Busy but Sad Day

Today Lory, John, Andrea, and Chris moved our items out of the Butter Street Barn.  I’ve been there since it first opened. 

It had to be done eventually.  Lory and Andrea have today and Saturday off as well as Monday and Tuesday.  That is a rare thing.  Two pickup trucks held it all.  We had plenty of muscle to move the big items.

Lory and Andrea plan to have a garage sale here on Monday.  Since the number of garage sales you can have is limited they may have one at each person’s home.  There are also flea markets where you can set up if they want to do that.

They sure have more energy than I do.

If you are reading my sister and bro-in-law’s blog you know she sent me something (a mystery) from Germany.  I checked the post office today but it hasn’t arrived yet.

My cordless phone battery died yesterday so today I went to a battery store and got a new one.  It is charging now.  I love that battery store.  They do have a few things besides batteries, like light bulbs, flashlights, etc. 

I kind of missed my phone yesterday and today, but not much. 

later….

 

Energy Day and TV

Never know which day I’ll have energy so when it strikes I jump on it.

I was moving things around in the car when the dogs got out of the house and jumped in the car. 

All I had to do was get gas ($3.95), go to the post office, and go to the drivethru at the bank.  So the dogs went along and got doggie treats at the bank. 

They really are good in the car but it’s too hot to leave them there for very long.

Pam, the doctor’s nurse, called yesterday to tell me that my blood marker has gone down from 691 to 640.  Still going the right direction.

The ragweed is out as well as the mosquitoes.  I’m about ready to let the tomato plants go.  I had enough tomatoes for me.  If I eat too many I get cankor sores in the corners of my mouth. 

It seems morning is the time for the dogs to play on the bed.  Teddy pounces around to shake the bed.  If that doesn’t get me wide awake he licks my face.  Rascal is getting into the game by following him around – possibly trying to defend me.  It isn’t a bad way to wake up.

I’ve been enjoying watching the GOP convention.  Last night I actually stood up and applauded the Gov. of New Mexico.  She was great.

I’m looking forward to getting my absentee ballot in a week or so.  They said they would be mailing them after Labor Day.

I remember watching the convention that nominated Dwight D. Eisenhower – on a black and white TV with snow and poor reception. 

We could only get one channel, NBC.  It came from W.Va.  Someone would climb a ladder to the roof so they could turn the antenna, someone else would sit in the open window to pass along the info from the person watching the TV. 

By the time the information got to the person on the roof it was usually too late.

When Elvis was on they blocked out the bottom half of the screen so his wiggling hips didn’t show.

A test pattern came on at midnight.  I don’t remember when they came back on in the morning. 

We watched wrestling on Sat. night – that’s what was on.  Our neighbors used to join us.  Sometimes the wrestlers would get a hold and keep it for twenty minutes.  It was kind of like watching grass grow.

I was lucky to have younger sisters so it was okay to watch kid shows like Howdy Doody.  I got a puppet of him for Christmas one year.  I put on shows for my sisters.

AAAHHHH the good old days.  No thanks, I like my color cable TV and my remote control.

later….

 

 

ANIMAL RAMBLE WARNING

If you’ve been reading this for a while you already know I love animals. 

When we lived on the farm (I was about 13 to 15)we had plenty of them but none of them were pets or for pleasure.  If they weren’t edible we didn’t have them.

Our neighbor, however, had a horse.  I don’t think they ever did anything with it.  It was a dapple grey Tennessee Walking horse named Sally. 

I would take little knotty apples or a couple of carrots and go sit and wait for her to come see what I had.  I left the treats where I had been sitting when I had to leave.  It took several visits before she came to me.

I asked permission from the neighbors and they said do whatever you want.  We had a bridle in our barn but no saddle.

Apparently Sally was lonesome and soon let me put the bridle on her and lead her to a rock or stump so I could get on.  She even cooperated so I could open and close gates without getting off. 

