) in his neck and shoulders. He has gone through neurological exams, x-ray exams, and many other exams. All of which indicated that the problem is nerves impinged upon by 2 ruptured discs. But because of other physical problems of a serious nature, all that Drs. could offer was to put him on drugs. These drugs have caused their own set of problems.

Now that Richard is no longer on oxygen, has lost a substantial amount of weight, and his diabetes is stabilized, his primary physician (PP) has given the OK to see a neuro-surgeon (NS) to see about correcting the problem. Alas, the NS would not even make an appointment before Richard had had an MRI and the PP sent over chart notes for him to study. So this week Richard had an MRI. The results took only one day and indicated as we already knew, that the nerves are compromised. Now the NS says that the chart notes are not complete and he needs to see a neurologist for current status notes. Well, the order was sent over, but there is no opening to see any neurologist for another month. Ouch. They apologized, said they would call if an earlier appointment becomes available. It is exasperating. I could scream. Hasn't Richard been in pain long enough?

I know that even after Richard sees the neurologist, it will probably take awhile to get into see the NS. Then even longer to get a surgery slot. That is if the NS actually agrees to do surgery. In the interim, Richard will have the iron infusions he needs, keep working on improving his overall health and hope he doesn't get an ulcer with all the waiting and uncertainties.

Yes, we will get through this. We always have before. Our God is an awesome God. Everything happens in His timeline, not ours. It all goes to show just how human we still are. We need Him in so many ways. I have always been a bit shy of asking for patience. I guess I might be given circumstances that require it. Actually, I have been given them. Patience based on trust is a good thing. I have no choice but to trust that all this delay is for the best. But it doesn't mean I have to like it. Grrrr.

Medical month

2010-08-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

Richard went into see his primary physician last week. He started injectable insulin about 6 weeks ago and needed a follow-up to make sure everything is going well. It is. So we asked about finally being evaluated by a neuro-surgeon for correcting two ruptured cervical (neck) discs.
It has been almost 10 years since he ruptured those discs.

At the time, Richard injured himself, he also was diagnosed with a ruptured diverticula that had formed an abdominal abscess (peritonitis). He ended up having about 30 inches of his colon removed. There have since been several other surgeries, two of them related to the same infection. In addition, he was put on oxygen, had to start taking increasing doses of oral medication for diabetes which led to a lot of weight gain. So until now they have avoided doing anything about the cervical discs, other than to prescribe heavy duty pain meds. These have taken there own toll and we would very much like to eliminate, or at least be able to cut back on them.

Now that his blood glucose has stabilized, he has lost a substantial weight, and he no longer needs oxygen, we are jumping on the potential opportunity for this surgery. Richard saw his hematologist today (he also has a chronic problem with low iron). Seems the leg cramps he has been having are related to that situation. So now that his iron level is below 50, he is scheduled for two infusions, Sept. 3 and Sept. 10. He also has an appointment tomorrow for an open MRI of his neck. After that, he will be seeing the neuro-surgeon.

I anticipate cervical disc surgery some time in October. But I will let you know. This has been a long time coming. Please pray that all comes together and that he will have the surgery he needs, it is successful, and that he recovers completely and quickly.

Habbit?

2010-08-23T04:52:00.001-07:00

For the third time in a row, I have gotten up between 4:30 and 5:00. I got enough sleep and am ready to get on with my day. Yes, I went to bed around 9:00. I was very tired. But then I have always been a morning person. Now that I'm retired I can take an afternoon nap if need be.

When I went back to school for the first time in the late 60s, the only time I could study and retain what I read was early morning. The kids were still in bed and the house was quiet. Later on, I had to be at work by 7:00, so I got up to get everything ready for the family before I left. In the mid-80's when I returned to school, I would study well into the night. I worked 5 part time jobs and was always tired. Sometimes I would just have to lay my books aside and go to bed. Then about 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning my mind would be clear and I could get so much more out of what I was reading. As late as 2006. I had to be at work by 8:00, an hour's drive down the road. Sometimes I would leave even earlier than 7:00 in order to take part in a Toastmaster's meeting before work.

The last couple years I have slept in till around 6:30 or 7:00. Sometimes even later. I had been really worn out. Do you suppose I have actually "caught up" and am back on my normal early schedule, or is it a habit, once established, is very difficult to break?

No matter, as long as I get enough sleep. What's more, I really enjoy the still, quiet time in which I drink my first cup of coffee and read my bible without distraction. Come to think of it, rising early may not be such a bad habit after all.

Up early again

2010-08-22T06:10:00.000-07:00

It wasn't because I couldn't sleep that I got up at 5:00 this morning. No, I slept well. I just have some "things" to do before church. I put a roast on to cook, straightened up a few areas, and I need to mop the kitchen floor. We are having company for dinner and I have been canning, making fig butter, drying apples, etc. All these forms of preserving do a number on a floor.

I was blessed to get a whole box of figs yesterday. They were over ripe and were being tossed. Some of them were beyond salvation, but most were salvageable. I washed and stemmed them. Then they went into the food processor, coming out looking all the world like mounds of guacamole. I added a bit of honey and into the oven they went to slowly bake down into fig butter. It isn't quite ready, but sure does smell good. The apples came from friends. I had shared fome fish with them and in return they gave me 2 boxes of wind fall apples.

We don't have much of a personal garden this year. Between the strange weather and our physical limitations, all we managed to get in are a few straggly tomatoes and a couple squash plants. None of these have produced more than enough for a single meal. However, the Lord does provide. When He provides, it is usually in abundance. This year has been no exception. You see, we have been adopted by the local gleaners. As elderly and somewhat infirm, we are not required to take part in the gleaning process.

There was a time, many years ago, that we were very active in this group, to the benefit of both others and ourselves, we worked hard to gather from orchards and fields that which was left after the regular harvest. But now there is no way we could do that. So as adoptees, all we need do is pick up what we need. If we can't manage that, the gleaners will even bring it to us. Praise God for his provision and for others following biblical principles. Because of that, our freezer and cupboards are full. We can use the money that would have been spent on food to pay for medication and other special items needed to live on.

We still are having to stretch our budget, but suppose we always will. Still, we can be thankful for what we have, the people who walk in and out of our lives, and a beautiful, growing family. We are so dependant on God, and that is just the way He planned.

Couldn't sleep

2010-08-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

I lay in bed, half awake for what seemed a long time this morning before actually getting up at around 4:40. Nothing in particular was on my mind, I just couldn't sleep. A nap will be in order this afternoon, for sure. There are many "things" on my plate as of lately, all are rather routine, nothing that should ordinarily cause me to lose sleep.

There is the feeling of fall in the air. Last week was HOT. We spent a lot of time watering, even put out soaker hoses as much to conserve the precious fluid and have it do the most good, as to help preserve the content of our wallets. Still some plants are not looking very good.

I have noticed too, that there is a tinge of fall cool dampness in the early morning air as I take my 6:30 a.m. walk. Sunrise is starting to be delayed every day by a few minutes. Soon my walk will be 7:00 and even later as sunrise is further delayed. I am not one to walk in the dark or even in half light. I don't consider it safe.

When Richard was in to see his Dr. a few days ago, I stepped on the scales for the first time in several weeks. I am pleased with result. Since starting to walk for exercise again, I have dropped 12 lbs. Nothing else accounts for this loss. I haven't changed my diet or anything else in that time frame. I am back to what I was a year ago. But I still have a ways to go before getting back to the weight I was before tearing up my knees in 2003. Little by little, I will get there though. Praise God for the ability to walk. It gets easier week by week. I am up to a full mile six days a week. I don't anticipate doing more than that on a consistent basis. I do need to be realistic. But I may push it now and then. In the mean time, I am satisfied with the ability to do the mile.

We may try to pick a few blackberries this morning. I know they are ripe and there is a spot down close to the river that has good access and Richard can take a stool and pick. We don't need many, just enough for maybe a couple cobblers and to freeze for winter. Blackberries on cereal in mid-winter is such a treat.

We put up 6 quarts of prepared apple pie filling yesterday. It uses tapioca instead of flour for thickening, since Richard can no longer eat regular flour. The apples were wind falls from a friend's tree. They had used all they wanted. Our apples aren't doing too well this year. They also have a lot of pears, I can have when they are ready. My pear tree is completely void of fruit, strange. It has always had at least a fair crop. Oh well.

OK. coffee is calling me and Richard is up. So I will get off of here. Have a good day.

Reminders of another age

2010-08-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

I had a series of e-mails from my cousin Mike this morning, each with an attachment. The letters he sent were written in 1937 and 1940. One addressed to an uncle was written by grandfather a few months before his death and announced my birth. The other two were written by a young aunt dying of TB. It describes her daily routine at a hospital in Norton, Kansas.

