Friday, June 12, 2015

June 10 & 11, 2015

My Cochlear Implant Allows Me
to Have Normal Conversations
June 10 & 11, 2015

Creation by oldest granddaughter - small doll quilt for her youngest sister.

Yesterday, Ron had some jobs promised early in the day, so I went to the office just shortly after he went.  Our oldest granddaughter joined us about 9:00 and spent the rest of the day.  She is learning to write the invoices for the customers while I cut their keys.  She is learning how to figure the tax for the invoices.  Her math is good.  In the afternoon, she did some sewing, as she made a doll blanket for her little sister.  She did some cleaning and helped me move a big stack of sandbags to the warehouse.
Our granddaughter also checked out some of the merchandise and worked on a quilt she started last summer.  It will be very nice when it is done and she completed two blocks during her stay at the shop.  I think she has about 3/4 of them done now.

I failed to mention the day before that, after work I went by to get Mom to take her to visit a friend of ours at the hospital.  We had a nice visit and I know Mom enjoys getting out.  This friend has been so very kind to us for years and we could never do enough to repay her kindnesses to us.

After work yesterday, I took our granddaughter home to her house and visited with our daughter-in- law for a bit before going to Mom's to wait for my sister to arrive.  She flew into McAllen, rented a car, and got to Mom's about 6:30.  She came to help with our grandchildren while the move is getting started for their family.  We went to supper at Jason's Deli. 
In my office, I have a TV monitor from a camera in the showroom.  
I could see my granddaughter talking to the fish in the fish tank out front.
Today I again needed to be at the office a little early.  Ron had one job he went out on during the morning, but was in the office much of the day.  I had an appointment in San Benito at 1:00 for a thyroid scan - a yearly thing so they can check to be sure the nodules in my thyroid have not grown.  I was able to get the scan done very quickly.  The place I go is so fast and efficient.

From there I went to Harlingen to get the blood work done before my appointment next week with the thyroid doctor.  I went to the usual lab and the young man said that the doctor was requesting a test that they do not do.  So he went to the doctor's office down the hall and the doctor said she would refer me and another lady waiting for the same test, to a different lab.  The receptionist was not very helpful, only giving us vague directions and no name, address, or phone number for the different lab. 

Thankfully I found a lab - I am not sure it was the one she directed us to - and they were able to do the blood work that was requested, plus, there was no waiting.  The lady who took the blood got it on the first try and only left a small bruise.  Thanks to my Cochlear implant, I was able to have a very nice conversation with the lady taking my blood. 

That reminds me, during the morning, while Ron was out, a customer came in and we also had a very nice chat.  It is funny how it started.  No one else was in the office and it was very quiet  (except for the hymn that I was hearing in my head), and the man said that we should have music playing or a television on, that it was too quiet.  I tried not to laugh, thinking, "you don't know the meaning of quiet until you are deaf" and it was not quiet for me since I take my music with me where ever I go.  But I tried to explain that those kinds of things make it too hard for me to hear the customer.  We talked for a long time (I will tell you about that next), but he still said as he was leaving that we should try having a radio on.  He had not had to wait for me to help him.  There was no waiting time for him.  Then we had the lengthy  conversation, and still he wanted a television or radio to be blaring noise.  He was an older man, so that surprised me.
My granddaughter helping me at home in the kitchen.
My conversation with the man wanting noise in my office, was interesting.  He works with pairing mentors to at risk students in the schools.  He was a priest for many years, but left the church to marry.  I asked questions about how they are able to get the students to improve and stay in school.  They work with the family as well as the student, training the parents to show interest in the work the child does.  The child gets leadership training from the mentor and praise for the achievements, and the child begins to show respect to the parents and hopefully the parents get involved with the child.  It was so good to be able to hear all about the program he heads up.  They work with 5 school districts in the valley.
 Lego creation Thursday evening
Back to the Harlingen trip.  Sorry that this blog seems to be jumping around.  I went by the quilt shop that seems to be preparing to go out of business.  There was a quilt kit that our granddaughters saw about a month ago and loved.  It was more money than I wanted to spend.  When I stopped by this time, I asked the lady if she would discount it for me and she said yes.  Her new price was in my range, so I bought it.  I think our oldest granddaughter could make it by herself, but I think she would get bogged down, so I hope to make it with her this summer.  They didn't have a second quilt kit, but I think if I buy one more panel for the center of the quilt, I can manage the rest in a different style and get one made for the middle granddaughter.
 The three youngest grandchildren happily playing together.
On the way home at 3:00, I stopped and picked up lunch for Ron and me in San Benito at the Longhorn Cattle Company.  It was delicious.  Ron was glad I had brought him some lunch/supper since he planned to work very late at the office again.  
 Enjoying our Rice Krispie treats at home.

The mail at the office brought some payments to us from work Ron had done and so I prepared a deposit after I got back from Harlingen.  At closing time, I went to the bank to make the deposit and then went by Mom's house.  Mom, Carmen (Mom's helper), and my sister Janet are keeping Jeff and Barb's 5 youngest children while Barb spends the rest of the week running errands and continuing to pack for their upcoming move.  The kids had enjoyed the day but were getting tired.
Lego creation
After visiting for a while, we all loaded up in two cars and went to the restaurant that Barbara's mother owns,  and had supper.  The family eats there often so the children knew what they wanted and ate every bite in sight.  From there we came to my house and while the children played, I made Rice Krispie treats with our oldest granddaughter, and we all had some before we had the kids clean up the toys.  After the treats, I helped take everyone back to Mom's house to spend the night.  While at our house, our middle granddaughter sewed, the oldest one got loving comfort from her aunt after stubbing a couple of toes, and the three little ones stayed in the play rooms.
This grandson had kept playing while we ate the treats, so he later came to the table alone for his.
It was close to 10:00 by the time I got back home.  It had been another long, but very good day.

2 comments:

  1. Hate to hear Picket Fence is closing. I want to be sure to buy from the quilt shop in DS....they seem to be going good but I sure want them to stay open. You made my mouth water when you mentioned the Longhorn!

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    1. They have not officially announced they are closing, but they have no new merchandise and the shelves are over 1/2 empty. Everything is 30% off. The owner is 83 (I think that is what she told me). She is ready to retire. She thought she had a buyer a while back but it didn't work out.

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