We usually just walked the cow paths for a while and then went home. 

On two occasions we did have exciting adventures.

NO. 1  

We had a barn for beef cattle, it had three walls and a hay rick on the first floor.  It had a hay mow full of bales of hay we threw down into the hay rick in the winter for the cattle to eat.

In the fall Sally and I had walked in one end of the missing side of the first floor and out the other  end.

In the spring it didn’t work.  I woke up on the ground with a horse blowing her breath into my face. 

Between cow tracks in mud and cow patties the ground had been built up so that my head hit a beam on the way out of the barn. 

I don’t think I was unconscious very long but I was very happy to see that Sally waited for me.  I forget how I got back on her but I remember we walked home carefully.

My parents never heard this story.

NO. 2 

I knew very little about horses, like the fact that if you squeezed harder with your legs it was a signal to go faster.

My Father was sitting on the front porch, a common evening thing to do at our house.  I didn’t have time to go very far before dark so I was just going to ride in the edge of the field across the road.

Being a little nervous that my Father was watching I probably tried to sit up straighter and must have squeezed  - she took off like at a fast clip and I squeezed harder to hold on.

I saw the drainage ditch coming and squeezed harder – even wrapped some mane around my hand. 

We cleared the drainage ditch somewhat gracefully. Then there was the guy wire to a pole – we cleared that with a little less grace. 

Then she turned to cross the paved road jumping the ditch, always before we crossed at a nice sensible walk.  Her feet slipped this way and that but she managed to jump the ditch on the other side.

She came to a stop where two fences formed a V, breathing hard.  I wasn’t breathing so easy myself.

She had never jumped anything with me before. I was amazed to still be on top of her.  I think she lost some of her mane.

I waited for her to calm down and backed her out of her corner.  I walked her back to her field slowly.

When I got back home my Father was still on the porch.  I waited for his words (lecture?).  He just asked if that was me on the horse.  I just said yes.  We weren’t big on communication.  He did shake his head when I said yes.

So that is the horse ramble.  Sally got sold to a man who saw her jump with my brother riding her.  He wanted to make a jumper out of her.  I don’t think he had much training to do.

Today was the first round of chemo, two to follow, then another PET scan the end of Sept.

We got some rain today, used the windshield wipers in the car. 

later….

 

Pictures

The Morning Glories have finally made an appearance, actually just two blooms; one pink and one blue. 

In front of the house the hostas are blooming and the grass is starting to show up through the straw.  I’m not sure when we should start mowing it.  The straw will fly when we do.

Looking at this picture I noticed the vines trying to climb up the siding.  That has to go.

The picture above shows my house on the far left, my driveway to the right of the house, the arrow on the street pointing into my driveway. 

On the far right you can barely see the stop lights.  A right turn takes you to the schools (K – 12) all lined up, and the city building.  A left turn goes into a residential neighborhood, or my driveway. 

Teddy and Rascal supervised the picture taking and a bit of weed trimming.  Hope my burst of energy lasts for a while.

later….

Better Each Day

Been feeling a bit better each day. 

Yesterday I got my trash and recyclables together and out to the street.  I even brought the recyclable bin back in today.

Today I went grocery shopping and made the extra effort to ask where to find the moth balls. 

It took three different Walmart employees to get me there but we found them.  I bought some moth crystals, hoping they would go down the cracks between boards in the deck.  Some of them did go down.  I think the rabbits are already gone.

The odor is overwhelming when you step out the back door.  When the dogs want to come inside they get a bit frantic as they are standing in that smell. 

I threw some of the moth balls under the RV to keep the squirrels from chewing on the wiring.

I also picked up mouse poison.  I put some in the cellar every fall.  They can stay outside, not in my cellar which leads to my home which leads to my food.  Although I’ll bet Rascal would enjoy having them to chase.

All this shopping involved a lot of walking and my feet and legs are letting me know.