How special that these letters still exist, that someone valued them enough to save them all this time. Do people actually save letters or e-mails anymore? Do we actually value what is written by others enough to do so? or are we too wrapped up in our own lives and the future to hang onto something that describes day to day events of what we would term normal life?

Some day our grandchildren might find our routines interesting. Maybe we should think about giving them that opportunity. No, I'm not advocating for saving every scrap of written info and cluttering up the place. It is precicely the fact that the letters I mentioned are so rare that make them so valuable. We must find a compromise between saving everything and thowing it all out. That is the tricky part. But just give it a thought before discarding the baby with the bath water, so to speak.

And round and round it goes

2010-08-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

When your kids are home and you are busy every minute of the day just trying to keep cloths on their backs, food on the table, and tears wiped away from encounters with things like sidewalks and other kids, you don't have time to even think about what it would be like if they were not there. Then they leave, all but one of of mine left practically at the same time. The straggler was only home because it provided free food and shelter while she completed her degree. As soon as that happened she also was gone, leaving us with an "empty nest". It took a long time to adjust to this reality. You see our oldest was born only 10 1/2 months into our marriage so we had never really been alone before. The whole cycle is now repeating itself with our kids.

Dianna's kids have all been gone for awhile. Two live within a few hours driving distance and the others are very far away. Shelley's have been gone for awhile too. One lives only a couple hours away and the other clear across country. Amy is facing the imminent departure of one of her 5 kids and Rick's oldest is on his own. I came to the realization long ago and our kids are confronting the fact that it doesn't matter if your children are across town or on the other side of the world. They have their own lives, their own circle of friends and you play a very limited role in their lives. Hard as it is, you raised them to be independent and they learned their lessons well. Just as we are proud of each of our kids, I know our kids are proud of our grand kids. They wouldn't want them to be any other way. But you can't have them dependent and still be independent.

God instructed us to "leave our father and our mother and cleave to our spouse". It is His plan and just like so many other things that we don't fully understand, this hurts. It hurts so deeply. We pour our lives into our kids. We nourish and care for them, sacrificing ourselves for their benefit. When they are on their own, we have to start learning to live all over again, not an easy task. We still love our kids and would do almost anything for them. Kind of like learning to swim with an anchor tied to your ankles. But no parent I know would even consider cutting the rope and completely severing the connection, no matter how hard the effort it takes to keep afloat. No, we thank God for the little time we are allowed to have with them and our precious grandchildren. Yes, allowed. For it is entirely their call. We also know that the cycle will eventually come fully around again. Our children will need to learn to let go. And so it goes, one generation followed by the next generation and then the next.

In some cultures several generations live under the same roof. In these cultures, grandparents help raise their grandchildren and the children care for their parents in their home as they become elderly. The transitions are less traumatic. But we do not live in this type of culture, so we suffer both physically and emotionally as we age and pulled apart over and over again. May God give us strength and courage to get out of bed, prepair our daily bread and look for ways to give support to those who are in need. By doing this, we fill our empty nests with hope, love, and a true sense of accomplishment. Our kids may noy really need us as they once did, but we all
have something we can contribute to others who do.

It's Happening

2010-08-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

We had two sets of company over the weekend. First, a friend of our son needed a place to sleep on Friday. He had come back to the west coast from Illinois to attend his brothers wedding and had driven down to get some "things" he left in storage here. It was good to catch up. We hope to see him again soon. Then on Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning our son and his bride were with us. They drove down to Grants Pass to spend a couple days with her mom and will stop by here to pick up some stored items on their way back to Washington tomorrow.

While here, Rick helped his dad prune some hedges and took care of some minor plumbing issues in the house. Richard can no longer climb ladders or crawl under sinks. But Rick has to be back to work on Thursday, so will be in a rush tomorrow. Amy and he may or may not have time for lunch. He will call when he gets to Eugene so I'll know whether or not to fix something. We probably won't see him again until mid-September. Oh well, that is how it works. Everyone has a busy life of their own. We have to accept that little time is available for loved ones, no matter how much you would like to change that, especially when you live in separate states.

I am busy sorting and cleaning. It is a real joy to have my house back and to be finally digging out of the piles of "stuff" created when two households are crammed into one. I am confident my daughter feels the same way about her new space.

To date I have gone through several boxes and sorted out the contents into Goodwill, trash, put to use, distribute to others, or keep in storage for further evaluation. The guest bedroom and sewing room are essentially clear. The exercise room has been through the first round of sorting and the rec room has been cleaned except for washing all the glassware in the soda fountain area and dusting the books. There are still several small piles of stuff that need to be moved, mostly belonging to our daughter. Since she works and her husband is always on the road, it may take awhile for it all to clear. But it is slowly happening, PTL.

Our garden grows

2010-08-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

I love this photo that someone took yesterday. Richard holding our newest great-granddaughter Charlotte (Charley). It is so very sweet and tender. A new life held and enjoyed 36 years to the day after losing Richard's father.

Both Richard's brothers called yesterday evening. These three men, all in their 70s, still miss their dad so much. Family is so important to them.

Charley is a wonderful reminder that the love of family is carried down through the generations.

Actually, we were blessed to have 2 of our children, 4 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren together yesterday. They came from NY, Washington and Oregon. Some of the cousins had not seen each other for 12 years. It was a very happy occasion. Charley and everyone else was surrounded by love and an intense sense of belonging, a sense of security and peace.

Our family members are like blossoms in a beautiful garden. As it grows, we are struck by the variety and fragrance it holds. Some blooms are tall, others short. Some dark, others light. Some heavy, still others slight. Each has their own talents too. Some are musical, artistic, or good at crafts. Some are great cooks, or fix-it pros. All are interesting and special. If my count is right, our immediate family (starting with Richard and I at the head) now comes to well over 30. It is so amazing even to think about. Then there is the periferal family, all the other families that start with our brothers and sisters. How very blessed we truly are to live and walk in this earthly garden. How much more wonderful it will be to someday walk in God's heavenly garden where all the blooms of past generations are fresh and vibrant once again. In the mean time, we enjoy those around us and remember those who's bloom has faded. Thank you Lord for days that bring family together, days that remind us of your love.

I took a bath

2010-07-31T20:52:00.000-07:00

What's the big deal? Ever since I fell 15 months ago crushing my leg, I have had to be content with a shower. But I am getter better. The total knee replacement surgery went well and with a LOT of physical theropy and exercise, my leg is getting stronger. I am walking about a mile every morning and am able to get around and do most everything (with some exceptions). So after working hard all day I was thinking how good it would feel to soak my sore muscles in a hot tub of water. Bottom line, if I got down in the tub, would I be able to get out? So with Richard's encouragement and promise of help if I got stuck, I gave it a go. Oh it felt good.

There is a picture in my bathroom of a teddybear sitting in an old fashioned claw foot tub. On the wall above his tub hangs a picture stating "one of life's little pleasures". Oh, how sweet it is indeed. And yes, I was able to get out.

It's here, it's here

2010-07-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's here. Late yesterday, the mail lady came to the door bearing two styrofoam containers and an additional package, all from the VA. Then just before dinner, UPS brought Richard's pain meds. Finally, we have insulin and all the other meds needed for use for at least a month. Most of these meds are enough for three months, but they only issue a months supply of some of them. Richard began receiving his injections again this morning. I sure hope he starts to feel better soon. The oral meds do not keep Richard's blood gluecose as stable as when he uses the insulin. We really have to watch what he eats, the amount he eats, and the spacing of meals when on oral meds. These are not as critical when he is on insulin. We fought starting insulin for so long. But seeing the difference in what it does for him, I am glad he is on it.

Thank you for all the prayers and encouraging words while we waited, not so patiently, for these critiacal supplies to arrive.

Patience

2010-07-28T08:22:00.000-07:00

OK, where is it? Over a week ago I received confirmation from the VA that Richard's insulin had been ordered. I talked to them again yesterday to confirm that a request for still other medication had been received and an order placed. They tried to encourage me about the insulin, stressing that Rxs can take up to 10 days. Today is day day 9. Will it come today? UPS brought the syringes yesterday. Two other meds ordered the same day as the insulin came by mail. But no insulin. Patience Nancy, patience. Will it come today? I sure hope so. The Dr has already increased the dosage and sent inn an order accordingly. I wonder how long that order will take to arrive.

I could get real worked up about this if I let myself. But I will use restraint, keep my mind on more positive things that won't cause frustration. Things like seeing my granddaughters and great-granddaughter this Sunday. One granddaughter lives in NY and we see her maybe once a year. The other just had her first child and we have yet to see this new addition to the family. We will be sure to get a 4 generation photo. How's that for positive thinking? Patience Nancy, patience. The insulin will come.

