Followers

Friday, June 25, 2021

Different

James is in mourning for me. I'm learning how to live alone now but it doesn't seem to be too challenging so far.  

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Saturday, June 19, 2021

Father's Day 2021

If you want to know who I am, you must learn who my father was. The previous posts really describe him as I remember, but the current old scanned images show his younger years.

United States Army
US Army Enlisted Reserve Corps Serviceman
State Dairy Tester
Lady's Man!
Car Lover
True Blue Husband for over 65 years
AND...
A WONDERFUL Teacher and Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather!
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Links below to read my older tributes. Just click on one. (or all)

2020

2019

2017



 

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Sunday - NOT Sunny Day

I have found myself talking to me - out loud, for heaven's sake! You see, the Mister is in a nearby healthcare and rehab center and the length of his stay is questionable. A visit on our 60th marriage anniversary went OK and there will be more. The best thing is that he is now safe and being given the special care that he really needs. To visit, a call must be made to the Activity Dept. at the center and make an appointment in advance. That's fine. We can do that. I'm home alone BUT have true friends who make my life better. Diabetes and falls are very serious health concerns so anyone 'out there' who knows all about these can really understand.

The momma mallard is showing off her seven little ones. They were way out on the lake so the photos are fuzzy, but it soothes me to know that Mother Nature is still around and very close-by with comforting views. 


Friday, June 11, 2021

Planning Ahead

Would you believe that I had a hard time sleeping last evening because of thoughts of future rural mail deliveries? WHY, why do I do this? I always have planned ahead and the situation of getting my mail in the future was gobbling all of my sleep time.

It is due to the mailbox being across the dirt road, just in front of our cabin. The Mister in the past was getting it each day using a cane. Then he went to using the golf car. Next he was backing the car out of the driveway and pulling right up to the box and driving back into the carport.  He has this 'thing' about bringing it in everyday right after the postal delivery is made. Even when there is nothing in the box, he has checked it anyway. It's not like there is anything really important in there that can't wait for another day. Sooooooo, now I'm getting the mail since he no longer is able.  I use my cane and check it every day - just because. Yes, I sometimes have outgoing mail. Who doesn't? 

We do have electronic transfers made for important stuff, not all, but many.  No, we don't have magazines or newspapers, except for the local "Weekender" and the local "Shopper" delivered. I cannot stop them from coming. There are junky ads that are addressed to "Resident" that arrive. Then, there were so many political pieces! Thank goodness that has calmed down for a while. 

I called the post office this morning with the thought that there might be a delivery and pick-up method that would work better for us besides having to depend on neighbors.  EUREKA! All I have to do is get a note from our physician that it is a hardship and the mail will be delivered to the door in a mailbox attached to the house.  

Now I can ponder another situation that might need to be solved before it arrives and I'll lose more sleep. Oh well.... 

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He is not home yet - update coming soon.




Thursday, June 10, 2021

The Mister...

Just a short update here since he was hospitalized locally due to another fall on June 5. After several tests he was moved to a larger facility about 50 miles away. He had more tests and they found an abnormality in the CAT scan. He is still there after being upgraded from ICU to Step Down and then to another room.  So far he has been in four different rooms there! Telephone communication is hard for us as he is hard of hearing and his dentures were out. 

Plans are in the works to have him transferred to our local facility for his continuing therapy in the hopes he will improve and return home. That may be another happening for me to describe. Writing helps me cope. 

That's it, folks. I'm OK. Have several neighbors and friends helping me. It sure is quiet around here without the TV going all of the time.

An adult nephew has just had serious surgery today and that was a worry as well. It is over and now his healing will begin.

Our daughter brought me some of her garden peonies today and we had a good visit. The rain last night knocked many of them down. Home-grown cuttings are the best. I really don't care for florist bouquets!


Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Mean Me

Ten years ago I wrote about a happening when I was age 15. I was a very mean girl on an occasion and still remember how ashamed I have been for all these years and still am. I have tried to never be a bully again - ever. 

This is a "copy and paste" of my story from January 18, 2011. I just came across it on my old computer and it is a good reminder. 

Geraldine,The "Once Upon a Time" Bully

I hear those awful reports of kids bullying other kids in school. I think it has been done for many years, but today's kids are the WORST! Of that, I'm sure. It doesn't excuse what I did but my one time bully act, was mild. Well, I think so, but my conscience tells me it was a nasty thing to do. I regret it.


The incident happened in the 7th grade at a Junior High School. A new girl arrived and joined my class. She was pretty in an unusual way. She was intelligent, athletic, and apparently came from a well-off family due to her clothing. Angora sweaters! Tartan pleated skirts! Real wool crew socks and shiny saddle shoes! The minute I saw her I felt a threat and was on guard. I envied her hair. It was a lovely shade of blonde, thick, and worst of all - she had a perfect and exceptionally outstanding widow's peak! Her eyes were sloe shaped, and she didn't wear any makeup. Who was this girl?


Her name was Lucretia. As time went on, she buddied up with others who had the best homes, clothes and things.


After lunch, it was the habit of all students to leave the building and participate in outdoor activities such as jumping rope, playing kickball and trotting around the field track. I usually could be found on the track.


In that time many of us started to wear skirts that had several rows of elastic stitching as waistbands. Apparently, in an effort to fit in with my group of friends, or to mock us, the "clicky" bunch of girls started wearing the same type of skirts.