We have been having beautiful weather with an occasional shower at night.  Most of the corn in the fields is already ruined but some of the soybeans still look okay.

Tried for a picture of the street today but the sun was in the wrong spot and I moved the camera.  I’ll get it yet.  

WHY MY LAWN IS BUMPY

Before we civilized people dammed up the rivers they overflowed every year, washing soil and rocks down, spreading out in places and leaving some items behind as the water slowly went down.

If you dig down in the dirt here you find nice round river rocks about the size of a muskmelon (smaller than a bowling ball, bigger than a soft ball) at a level between a foot and two feet. 

They work their way out of the soil as the ground freezes and thaws.  They circled every tree as decorations when I moved here.

So over the years the soil settles between the rocks as they work their was up.  I’m not sure what the solution is.  When I was physically fit I had no problem so I’ll not worry about it. 

later…. 

 

Some Better Today

I was able to eat a boiled egg and a piece of toast this evening.  I even forced down a little chocolate and a couple of oreos this afternoon.  Well, I didn’t say my sweet tooth was sick.

Still getting the low grade fever but I’m hoping that just means I’m fighting this bug.

Dogs got dirty looks and AARRRGGGG’s when they kept asking to go outside. 

Rascal was able to spook a baby rabbit to run out from under the deck and run for the fence this morning.  (the rabbit won this race)  I had to go out with a leash and get her away from the fence.

I used my outside $2.00 thrift store walker for walking outside.  My lawn is very bumpy.  I have a theory about that but will explain another day.  Rascal got some experience with walking slowly on a leash.  Won’t hurt her a bit.

I need to pick up prescriptions tomorrow so hope I feel well enough to do that.  Also will need dog food soon.

later….

 

Yucky Day

Yuck!  A sore throat, low grade fever, hoarse voice, almost heaved lunch, pouring nose, aches and pains that can overcome major meds, etc.

None of which is worth a call to any doctor.  In fact my version of a low grade fever is I get my temperature up to normal.  It has to hit 101 before doctors get interested.

Apparently I’ve caught a cold.

Since all my children are back in this country (Lory and John were in South America for three weeks) I can now get serious about changing my phone. 

I want a phone that still works when the electricity is out and the cable is not working.  It takes some explaining when you call phone people and say “yes, I want to go backward in technology”.

I found one.  Cincinnati Bell will do it.  Of course, they also want to sell me Direct TV.  I’m not even buying long distance since I can call the 800 numbers with local service. 

It won’t be any cheaper than what I have but it will settle my mind and keep my kids from worrying about me when the weather is bad and things aren’t working.

I’ve had two naps today and taken all my pills.  Hope I’ll be able to sleep tonight.  Crackers are the only thing that seem to want to stay on my stomach.

I’m bound to feel better….

later….

 

Third Chemo and Sidewalk Repair

Sorry I’ve been lazy lately.  Today was the third round of chemo, now I get a week off.  Monday night is trash night and I didn’t even put anything out to the street.

One person just doesn’t make that much trash, it will wait for a week.

I’ve been trying to eat right and get a little exercise.  Friday I visited my friends at the Butter St. Barn.  I really enjoy seeing them.  I get hugs and jokes.

I have sent all my papers in and am now a card carrying body donor.  I had the oncologist office make a copy of the card today. 

I also stopped at the health food store on the way home and bought the ice cream substitute I like.  It was on sale so I got a lot.  Since it is frozen I had to come straight home and get it into my new refrigerator.

The sound of jack hammers woke me this morning.  Some of the sections of sidewalk were not level with the sections next to them so they were being replaced.

It just turned out that the sections being removed were on each side of my driveway.   I got out just fine for my 10:30 appt.

I need to get  a picture of the big arrow that appears to direct people right into my driveway.  It actually is telling people to get over in the middle lane if they want to turn left at the light.

DOG TAILS WARNING

Rascal has continued to try to get me to chase her out in the yard by standing just out of reach when I want her to come in.