2010-07-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday brought a finish to a project. That always gives a person a lift. To have worked hard to accomplish a goal and have finally reached it. Yesterday I completed the last of 58 pot holders I had volunteered to provide for a special give-away. One of my friends has been providing kitchen sets (about 150 of them) each year for about 10 years. These sets are among household items such as towels, dishes, etc. provided to OSU students each fall by chi Alpha (a Christian organization). This year she just couldn't manage it on her own, so several of us stepped up to help out. My part was 56 pot holders, I threw in a couple extra.

The timing was good. For reasons I won't go into, I have only been able to access my sewing machine for about 3 weeks. I have a ton of fabric, some left from when my kids were young and my friend had a drawer full of trim her mother left, that she didn't know what to do with. The filling for the pot holders is an old worn out blanket, perfect for this use. I also used up a lot of odds and ends of thread. Wha La, 58 new pot holders from recycled and/or refurbished materials. All of it just sitting there. Thank you Lord for your provision.

I have already received a call from another person who is interested in making pot holders for next year. I will need to go through all that fabric and see what I can help her with along those lines. The work is good for providing a sense of accomplishment. The gift is good for conveying a sense of love, a witness to those who receive that they are in a welcoming and caring place.

Waiting

2010-07-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you ask God for something He says yes, sometimes, no, and sometimes He says wait. All things are in His timing, not our own. It appears that the answer to our prayers concerning Richard's medication from the VA are to wait.

We did finally get a hold of both the VA and the Dr's office. The insulin has been ordered but will take about 10 days to arrive. In the mean time, Richard has his Dr's OK to go back on oral meds until arrives. Of course the insulin dose has already been increased so a new Rx has been forwarded to the VA. We will see how long it takes to go through, I do hope there will be no more gaps.

The Rx the Dr ordered for a loading dose of Vitamin D never arrived at the VA. It has had to be re-issued. So Richard is only taking a maintenance dose at this time. It won't do a whole lot of good, but will help. He saw the Dr yesterday and it is somewhat reassuring to know that his glucose level has remained relatively stable even without the insulin for 3 days. We are all in the Lord's hands. He is our provider in all situations. Praise God.

cycle of stress

2010-07-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

Just about the time you think you can see light at the end of that long tunnel, a train comes along and runs you down. Four weeks ago Richard's Dr. started him on inject able insulin. I went to the local pharmacy and got the Rx filled to the tune of $115 (with senior discount) for 28 day's worth. At the same time, the Dr's office faxed the Rx to the VA. A 30 day supply of any Rx from there is only $8. As it tuns out, the VA is in the middle of shuffling staff and did not receive the fax, at least they didn't look at it. In the mean time Richard's Dr. here went somewhere for a week, so when I called to verify the fax had been sent, no one could do so. Another week went by before I could contact someone at the VA and was sure the information was received. I emphasised the urgency of getting this Rx.

This morning I gave Richard his last dose of insulin. A new vial has not arrived from the VA. Where is it? I called the VA pharmacy to make sure it had been sent. The phone just rang, not even an answering service to leave a message. I called the VA clinic and got an answering machine. So they got an ear full. Then I called Richard's Dr's office and again left a message explaining the situation and asking if he could go back to taking the oral medication he had been taken off of just until his insulin arrived. I have yet to hear from them or the VA. HELP. I don't need this.

Life goes on

2010-07-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

Today I am both optamistic and sad. Such if life. One phase begins and another ends. Sometime the lines are blurred. This is God's plan. Today on one daughtr's blog she talks about her new granddaughter and a new positive exciting phase in her life. On another daughter's blog she talks about the anticipated graduation of her daughter and how she will be leaving home. This will spell positive change for my granddaughter, but also sadness in my daughter's life. My son is starting a new phase of life with his bride of nearly 3 weeks and my remaining daughter is trying to wade through an accumulation of possessions as she sets up a new home. This is a time of stress for her, but also spells a new sort of freedom. I, on the other hand am trying to cope with putting my home back together. No stress there. Just kidding.

When I retired four years ago I "scheduled" a five year time frame for purging all my accumulation of things and being able to live a simpler life style. Through unforeseen circumstances my schedule has been thrown way off. You know what they say about "the best laid plans of mice and men". Well it has certainly held true in this case. So now on with the show. I will get as much done as I can in the time left to me. Heaven help my kids if they are left with the daunting chore of sorting through all my stuff if I don't get it done myself.

He never rests

2010-07-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how when God grants great blessings in your life, Satan is right there to undermine your joy? Well he has been a busy boy around here. Yesterday our new mother Lissa developed a blood clot. She is fine. Nate was attentive enough to recognize a potential problem and got medical help. Lissa will need injections and medication to avoid a repeat of this incident.

Then there was a BIG misunderstanding about a note I sent to one of my kids. It was not sent in anger or meant to be antagonistic, but that is the way it was received. I'm really not sure how to deal with it. My daughter and her husband do not appear willing to even talk to me about it. I have tried to explain, but get no direct response. All I can do is hope is that tempers and jurt feelings will eventually calm down.

No, there is no doubt whatsoever who rules this earth. Lord come soon, very soon.

She is here

2010-07-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Finally home. How precious is this? I copied this photo off my daughter's blog. She had asked everyone not to post any info on our newest family member until after everyone had been released from the hospital. This request was based on a security issue that I won't go into here. But all is well now and I can boast on Charlotte. She was born on Wednesday July 7. Our Charlie, as she will be called, weighed in at 7 lbs 12 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. On a scale of 1-10, the hospital rated her health/development at 9.8. Can't get much better than that.

See, it is official, from unbiased sources. Charlie is almost perfect. I haven't seen Charlie yet, but am told she has curly dark hair, a button nose, and big blue eyes.

After two generations with no red heads, we have practically given up on it. Still, it would have been nice. One of these days a red head will come along and surprise us. Just hope I live to see it. My great grandmother Sophie, my grandmother Anna, my dad Dale (Bing), my brother John and I all had/have red hair. But none of my or my brother's kids or grandkids, not even my great grandkids, so far have had red hair. What happened?

Charlie, I love dark hair and blond hair too. We have several of both in the family. Each is different, each very special in their own way. I can hardly wait to discover just who you are and what makes you so very special too. Welcome to our family honey. Take good care of your wonderful mom. We will see you soon.

Mystery solved

2010-07-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

I figured it out. Alvin was not using the glass table as a landing pad. He wasn't seeing his reflection in the glass. He was actually after the wooden bushel basket lid under the glass. How did I come to this conclusion? When I looked out the window yesterday, Alvin was furiously licking a piece of wood. Turns out it was a small shard that had broken off the basket cover when I emptied some water from it awhile back. It was such a small piece I hadn't even noticed it. But Alvin did.

You see I have used the crock to make pickles on several occasions. While the crock has always been cleaned following the production of pickles, the basket cover has only been rinsed off. It had evidently absorbed some of the salty brine. That is what Alvin was after - salt. He will have to find a new source from now on. The crock, the glass top and the bushel basket cover are under tight security, a table cloth and heavy potted plant. What will he do now?

Not just another day

2010-07-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was not just another day. In the morning, Alvin was back doing his normal antics. I actually caught the little twerp taking the edge of my glass table top in his teeth and trying to move it off the crock. OK, that was enough. I took Amy's suggestion, put a table cloth on it and then sat a heavy potted plant on it. Let him try to move that. Oops, I didn't really mean to issue a challenge. I just hope it works. So far, so good, but the day isn't over yet.

We had great news last night. One of our granddaughters has presented us with a new great-granddaughter. For security reasons, we have been asked not to publish any other details until after mom and baby are released from the hospital, by the weekend. Those of you who are close to the family already know most of the info. We are all very happy about this family addition. So if you see me in person or want to call, I will be glad to share more info with you, just can't do it on line.

I spent about 2 hours watering this morning. All our plants were extremely thirst after such a hot day yesterday, It is supposed to be even hotter today, so they really need water if they are to survive. With the cost of water these days, I would not have more than a few pots of flowers if we still lived in Phoenix. So I can't complain about it. Most of our plants are well established perennials that can tolerate at least a short hot spell. Still other plants, like day lilies and some of the ground covers are drought resistant. They, along with potted plants and more tender plants (especially the vegetables) all got a good drink today. Tomorrow watering will be more selective. Thank God this heat is only supposed to last a few days.