I, to this day, have no idea of what actually came into me, but when Lucretia was jogging on the field track, right in front of me, I caught up to her and YANKED her copycat skirt down to her ankles. She fell into the dirt, picked herself up, pulled her skirt up and carried on.


In a year or two, her family moved away and I never saw or heard from her again.


I am not naturally a mean person, but I do remember that this felt good and it is all I remember of what happened that day. Was I punished? ???? Was I ostracized? ??? Did I lose friends? ??? The mind is a strange thing. What I DO know is that my awful act of attacking a classmate who never did a thing to me, has remained a guilty transgression in my memory bank for over 60 years.


Dear Lucretia with the widow's peak, I'm sorry, truly sorry.


Monday, June 7, 2021

The Time...

After another recent fall, thank goodness with no serious injury, it was time for The Mister to be hospitalized and get better help than I can provide with all of the OT, PT, RN, LPN and friends and neighbors here. He is safe and comfortable now in the local and nearby hospital.  

His doctor has ordered tests and perhaps the awful weakness in his legs can be diagnosed. I'm OK. With so much support of various friends, including bloggers, I'm just taking it one day at a time.

I'll try to stay as positive as I can and keep on with reading and writing, which are a soothing activity and a help for me. Stay tuned.

HOT here! I don't like hot, but the AC is working well and the dehumidifier in the bathroom keeps the tank from dripping. Onward! 

Friday, June 4, 2021

Blogging Community

I didn't realize that I would be so connected to fellow bloggers when I  started my own blogs sometime in 2009. I really had no idea what I was doing. It happened when I accidentally came across a blog written by a fellow who was in the army and living on a Texas base. His name was Walt. I was searching for printer information and he was complaining about how much ink his used. Well, it went from there. He gave me advice as to how to make my images smaller for the internet and larger for fine printing results. As we communicated he went on telling me about his young son, his new car and then his divorce. I became his sounding board for several years.

The next blogger I got very interested in was a woman who was a widow, gardener, baker, and had a neat way of writing and explaining her life. I still use many of the recipes she shared. Her name was Mary Beth. I'm sorry to say she also created a separate blog when she was going through jaw and throat cancer, explaining her journey until the end came. Several others have also done this. Reality strikes! 

Many others bloggers have come and gone. I miss some of the wonderful nature photography that several special people have shared with me. I miss the written humor that is ingrained in their personalities and comes through in their writings. Speaking of humor, there was one fellow named Paul from the Boston area that really tickled my funny bone and was so informative of the area where he lived. He was such a sharing and interesting guy. Then, one day - he was gone! from blogging, that is. I have no idea why. Guess he got tired of it. I miss him a lot.

Now when I blog I don't write for comments at all. I just like to put thoughts down, with pictures as well, but the comments that this community posts to my blogs are nice and supportive. I comment sometimes, but not always. I guess I never realized how many good people are "out there" and am appreciative to be able to read and write still.

Blogging is a release for me. It is therapeutic. I like to read and write. It's comparable to when I was young and kept a diary but a blog is more public. I'm sorry I didn't keep my diaries. It might have been interesting to re-read them today. I did keep all of the journals that I wrote through the many years we spent traveling back and forth to the SC beach.  They might be interesting for someone to read some day in the future. 


 



Thursday, June 3, 2021

Sweet Beauty and a New Pot!

This has been a day with lots of activity. It started off with the PT giving the Mister a real workout at 8:30 AM.  Then a long-time friend and neighbor picked up my laundry and delivered it back before supper. Gee, such service! Another neighbor took the time to pick up the Mister's insulin from town and deliver it here. We don't want to run out of that as I had ordered it the day before. A phone pep talk came from our daughter who lives nearby. I went out to the road, got the mail and brought back some Iris that were in bloom at the corner of the porch so I could have their beauty nearer. I had planned ahead and had scissors with me as I was determined to have some in here. They don't last long, but I do it every year.  My mother or perhaps my father had planted them sometime in the 60 years that the cabin has been here and they are a treasure to me. There are more on the beach front, but I dare not try to walk there. The doctor's nurse called and helped with advice regarding whatever might be needed if he isn't improving. Options were discussed.    A N D... A BIG surprise delivery came from my dear "Pot Delivery Guy." You know, the artist who is a newer friend and so very talented and generous with his work and interests. WOW! WOW! It has been quite a day.

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A big thanks to all who encourage and help us through this big change in life. We have a huge support system going on and it is very helpful. The blogging community is such a strong support that I treasure it too. It is connecting. Important.

P.S. Most of my friends know that I really don't care for cut flowers from a florist and only treasure those from home-grown flowerbeds and all wildflowers. 









Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Today's Output

There have been more falls and the Mister is not injured badly. Yet! Good! We are just trying to keep him safe. I have never been at all interested in the medical field and this is actually a sharp learning curve. I'm trying to come to terms with change as there is no turning back. Nothing compares to the feeling of being self sufficient and I seem to have turned a corner on that. Thank goodness for caring neighbors and friends.

 

PT = physical therapist

OT = occupational therapist

RN = registered nurse

LPN = licensed practical nurse

TPR = temperature, pulse and respiration

BP = blood pressure

BPM = beats per minute

PR = pulse rate

HR = hazzard ratio

HR = heart rate

HRV = heart rate variability

OL = oxygen level

DM = diabetes mellitus

Rx = medical prescription

COPD =chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 

HHC = home health care

AAA = Area Agency of Aging

.........................and so many more. Not my choice of education! Click on link to see what I mean! Medical Abbreviations