August 22, 2014

Sometimes Your Day Doesn't Go As Planned 

August 22, 2014

 As has become my habit, I arrived at the office at 10:00 after having worked in the yard briefly.  It was already hot and muggy at 9:00 this morning.  I only did what had to be done in the yard, like filling the bird feeders and bird baths, because of the heat.  I watered a few of the plants, but I had done most of them last night.  I took time to take some photos.  We have a plant along our side street that gives off the most beautiful aroma when it blooms and when I took out the trash, I could smell it.   Several beautiful things were in bloom and the bees and butterflies were busy.

It was a delight to find our oldest grandson at the office when I arrived.  We had lots of catching up to do.  I was able to get him to update a list in the computer for me of accounts with tax exempt numbers.  That is a chore I always had my part-time helpers do and it was overdue.  He also did my business filing while I worked on personal filing and we both made good progress.  I got rid of one of the two tall piles on my desk.  Having someone to talk to makes my work go faster.

Another grandson arrived just as I was leaving for a doctor's appointment for a check up.  I had to wait over an hour, but when I got in to see the doctor, (our GP), he took his time with me.  As usual, he also asked about Ron.  It is nice when we have the same doctor. 

It was 5:00 when I got back to the office and we close at 5:15, but Ron and our grandsons were headed out the door.  I asked if he was taking the boys home and I was going to offer to do it for him.  They said no, their mom had been on the way to pick them up and had a blowout on a tire not too far from our office.  They were going to help her and get the tire changed.  I told Ron I would lock up so one of the boys waited with me and we finished at the office and then joined Ron helping Barb with the van.

It turned out to be two blowouts on almost new tires!  Thankfully she was only going 30 mph and was close to our office (about a mile away).  I took the 5 younger kids to the small park next to where the van was while Ron, Barb, and the older boys decided what to do.  Barbara joined us after a while.

The children love to play outside and were quick to explore the park

 and test out all that it had to offer.

It may have been late afternoon, but it was still HOT!  We spent the next two hours wandering around the area and checking out the birds as well as the playground equipment.

There were sticks and palm fronds to pull out of the water.  There were pebbles to add to the water.

There were birds to follow like this Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron, Green Herons, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, ducks, and grackles.

Juvenile and adult Double-crested Cormorants

There were flowers for little girls to enjoy (and big girls).

This is all beside one of the city's biking/hiking trails.

The kids all love to climb on anything around.

Finally one tire had been changed and the guys had gone to get a tire to replace the second one.  When they left, the rest of us: Barbara, the 5 youngest children and I went across the street to a Subway Sandwich Shop and cooled off as we had supper.

This is not the way Ron and I normally spend our Friday evenings.  We meet friends in a nice cool restaurant, but this was an unexpected blessing - time with our son's family.  The grandchildren are growing up way too fast and we are already counting each visit as a blessing as they prepare to move to another town.  That impending move is why we were helping.  Our son was at work an hour and 15 minutes away.  He arrived while we were ordering at Subway and Ron and the boys were getting the replacement tire. 

When all was done the guys joined us for supper and we just about had the place to ourselves.  It was nice to be able to hear in an eating establishment.  I think only 5 others came in during the hour we were there and only one stayed to eat - others took food and left. 

During the day, my hearing challenges were minor.  The biggest challenge was the young student nurse at the doctor's office who talked way too fast and turned away from me, toward the computer screen as asked questions while she did my work-up.  The rest of the day went really well. 

Since this grandson turned 16 recently and has a small pickup truck of his own, his grandfather let him do most of the work on changing the tires.  It was good experience for him and a tremendous help to his grandpa.

He looks like he belongs in that salad with his shirt that almost matches the tomatoes and his shoes that match the lettuce!

There are different strength magnets to hold the coil in place over the Cochlear Implant and the one I was using today was a little weaker than my other two.  I kept knocking the sound processor off because it seems too weak.