Going Squirrely

2010-07-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

We have owned the same house for 38 years. We have always had squirrels that scampered over our roof, buried nuts from our trees, and generally entertained us. This year we have a squirrel that I have dubbed Alvin. He/she is a real character. Curious just does not describe it. This youngster visits my deck each day. He/she pokes his nose into anything new (boxes, empty pots, etc.). He has knocked down potted plants, dug up newly planted starts, and for some unknown reason has a facination for my glass table top. Actually it is a roung of glass sitting on top of a 10 gallon crock. I use it as a side table. Several consecutive days last week I found the glass had been completely knocked off the crock. Each time I replaced it, it would be knocked off again. I initially thought the squirrel was using the table as a place to land when jumping off the roof, so I placed a plastic frog on it, to no avail. Next I moved the whole thing, trading places with a small plastic table, it was now under the eves. Still this morning I heard a commotion and sure enough, it was the squirrel jumping on the glass. I knocked on the office window, scarring him. Still he came back. So again I knocked on the window. This went on and on, at least a dozen rounds of it before the squirrel finally left. I am sure he will be back. I have some automotive sealant in the shop. This, placed along the underside of the glass at the rim of the crock should at least keep the glass from falling. What the squirrel will come up with next is anyones guess.

Brief Update

2010-07-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

We are settling into our new routine. Actually, there are only a couple small changes. The most obvious is an insulin injection around 7:30 each morning. Less obvious is that we no longer need to pay as tight attention to the spacing of carb intake. Basically this means that Richard can have fruit or desert wallowing a meal instead of waiting a couple hours. We still have to count those carbs though, bummer!

Richard had an appointment with the RT who services his C-pap this morning. We recently changed companies and are so pleased to actually get some service. The old company just called every month from out of state and asked if we needed supplies. Their local office is just 2 blocks form us, but trying to get an appointment to see someone, well forget it.
Long story short, the computer in Richard's C-pap is not working right so they gave him a loaner while his is being repaired. The mask he was using was also the wrong size for his face (it leaked air) so he was issued a different one. A good night sleep is priceless and I am hoping this new mask will allow for a rel refreshing sleep. He is just plain worn out all the time.

The length of my morning walk has increased by about 50%. A little more distance each week and I will soon be back up to between 1 & 1 1/2 miles a day. I must say, it is invigorating first thing in the morning. I knew I missed walking, but didn't realize how much. It is great.

Life's Little Adjustments

2010-06-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

I took Richard to the Dr. yesterday for his annual physical. We both anticipated there would be "things" that needed to change. For one thing, several previous visits the Dr. had been talking about the possible need to go on insulin. We had struggled to bring down Richard's A1C (long term sugar) to no avail. In times past this had been accomplished by restricting carbohidrate intake and timing of when he ate, but this time it just hasn't worked. His A1C is still well above 8.0. So this morning I gave him his first shot. It went well, but the dosage will probably need to be adjusted every few weeks until they reach a stable level.

Secondly, both his viamin D and B-12 are extremely low. The Dr. prescribed a loading dose of D and daily intake of 2000mg and 1000mg of B-12. More pills on top of the ton he already takes. I am not sure the VA will cover all of this, but I am hoping. These things can get expensive.

We also made a change in the company that provides supplies for Richard's C-pap. He has an appointment on Friday to get a new mask and filters for his machine. We made the appointment for after July 1st because we have also changed Richard's supplimentary medical insurance. This new plan (N) will require an initial $155 for the first Dr. visit and a $20 co-pay for each subsequent visit. But everything else stays the same as Plan F and the monthly premium is only $70 a month instead of the $240 a month for his old plan. Change can be good.

I have been walking (for exercise) for a week now and it feels so good. My morning routine is to get dressed, have a single cup of coffee, walk a 1/4 mile (I power walk-took a class many years ago), fix breakfast, clean up, watch GMA (part of it), check the Blogs and E-mail, then outside for a couple hours work. I am out of here.

returning normal

2010-06-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Life in the Moreno house is finally returning to normal. How so? Well if you can actually define normal, it goes something like this.

I started walking again before breakfast. Granted I am currently only walking about 1/4 mile and actually feel a bit shaky doing so. But it is a start. Being able to walk was one of the goals I gave my physical therapist. The others were shopping (without the use of an electric cart) and climbing up and down stairs (to do laundry). These other two goals are also still a bit tenuous. I can shop at smaller stores but still use the cart at those BIG stores. I can also go up and down stairs, but need one hand to hold onto the rail. So I can do laundry but can only carry up a few cloths at a time, not a basket full. Still, it is progress.

Another sign of normalcy is that I actually mowed the lawn and used the weed-eater a couple weeks ago. Paul has mowed it since and I really need to do it again. Maybe I will tackle part of it this afternoon. I don't yet have the stamina to accomplish the whole thing at once.

Yesterday I stripped the guest beds, folded up the roll-away and moved it to allow for better access to Dianna's boxes in the exercise room. I had tried using my stationary bike about two months ago, but access to it was compromised to the point that I just gave up on it. Soon that too, will be resumed. When the room is cleared out I can also set up the treadmill, as well. While Richard finds it difficult to walk outside, he can walk on the treadmill where he can hang on to the bars. This is a manual device, so he can set his own pace. Right now he gets very little exercise.

A new normal is eating no gluten. It is incredible how many foods contain gluten, but we are learning this truth. While I have gone through most of our cupboards and given away literally hundreds of dollars worth of food to our kids, food drives, and the church pantry, I am still working on the freezers. It will take some time, but when all has been consumed or given away (I refuse to toss good food), we will only restock with gluten free foods for both of us. It will make cooking a bit easier.

Gluten free products are available in Corvallis. You just have to look for them. That means shopping at several stores instead of one. It also means reading labels in detail and using mostly fresh products. Nothing wrong with that, except the cost. The Lord provides even for that. Since I now get some groceries, especially fresh and frozen produce from the Gleaners, my budget can be used to purchase gluten free products. So in the long run, I spend no more than I did before.

Today is the first day of our lives. This is true for each of us. How we use the time we have is not entirely our choice. It is somewhat limited based on outside forces. But for that other portion of which we do have a choice, I pray we will all use it for good. God bless and keep you. May His peace be upon you. May you find at least one positive thing in your day.

Life is good

2010-06-23T15:44:00.001-07:00

It has finally gotten warm enough that I opened the windows while I slept last night. I always use a fan to circulate the air, but that air was so stuffy it needed to be refreshed. Could it be that summer has come? Dare I hope? Will my tomatoes actually start growing or is this a tease? Only time will tell. Lord knows we are all ready for summer. But then we are nearly always ready for a change of season when it comes, well nearly.

Dianna and Paul are in the process of moving to their own place. We are excited for them and for us. I was able to send over some supplies from my refrigerator and cupboards to help out. It was a big relief, actually. I had stocked up and cooked for a crowd over the weekend and hardly any of it was used. Richard and I just don't eat that much. He can't eat flour any more and I had baked a couple apple pies using what was on hand. No more than a couple pieces actually were eaten so I have had pie for breakfast 3 days in a row and for desert each night (it was made with splenda). Finally the pie is gone. I won't want to look at another piece of pie for a long time.

It will take a couple more weeks till Dianna and Paul start actually taking their "things" from here over to their new place. They emptied out their 2 storage units and took over all the furniture they will be using. They are currently going through boxes and also taking other "stuff" they need. Next they will put all the left overs into one of the units and give up the other. Only then will they come and work on the things they left here. They have many boxes, a small dresser, a roll-away bed, storage shelves, a computer, clothing and more to move from the house before I can even think about getting my house back in order. But there is a candle flickering at the end of the tunnel. I may need to look around the bend to see it, but it is there.

Tomorrow morning I start walking again. First a broken leg, then recovering from surgery, and lastly an irritated hip that has finally started to feel better after using a lift in one shoe for a few weeks. I used to love to walk and am really looking forward to making it a part of my routine again, I need to. I have put on several pounds during this ordeal and walking is about the only effective way I have ever found for taking it off.

This morning I picked about 2 quarts of sugar pod peas. They are so yummy, green candy. I have been picking for about 2 weeks now, but as the weather warms they will stop producing. So we will enjoy while we can. Peas with salad, peas in soup, peas in stir fry, etc. We love them. I will put a few in the freezer if there are any left. They will taste even better this winter.

I picked a couple ripe cherries this morning too. These are the Queen Anne's and so good fresh. We have a lot of pie cherries, a couple varieties of plumbs, apples of several sorts, a peach, walnuts, almonds, fig, kiwi, and several sorts of berries and grapes. Each ripens in sequence, keeping us busy until mid-October. I love it. Being able to pick fresh fruits and veggies as I need them. We do can, dry and freeze, but not so much that it gets tiresome. You have to have some sort of limits on it. If it gets to be too much, we give the rest away. We always share it anyway. Fresh produce is better than chocolate, at least to me it is.

Life is good. There have been some losses and recent grief, but right now no one is seriously ill, we are able to get around, we are adding to the family, and we don't owe anyone a red cent. What more can we ask? Praise God for His provision.

wedding day

2010-06-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

Shelley and others put so much work into preparing for Rick and Amy's wedding. The yard was carefully manicured and laid out to accommodate for both ceremony and reception. It has taken several months and a lot of planning to pull it off, an incredible expression of love.