She doesn’t like rain so one day last week I actually spit on her to try to make her think it was raining.  It didn’t work so I gave up on it.

When I confessed my spitting offence to my friends they laughed a lot and then one of them came up with a spray bottle.  I have used it three times and the third time it worked! 

Either she thought it was rain or she figured out she would get squirted if she didn’t come in when I called her.

Whatever works – I don’t chase dogs outside.  I do occasionally pretend to chase her around the table just to play with her a bit.

Teddy’s idea of play is standing on his back legs and waving his front feet in the air.  I move my feet up and down and wave my hands in the air and we call it dancing.

Of course belly rubs are all dogs favorite things.  They get that in the evening when I check for ticks.  I’ve found two dead ones so far, the tick meds are working.

later….

Street Progress

The street is paved, the mailbox is back, the sidewalk is done, my driveway is fixed and part  of it is paved.  I should put sealer on the rest of the driveway .  I think all they need to do is add the painted stripes.

The grass is seeded and there is a drain in the middle of my front yard.  They are hoping to keep excess water out of my cellar.  Good luck to them.

We had some rain which washed some of the straw over the drain.  I should clean it off but the way I was staggering around to get these pictures I got back in the house as fast as I could.

I’m going to have to use a cane more often.

My grandkids had a good week-end in my RV.  They took five people and then found out the campground wouldn’t let them set up a tent.  They were very crowded in the RV so they only spent one night. 

They washed the outside of the RV and I hardly recognized it when they brought it back.

My blog guru (my Sister, Linda) has been working on my blog.  She is trying to ad a picture at the top.  I think she could get a job fixing blogs for people.

I had chemo Monday, the second in a round of three.  They explained some of the readings on the blood test results.  One test that they do only once a month is called CA 27-29.  It indicates the presence of cancer.  A number of 38 is good.  In June my reading was 871, in July it was 798.  It is going in the right direction. 

Susan stopped by today and helped me with stuff on my computer.  When I added google earth I got a bunch of other stuff that I didn’t want. 

My computer would start playing music or talking at any time.  I got finally got rid of that.  She took off some other stuff trying to speed it up.  Maybe it will be faster.

later….

Driver’s Permit

Had fun taking grandson, Jake, to take his test for his temporary driver’s license.  He passed the first try.  His two older sisters had to take it twice before they passed.

He is now at least 6 feet tall.

He still needs a parent to take him in and sign a liability paper before he gets the actual permit.  His Dad should be home this week-end.  The next thing would be driving school. 

I’m not in a hurry to see him driving but he lives out in the country/suburbs and needs to get to his band practice, etc.

My RV was picked up by some of my grandchildren so they can go camping this week-end.  I’m glad it will get some use.

RANTS AND RAVES

The nearest drug store is a CVS.  They do a good job getting my drugs for me.  My only problem is the coupons they print on the end of my sales slip.

Most of those coupons are about beauty products or hair products. 

I DO have mirrors in this house.   They see me in person, even when I go through the drive-thru.  They are always polite and say “have a nice day”.  

Then they push those buttons that print out the slip with the coupons on it that say I get $4.00 off if I buy $20.00 worth of beauty products.

Are they trying to tell me something?  If I got 5 coupons for deodorant I would get that message.

And while I’m on the subject, why do I get ads for hearing aids in the mail.  Do they send them to everyone over a certain age or has someone said I don’t hear well.

Dog News

Rascal got out the front door the other day.  The door was just open a crack. 

I watched as she headed across the front yard – found a worker – flopped down on her back to offer her belly for petting. 

When he tried to take hold of her collar she jumped up and tried the next guy she came to.  She is very fickle.

He picked her up and carried her back home.

She has decided Teddy’s food is better than hers so two mornings in a row she has finished her food and tried to get his away from him.  This is a snarling, growling mess.  I may have to put the dishes farther apart.

later….