Richard and I spent the morning preparing flowers for this special occasion. There were 4 boutonniere/corsages, the bridal bouquet, tall arrangements for the cake and beverage tables, 2 arrangements for the serving table, and 9 smaller arrangements for the dining tables.

Friends of Rick's from Washington made and transported wonderful cupcakes to the ceremony.

Paul and Dianna prepared BBQ for the reception. Other guests contributed side dishes.

Most importantly, we gained a wonderful new daughter-in-law. She was radiant in a grass-green dress as she and our son exchanged vows beneath an umbrella. Yes, it rained. It was just a light shower, not enough to interfere with anything. After all it is Oregon and I understand that rain at a wedding is supposed to bring good luck.

Today they are off to Hawaii for 10 days of sun, sand and solitude. They can both use time out. There will be so many adjustments, especially for Amy.

In addition to a bride, Rick gained 2 daughters, another son, and yes, he became an instant grandfather as well. Isn't our new great-grandson just a living doll? He is 2 years old.

Who could have imagined when Richard and I married in 1958 that our family would have grown to include 36 members (37 in a couple weeks) in just a little over 52 years. Each member is unique. Each is precious in God's eyes and special in ours. We are feeling especially blessed this Father's Day.

waves upon the sand

2010-06-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

Life is much like waves upon the sand. Sometimes the waves are gentle. These waves deposit sand on the shore. Sometimes waves hit the shore explosively, eroding the beaches. Sometimes waves are what is termed as a rip tide. The latter is sneaky. It grabs you, knocks you off your feet, and if you aren't careful, can drag you out to sea. Today has been a day with all three types of waves.

Amy L came by and dropped off flowers for the wedding. She is a gentle soul. It is always nice to see her. She brought one of her daughters. It was the first time I had opportunity to meet any of my new step-grandchildren. I'm sure they are all much like their mom.

Later, I had a message from my oldest daughter. Stress is really starting to get to her and it is definitely showing. She exploded in expressions of frustration. Still another message from her indicated she felt out of control, hit by a rip tide.

I made some suggestions, most of which were carried out and now all is calming down again. Communication is so very important. Not only does it reflect desires, but it also dispels frustrations that lead to needless misunderstandings and anger. Never stop talking, especially to those you love. Communication can be that life saver thrown in the tide to save a drowning loved one.

It will come together

2010-06-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

So many last minute details, so many final changes, so many unexpected blessings.

A big family wedding is an event to be anticipated with joy. Yes, it is a lot work. Yes, it can (is) stressful. Yes, there are issues and changes that are not anticipated. But that is precisely why you do literally everything you can anticipate as far in advance as possible. If there is one thing that you can count on, it is that there will be changes and unexpected issues. It is just the nature of planning any project, be it a family gathering, a trip, or something else.

Shelley did not anticipate children at this wedding, but there will be several. Neither Shelley or I expected out of town house guests, but all our beds, plus mats on the floor will be filled. From my view point, it is wonderful. We don't get much opportunity to see some of these folks. They are more than welcome. They won't be here more than a night or two. But these people will need to eat.

I will be busy on the day of the wedding and not really available to cook, So I spent yesterday in the kitchen. No, I did not go out and blow my budget. In fact, I had already been slowly working through the food stored in my freezer, much of which Richard can no longer eat. I pulled out apple pie filling that had wheat flour as a thickener and pre-made crust to make 2 pies. A roll of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls and one of ginger cookies were baked, as well. There were cooked pinto beans to which I added onions, hamburger, cheese and taco sauce. I also found an abundance of flour tortillas. A hardy vegetable soup went into the crock pot and a ham into the roaster oven. All this and an assortment of great breads all from the freezer. Then I cleaned out the vegetables from the refrigerator, assembling an eggplant casserole.

Sweets for Richard were not neglected. I made a pan of macaroons (gluten free) from a carton of egg whites, splenda, corn starch, and coconut. It was topped with a layer of chocolate. All these ingredients were also off the shelf or out of the refrigerator.

Breakfast items I have on hand will provide a variety of choices, as well. I have the ingredients for waffles, scrambled eggs, toast, cereal, and don't forget that ham. All I really need to get is coffee and maybe some fruit. I would have needed these anyway.

Company is helping me clean out the old to make room for this year's harvest. Thank you Lord. Shelley, do you need any food?

Yeah

2010-06-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

It is gorgeous out today. The forcast for Saturday is sunny and 74. Thank you Lord for granting even the vain and selfish things we ask for. Looks like the wedding will be outside after all. Tables will be set up outside. Flowers will decorate the scene. Wonderful food will be served, making for a contented group of family and friends. We anticipe the day with great joy.

Rick and Amy spent the last couple days loading all her "struff" (including a baby grand piano) on a truck and spucing up the Albany condo. The carpets are clean, the cupboards washed, and all the paint freshened. It is ready for Paul & Dianna to move in.

Everyone spent last night here, but had so much on their minds that they didn't sleep well. Rick, Amy and Preston were on the road by 7:30 this morning. The timeline for unloading and turning in the truck was tight. Rick has to be back at work tomarrow.

Amy will come back here on Wednesday to take care of final wedding plans. Rick and his boys will come down on Thursday evening. Not long now. We all look forward to the wedding. We all look forward to getting beyond it. Everyone involved is going to need some down time.

The bride and groom will spend 10 days in Hawaii before rebuilding their new life together. Shelley and Eric have already placed their boat in mooring and intend to spend time on the lake. They also are expecting their first grandchild. Dianna and Paul will move into their own place for the first time in well over 3 years, giving Richard and I back exclusive occupancy of our house. All positive changes.

All of us will benefit by having our own space. What can I say? There is no question that none of us would hesitate to do all we can for those we love. But keep in mind that we are at different places in our lives. We need a degree of seperation so we can function. Thank God for this large, diverse bunch of people we call family and thank God we are not together all the time. We would go out of our minds. But we are also greatful for the ability to congregate and to celebrate each other. It is at times like this (a family celebration) that absent members are sorely missed. Some because they have passed on, some because circumstances have prevented their attendance. But all are held close in our hearts.

So here is to Saturday. It is this day that we have worked for, prayed about for several months. It is finally happening. Our family will increase, our stress will decrease, our dreams will manifest themselves in celebration.

Stress releif

2010-06-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Lord answers prayer even when you don't ask directly. Thank you Lord. Our stress level was getting too high yesterday. Not something we can handle for all but a short time any more. But the Lord knew this, He is faithful and He provides. Our special thanks to both Amys. First to Amy 1 (Heymann) for sensing our stress and offering to contribute funding for flowers. Secondly to Amy 2 (Lockram) for being flexible in what will go into arrangements and settling/even purchasing silk callas for her bouquet. The two of you have made our lives so much easier. Again, thank you.

Putting together flowers for our children's weddings is an act love that has become a tradition. We look forward to it. Flowers from our garden have adorned more wedding celebrations than I can count. Unfortunately, this has been what some have called the coldest, wettest spring in over twenty years. We have had lots of beautiful blooms, but they don't last for long. They are beaten to the ground by heavy rain, even hail. I picked a huge bouquet of peonies yesterday. They were all laying on the ground even after being staked. The same goes with the big white calla lilies.

I'm not sure where the roses will be by the time of the wedding or if we will even try to use them. All I can say is that we will have flowers. Their bright display will herald the bright future of a new life together for two very special people. A life filled with love, trust, and respect for one another. A life based on a personal relationship in Christ. What more can anyone ask? We look forward to the blessing of adding another daughter, another Amy to our ever growing Moreno family.

Well, OK

2010-06-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

I placed both a large white calla and a very small greenish/white calla (both from our yard) into red dye yesterday. Over night the large white calla absorbed "some" dye, enough to say it is kinda pink. But not enough to really be considered hot pink. The small call (the size we need for the bridal bouquet) did not absorb any dye at all.

So here is where we stand. We can dye some white callas to include in the table bouquets and use some of the small greenish/white callas in coursages for the parents and Nicholas. I will order enough truly pink callas for the wedding bouquet and to make the grooms coursage. We will take pot luck with the other flowers, using a combination of what we can find at either Trader Joe's or the Farmer's Market and what we have in bloom here at the house.

I picked some Queen Anne's Lace yesterday and hung it up to dry. Seems it is already too late to gather premature flowers. All the Queen Anne's Lace has already bloomed. Some had developed heads of green seed. I am not sure if this will dry green or fade to brown. We will just have to see.

It is off to the Farmer's Market for me to get an idea of what is available. I will keep you posted. Irregardless, I anticipate a gloreous wedding. I am praying the weather will co-operate.

How quickly time passes

2010-06-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Rick & Amy's wedding is just two weeks from tomarrow. How quickly the time goes by. Richard & I will be doing all the flowers. This is a big deal. We love flowers. But just procuring the raw materials is proving to be a challenge. No one in our circles is what you could call well off and the flowers of choice are expensive, 3 dollars a stem. Sometimes life calls for innovation and compromise. We have plenty of experience with both. The primary goal is to not dissapoint the bride. She is a lovely and flexable woman. What more can I say? She deserves the best we can come up with. We will try very hard to please her.

Does anyone have any other ideas? We do not want to use silk flowers. The colors are citrus and hot pink. We would like to use big Gerba Daisy type flowers. Again, they are really high priced from the florist. I will look at the Farmer's market and I know they have them at Trader Joes, but these are bundles of mixed colors, primarily red and yellow. These and blue are the specific colors the bride does not want. So in order to get the colors we do want, we would have to purchase many more flowers than we actually need.

I have some ideas. We are soaking white flowers in red dye to see how they come out. If we don't like the results, I will order enough truly pink callas for the bridal bouquet and improvise everything else. This is compromise. Another request is for green queen Anne's lace. There is plenty of that along the roadside right now, but in 2 weeks it will all be in full bloom and white. My thought is that "maybe" if I pick some green and dry it upside down, it may hold it's color and look good. It is worth a try. If it works, great. If not, we haven't lost anything.

Help. Any and all thoughts are welcome. Maybe we can use them, maybe not. But they may stimulate other trains of thought. Thank you.

Moving

2010-05-25T09:40:00.001-07:00

Because of the change in internet providers, I may need to move my blog. I anticipate that this will happen in the next couple weeks, so not to worry if you have trouble finding me. I am not atechnical person at all. My kids set up this blog for me and I will need to rely on them to make any necessary alterations. I checked out some of the options (links) I found on the blog site and they give instructions in technical language that I do not speak or understand. Guess I am too old for all this.

Change of subject. It has been raining off and on for a couple of weeks now. The plants are loving it, but we are finding it hard to keep up with maitenance. Richard has been working on the front beds for a couple hours a day. There are so many things that go untended though. Our back lawn is at least 3 feet high. We started to cut it with the weed eater (our mower is in the shop). But it just doesn't work well when the grass is soaked. Then there are the weeds that spring up in all the newly cleaned areas. Seems you take one step forward and two back.

I did get the vegetable starts in the planting beds. They really need some top soil though. So too, with the roses and flower beds. They really need about 3 inches of bark. These are additives we can't afford and do not have the means of spreading even if we could. This is a hard reality and source of frustration. Our yard is enjoyed by the entire neighborhood. We get positive feedback from all who pass by. So it is frustrating that we can't keep up with it.

technology chalenge

2010-05-17T09:24:00.000-07:00

OK, I am finally doing this. I will be getting high speed internet access, putting dial up away. It is not something that I would have changed, despite the time it takes to use dial up. But the cost of TV access has gotten so out of hand that we were forced to take a hard look at "bundles". We already have Direct TV and Qwest. It was only natural to look at a bundle that would put them together with internet access. Turns out that because we already have these, there wouldn't be much of a discount. So we are going with cable. It will give us all three services for about $20 less than bundling with Qwest for a full year. There is no time related contract, so if we don't like it, we can chane without any penalty. The price is good for full year. Looks like we will need to look at this again and again.

For those of you who have been after me to change from dial up for several years, this action should better allow me to view videos and download photos with ease. What ever happened to patience? So it takes 10 minutes to get a video of a few seconds using dial up. I do eventually get it. (just a bit of sarcasm)

My biggest concern is in making all the needed changes in my current files. I am hoping the installer can transfer such things as my e-mail address book, Facebook account, blog access, and my favorites list. Grrr.

I'll e-mail my new e-address to everyone, provided I can manage this technology change.

Remembering

2010-05-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

Today marks an anniversary, of sorts. Not something to celebrate by any means. But still an event that marks a huge change in not only my life, but the lives of my family. It was one year ago today that I fell, crushing my leg and gashing my head on a landscape rock. The months that followed really brought home the fact that we all need each other. Today I would like to again recognize and thank all those who contributed to my recovery from that devistating fall. You know who you are. You are angels in disguise.

A year ago I faced months of dependancy on others for provision of food, drink or medication, for moving even from my bed to the portable pot. Someone even had to bring a basin for me to wash in. If you have not experienced being totally dependent, let me tell you, it is very humbling. It is an experience that changes, or at least brings home the need for connectivity.

How easy it is to intelectually acknowledge that someone is in need and then go on with our busy lives. Stop right there. Acknowledgement without action is not acceptible. Remember the story of the good Samaritan? He not only gave funds to help someone in need. In fact giving funds was far from the top of a long list of actions taken. First he recognized a need. Then he took time, interupting what was probably a busy schedule. After that he personally provided physical assistance. Only then did he make sure that the man had continuing care by providing monitary help. And all this was for someone he didn't even know. There are many lessons to be learned by this story. Many lessons demonstrated by my experience. For I was in effect, the man robbed and left to die on the road. God provide not just one, but many good Samaritans to help me recover. Again, thank you.

If anything is to be celebrated today, it is that I am so very blessed with family, friends, neighbors and even strangers who have stepped up and demonstrated a hands on willingness to help in my time of need. You have learned the lesson of the good Samaritan well. I praise God for all of you.

Mother's Day

2010-05-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

This is Mother's Day weekend and I am feeling really blessed. All my children will be spending the day with their kids. Richard and I will be here knowing that they too are blessed by children and grandchildren. Quiet is good. We love our family, but need quiet. The sound of children playing is precious. But a little goes a long way. As we get older, we find that crowds and noise get on our nerves.

I have already received a call from my oldest granddaughter, wishing me a happy Mother's Day and sharing her joy of moving into her new dream house. It has been a long hard struggle for her to get to this point. But she took the time to call and share. Thank you.

Two of my daughters have already presented gifts, as well. I received new garden tools from one, ear rings, a card, and a really wonderful book on cooking gluten free from the other. Thank both of you so much.

Of course the other kids live far away but I expect to hear from them on Sunday. All the kids have families that will be celebrating them as mom. The torch has been passed. We have been 4 generations now for 13 years. It gives me so much pleasure to see how my family is developing.

So many paths that lead to diverse places, both physical and in interests. My family is quite literally spread around the world. Doug is in the middle east, Amy and 5 grandchildren in Europe, Rick, 5 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren in Washington, Misty and 2 great-grandchildren in Florida, Carmen in NYC, and the rest here in Oregon.

To date, most of my grown grandchildren have chosen careers that involve some sort of service to others. One is serving in the military, one working in the medical field, one as a cosier in NYC, and another working at a university. Still another grandchild has chosen a career as a stay at home mom, perhaps the greater service of all. The remaining adult grandchildren, are still either in school or trying to figure out their lives. I am confident that they will find a path that includes bringing joy to others.

Happy Mother's Day to my daughters (Shelley, Dianna, and Amy), to my soon to be daughter-in-law Amy L, and to my granddaughters (Misty, Bridget, and Lissa). I love all of you more than you can possibly know. But please forgive my tears, for right now I wish I could express my love and a happy Mother's Day to my own mom . Mom died just over 16 years ago and I am missing her so very much.

Perspective

2010-04-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

This week has gotten a bit better each day. My last physical therapy appointment was on Tuesday. My knee is doing great. The therapist measured my ability to flex the knee (111 degrees), stretch it out (neutral/completely straight), and strength to push and pull (both good).

Before surgery I could only get to 96 degrees, straiten to -8 cm, could push but not pull at all. So I am felling real good about the results. I still have some numbness on one side of the incision that may take up to 2 years to return, if at all. Small price to pay for being able to walk.

My back is still bothering me a bit. It is the sacroiliac joint on the left side. It is probably an arthritic flareup from moving those bins of yard debris, but it is getting better. Ice has helped most, though I have had to take some pain meds a couple times. I really hate not being able to just do what I see needs to be done.

The sun is shining and the yard is calling. I will concentrate on those things I can do without aggravating my back again. I can balance my accounts. I can work on a project for a service group I head up. I can enjoy a presentation Shelley is giving tonight at church. I can cook something (cake or pie) for a pot luck tomorrow. I will also pick up some potting soil and more weed eater string for Richard. The last few days have been rather wet so he hasn't been outside either. he is anxious to finish trimming around the flower beds and in the vegetable garden walkways.

Spring is here both weather wise and in our hearts. Time for new beginnings. Time to plant seed and watch it grow. We will also add to our family. A new daughter-in-law in June and a new great-grandchild in July. Our oldest great-granddaughter is officially a teenager today. Oh how they grow. Happy birthday Taylor. We love you so much. Wish we could give you a hug, but you are so far away in Florida. Hope to see you again soon or at least before you are all grown up.

Joy is all in the perspective. Today I choose to embrace life. To do those things that I can. To look forward to the future. To encourage others in their efforts. To be thankful for all that God has provided. Hope you have a wonderful day.

Over did it

2010-04-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

The week finally is over. A new one, hopefully a better one, has begun. We will see what comes. Yes I am being cynical again. The weather yesterday was so very nice. Richard went outside next to the deck to do some pruning. The deck has been sorely neglected for about 18 months. That is because we did not use it at all last year, what with me being completely non-weight bearing all summer. Two winters with no maintenance in between left a real mess.

I got leaves and blown-in debris cleaned up. Took the storage rack for firewood and some containers that held old newspapers (we had used these to start the fire) off the deck (we took out the wood burning fireplace insert and installed a gas-burning fireplace last September). Then swept and blew the whole thing off. Richard pruned roses and the claimants and cut the trimmings up into several plastic bins. I made the mistake of picking these heavy bins up and dumping them into the yard debris cart. I didn't think they were that heavy. But I haven't walked and carried much at the same time for almost a year. Long story short, I pulled something. I think it is in my sacrum. Anyway, I can hardly walk. It is still bad enough that we stayed home from church today. Bad enough that medication, the vibrator, or ice hardly touches it. I am tired of not being able to work. There is so much work that needs to be done. Please Lord, I really need a pain free, positive week.

win some, lose some

2010-04-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

This week has been one of those. You know what I mean. You win some and you lose some. You gain a little ground and then fall flat on your face, type of week.

Richard has been doing OK as far as his oxygen levels are concerned. A few months ago the Dr. even approved him to not have O2 connected to his C-pap while he sleeps. He had needed a hernia repair for a long time and then when he developed a bowel obstruction they finally got it done. He has healed up without any infection developing. That is so great. Then in December his A1C (sustained blood sugar) started going up. We have tried to control it through diet, but it isn't working the way it used to.

This week the Dr. told Richard that if he can't get it down by June, he will need to have daily insulin injections. Also this week, Richard's dietitian imposed a Gluten-free diet in addition to the very restrictive diabetic diet he is already on. This is because of the symptoms that he has displayed for years that indicate a sensitivity to gluten. These include joint pain (diagnosed as arthritis) bowel problems (diagnosed as Crohn's), and still other more minor indicators. Richard has previously been tested for Ciliac disease (an allergy to gluten). Tests came back negative. But evidently the tests are not full proof. Since we have a granddaughter who has been confirmed to have Ciliac disease and it runs in families, they have decided to err on the side of caution. Helpppppp.

I thought counting carbohydrates and making sure they are properly spaced throughout the day was hard. Now add this new restriction. Not only am I getting cross-eyed reading food labels, but this stuff is expensive. Guess I am in for a real learning curve again. Still, it is better than more medication. Oops, we still may need insulin.

Then there was the phone message from Phoenix. Richard's oldest brother had been admitted to the hospital. Seems he has some sort of infection in his blood stream. They are culturing it and won't really know what they are dealing with for a couple days. But antibiotics are working. He is on the mend. This man has serious health issues and has been fighting with the VA for 4 years, trying to get medical benefits related to injuries sustained in the Korean War. He had an appointment with an attorney today, but his wife is going in his place. Sure hope they get some results.

My car has had a rattle in the under-carriage for several days. I thought it might be something had come loose. So I took into Firestone and they conformed it was under the car, possibly the catilitic converter. But I would need to make an appointment just to check it out. Then they might need to refer me elsewhere. So I came home and called a muffler shop. They got me in within a couple hours. It is a baffle inside the the muffler. Not reason to panic. Unless it becomes really loud, starts interfering with gas mileage, or I plan to take a long trip, replacing the muffler can wait. I just need to give them 24 hours notice so they can order the part.

Today I was in the middle of checking my e-mail when my internet service went down. I tried re-booting, re-installing, even called for technical support. Actually I called 3 times. Finally I had Dianna bring her cell phone up so revision of settings could be tested without getting off line. Yeah it works. Thanks Dee.

I am stressed. Richard is hungry and concerned. We are both feeling old. Don't worry, we will adapt. We will recover. We will survive. Praise God we don't have to go it alone. There is no end to information and experts, or so it seems. In the end, most of the issues have resolved . But please let this week be done. Neither we or our loved ones need anything else right now.

Scatter brain

2010-04-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

I am recovering well from surgery. I have a physical theropy appointment on Monday and then just one more the following Tuesday. These really wear me out, but they are doing their job in that my strength and flexibility are both increasing. I can walk stairs with help, sweep the floor and shop using a walk-behind cart. Most of all I can drive. But sometimes I wonder about my mental state.

The service oriented group I head up from church will soon be having the last meeting before everyone scatters for the summer. I have been away from my office just long enough to not be able to find anything. Yesterday I nearly paniced when I couldn't locate notes from a very important meeting held just before my surgery. I did ask for help but it came from an unexpected direction. I had sent out an e-mail to all those I had previously shared the notes with, asking if they had a copy. No one responded. But the Lord did.

Richard usually gets a form from the VA (Rx meds) in September asking for income information for the previous year. This form came yesterday, 5 months early. While pulling the file for the VA, I found the missing meeting notes. If that VA file had not been required, I probably wouldn't have found those notes for a long time. Please don't ask how they got there. I am frustrated enough about it. Praise God for His timing and organization. Mine sure proved faulty, at least this time.

No rain today

2010-04-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

The temperature outside is so nice. Even though it is overcast it has that feeling of warm weather to come. That is important on several fronts.

First of all, let me wish Paul a warm and safe Happy Birthday. Paul is on the road, as usual. Having been a long-haul truck driver for many years, he is rarely home or with family on his special day, but I want him to know he is not forgotten. Happy 50th birthday Paul. Don't feel bad about being 50. Try to see it from my view, by mid-June half of my kids and kids-in-law will have reached or passed this landmark age.

Warm clear weather will be important for Rick and Amy L's wedding in June. They plan on an outdoor celebration with family bbq. We all love his Amy and are looking forward to this event.

We are also looking forward to welcoming our sixth great-grandchild (a girl) in early July. A baby shower is planned (maybe outside) in mid-May. Lissa (Shelley & Eric's youngest) and husband Nate are so happy.

While life is adjustable around the weather, family and friends gathering outside is dependant on it being nice. We are so blessed to have really nice summer weather here in Oregon. Relatively little rain until the fall rolls in again. Enjoy your day. Take advantage of the sunshine.

Life is short

2010-04-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today I am again reminded that life is short. Don't blink and miss it. A friend died last night of cancer. Praise God she is no longer in pain. She was just a couple years older than me and had suffered so, having been in a horrible accident years ago that broke nearly every bone in her body. She lived with pain and partial handicap for over 25 years, finally succumbing to cancer and dying in a nursing facility.

Another friend died nine days ago at age 92. His heart just plain wore out. But he had lived a life of relative health and died peacefully at home, surrounded by family.

Then there was a friend's daughter who was tragically killed in an accident in her 30s. Why?

We may never know. Our years and circumstances of death are mercifully not something we will ever know. But be assured, death comes sooner or later to us all. We need to be prepared in the only way we can. We need to have our Lord Jesus by our side. He is our peace, our savior, our only means to the Father. Fortunately all three of those precious souls above knew Jesus as their own. Do you?

Irony

2010-04-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce myself. You may think you know me, but do you really know me?

I am a complicated human being. On the one hand I am a scientist, having studied and practiced medical and environmental occupations that are based almost entirely on fact for over 35 years, you might think me cold and calculating. Well perhaps a bit. I am prone to look at facts and base decisions on what is known or can be extrapolated, but not entirely.

I am also an artist. I can look at an object, either in actuality or in my minds eye, and arrange color, texture, shade, and other objects in such a way that they will contrast, enhance, or blend together in a variety of patterns. This applies to patterns for sewing, decorating a room, arranging a bouquet, or putting brush to easel. I do have imagination. Some may say too much.

Along with my husband, I have raised a family of four children on a budget that would send most people into panic. But I am proud of how each one of our kids turned out. We now have 14 grandchildren and 5 (going on 6) great grandchildren spread out among 4 states and 2 additional countries. Not many "things" can defeat me. Yes, I have learned to roll with the punches, and believe me, there have been more than my share. I have been called tenacious on more than one occasion, simply because I choose my battles and I refuse to throw in the towel. I am also very loyal. I have a casual relationship with many people, but a very small group of close friends. Most share similar life styles and histories of hardship, family, and faith. These give us a common ground of empathy.

Finally and above all, I am a Christian blessed to have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. I serve a risen Lord. He is at the center of my entire life. Much of what I do is based not on fact, imagination, or experience, but on faith. Christ has never left me out to dry. He has often said "no" to my requests, but only because He had a better idea in mind. He just hadn't shared it with me yet.

I say all this because I am sometimes admittedly hard to read. In fact, nothing gives me a giggle more than irony. I look for and find it in places that no one else would notice. Unless you know me really well, you might take me dead seriously all the time, not realizing that I have an extremely dry sense of humor. If this is so, I do not apologize. I only hope you will stick with me long enough to be better acquainted with who I really am. I have much to offer in the way of compassion and love. You see, I've chosen the high road of positive thinking even in the midst of life's hardest trials. No, I am not naive, just determined not to allow "life" to control how I think, act, or live. OK, I admit to being cynical at times. Hang in there, it won't last long.

I am back

2010-04-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since my last entry. My surgery went well and I am recovering just fine. In fact, I went tp physical theropy this a.m. without so much as a cane for support. How is that for progress. Yes, I still have swelling, there is still some inflamation, and I am stiff and sore. But not anywhere near what it was. In fact, I havn't taken a pain pill in about two weeks.

I see the doctor on Thursday and anticipate the all clear to drive. Not being able to drive has been the hardest part of this whole thing. Richard no longer drives because he falls asleep without notice (even in mid-sentence), so it just isn't safe. That either means we are stuck at home or must depend on someone else to take us. DIanna works full time and Shelley is several miles away. Not a good situation. We have been stuck most of the time. A friend has been taking me to theropy on Tues. and Shelley takes me on Thurs. But anything else is out. So I stocked up on everything and Dianna stops for little things on her way home.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and my car is parked there. Freedom is in sight. Thank God for all those who have prayed for me (us), come by to visit, called, sent cards, etc. He is faithful and friends are such a blessing.

My birthday came and went. I am now another decade older. I heard from the older of my siblings but had to contact my youngest brother just to make sure he was OK. He is just so busy working and studying for his masters. I am so pleased for him. He promised to drop by this summer when he can breath again.

My sister sent a lock of my hair in my birthday card. Seems it had been returned to her by a friend in Phoenix. According to a note, she had sent this hair to her friend some 50 years ago to compare with a dye job. It was really strange. My questions are 1) how was my hair collected, 2) what possessed the friend to hang on to it for that long, and 3) is there a voodoo doll somewhere out there?

marathon

2010-02-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

This week has been a marathon. On Monday I saw the Orthopedic surgeon to get the OK for my February 26 knee replacement. Tuesday both Richard and I visited the Podiatrist to have our nails clipped and for Richard's quarterly diabetic check of his feet. On Wednesday we visited the place where he gets his special shoes, designed for those with diabetic neuropathy and we also picked up a walker for me and made arrangements for physical therapy for after my surgery. On Thursday we traveled to the Eugene VA clinic for Richard's annual visit and as soon as we got back to Corvallis I went to a meeting at church. Today I had my lab work done and pre-registered at the hospital. Tomarrow I need to do a little shopping for a shut-in and pack my bag for the hospital. Next week I need to stock up on all the "things" we will need for the next month (I won't be driving for awhile and Richard no longer drives) and clean house. Laying in bed for a bit will almost be a vacation. I am soooo ready to be on the other side of this surgery. Please pray that all goes well and there will be no further delays.

2010, already an interesting year

2010-01-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

2010 has gotten off to a real interesting start. First my knee replacement was put off until the end of February due to a glitch in my cardiogram, followed by another glitch in my stress test, and my heart finally cleared through angiography. A couple weeks later I had a sore tooth that developed into a swollen infected tooth at the root.

Turns out I had had extensive work done on that same tooth about 10 years ago. Now there was a crack in the root that allowed bacteria to travel to the root. The infection was not full blown, but the odds of being able to save the tooth were very small. Bottom line, I could not afford either the money (no dental insurance) or the time it would take to try. I definately do NOT want the knee surgery postponed again and they will not do it if I have any infection. So, I lost a tooth and am taking antibiotics to make sure I am infection free come February 26.

Of course I am a bit tender in the extraction area. The had to dig out the brittle tooth which shattered as the tried to pull it. I ended up with 3 stitches that will disolve on there own. I have a follow up dental appointment in 2 weeks. My new pre-surgery check-up is on Monday. Wish me well.

Boy, the 2010 Christmas letter is going to be a doosey.

PTL

2010-01-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord. He holds my life in His hands. Prayers on my behalf have been answered and I am OK. The angiogram I had on Tuesday clearly indicates that my heart is just fine and the cardiologist jokingly told me he doesn't want to see me again. Thank you to all of the faithful saints who lifted me up in prayer.

Our oldest grandson Doug has been deployed for the third time and is currently in special training at Fort Hood, Texas. As Doug is nearly 30, it is increasingly harder to accept his going off to a harsh environment away from normal life. His training for a civilian skill has again been interupted and his personal relationships have suffered. I am so very proud that he has made a sacrificial commitment , but anxious for him to get on with his life. He has so much to offer. Doug is a true and loyal friend, giving of himself to so many. This is also what makes him a good soldier. I love him so much and just want this part of his life to become past tense. He deserves a family and career of his own. He has more than earned it. Please pray the Lord will place a hedge of protection around him and angels at his elbow to ward off all evil that comes his way.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

It is just 2 days before Christmas, the first and only Christmas Richard and I have ever spent alone. This quiet holiday could not have come at a more needed time. Don't take me wrong, we love family and friends. We always look forward to sharing this holiday with them, especially the little ones. But this year all our kids are with their families out of state and our gift is peace and quiet.

The day after my last entry I had a call from my Dr's office telling me they had found a glitch on my routine EKG. To verify that it was really an annomoly, they scheduled a stress test consisting of three stages, a resting nuclear uptake, an EKG while on a treadmill (yes I had to do this with my bumb knee), and finally a second uptake imediately following the EKG. Well the glitch was still there. A portion of my heart is evidently not getting sufficient blood flow. Now I am scheduled to see a cardiologist on the 30th. He will make arrangements for angeography. This is where they thread a catheter up the femoral vein to the heart and inject dye to see just what is going on. They may need to put in one or more shunts. If so, my knee surgery will probably be rescheduled.

Life this year has taken some real unexpected turns. However, I am thankful for how this latest issue was discovered. If not for the scheduled knee surgery I might have not been diagnosed with a heart problem until I had a major heart attack. Praise God for His timing. My life is truly ordered of the Lord and He is evidently not willing to take me yet.

Lest you are tempted to feel sorry for us, we have not been neglected. Lissa and Nate spent a few hours with us on Saturday. We watched Julie and Julia together. We had dinner with Shelley and Eric before they left for New York to spend Christmas with Carmen and Leo. Rick came down for a couple of days and we had a nice dinner with him and Dianna on Monday. Rick left yesterday and Dianna leaves today. They will both spend Christmas with Bridget and Chris in Washington.

Please continue to hold Richard and me in prayer throughout the Christmas season and as my saga unfolds. God bless and keep each of you and yours. Merry Christmas.

2009-12-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas 2009

The year 2009 has been quite eventful for the Moreno family. What started out as a routine with getting paperwork ready for taxes and lining up plant starts for the garden soon took on a whole new face. I had a CD due to mature in April so considering the falling economy, I tried to get bids on remodeling our master bath. Now you would think independent contractors would welcome work. But though I called several and had them come out to look at the job, not one actually gave me a bid. Looking back, we can see why. The funds would be needed elsewhere.

On Palm Sunday, Amy called and asked if Richard & I would like to come for Easter, she could get cheap tickets (to Germany). All we had to do was find our passports and be available. That took about five minutes. But getting us ready to take such a long trip actually is much more involved than being available. Richard’s medication and medical equipment had to be cleared with Dr’s and the airline. We even had to weigh and measure his wheelchair ahead of time. With only four days to get ready (we flew on Friday) it was quite the scramble.

We had a great 2 ½ weeks in Germany and Holland. In Germany we visited with family, did just a bit of yard work, made several day trips into Heidelberg and surrounding area, and cruised the Rhine River. In Holland we stayed in a vacation house located in the midst of flowering tulip fields and visited a 42 acre bulb demonstration garden. We had a great time, calm before the storm.

We arrived home on April 27 and on May 11 I took a nasty fall off my front steps. I broke may right leg (actually smashed it). I spent a few days in the hospital and a week in a nursing home. The following four months were miserable. The Dr. would not allow ANY weight on that leg at all. In mid-August I could finally put weight on it, but could not drive for another five weeks. The very day I got permission to apply weight, Richard had surgery for a bowel obstruction and was in hospital for nine days. They went ahead and repaired a large hernia at the same time. We are both still recovering. But round three is looming on the horizon. I am scheduled for a complete knee replacement on January 5, 2010.

The garden we had planted before our trip produced some squash and tomatoes despite the lack of care. Most other plants did not fare as well. It is our hope that the summer of 2010 will tell a much different tale.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and our Lord Jesus be with you throughout the New Year.

Richard & Nancy Moreno