April 14, 2016

Am I Confused?

YES!

April 14, 2016

Lovely double hibiscus

This is Thursday's entry.  Somewhere I got confused and for the last two days I have dated invoices incorrectly.  Thankfully I reminded Ron to get the taxes mailed on time.  Of course I thought it was the 15th,but it was the 14th.  Better than if I were confused the other way.

The day seemed VERY long.  I don't know why, because I didn't go to the office unusually early, but by 3:00, I felt that it was time to go home.  It was quiet the last part of the afternoon so that added to the feeling that surely it was later than the clock was saying.

Single red hibiscus

 

In general, it was an uneventful day at the office.  I did get a deposit prepared and took it to the bank and got some change.  They took care of it quickly and I didn't get to read much in my book while I was waiting.  I have had so many interesting books to read lately. 

We met our friends for supper at Jason's Deli.  We had a good time visiting and saw a couple of other friends there.  Shortly after I got home, I got to feeling very sick.  I think it was a new medication I had started that morning.  At supper I did use the Cochlear mini mic and it helped a lot.  Jason's has remodeled and I think it has made the place a little louder. 

Pink oleander

 

During the evening I read for a while and actually exercised for a bit.  We had gotten the elliptical trainer, but it was about the time I was so sick with that bad cold.  Then it has been one thing or another since then that has kept me from it for more than a couple of minutes at a time.  I love that I can put my book (or Kindle) on this and read while I exercise.  I hope I can make myself do that more often.  

April 13, 2016

New Electric Lines Finished

April 13, 2016

This is the area where the utility work was done.

 

This morning I was up early.  I preheated the oven while I took my shower.  When I got out and dressed, I started baking the cookies I had mixed up last night.  They were all done before too long and bagged for the workers from the utility company.  I left them on the seat of the digging equipment since I had to leave early for a doctor's appointment. 

Lots of equipment to do the job.

My appointment was for 9:00.  When I arrived, the waiting room was packed.  I asked the young man at the window if he would like to reschedule me and he said yes, he would.  He gave me an appointment for 1:30 today.  I headed to the office and worked on the papers to send to the accountant.

I love this color of the roses.

 

When it was time to go back to the doctor's office I was almost done with the things for the accountant, but had one more item to do.  When I got to the office, there were a few people there, but I got in quickly and was seen much quicker than the last few times.  The nurse practitioner changed a couple of prescriptions that were giving me side effects I did not like, and replaced them with medications that will probably give me a new set of side effects that I can see if I like any better.

The nurse practitioner used the Cochlear mini mic and it helped a lot.  She talks fast and without it I would be at a loss.  I still had to have her repeat some but it was for directions I didn't understand in most cases and not due to not hearing her.  She does frustrate me a little.  I think she is very quick to write prescriptions. 

 The zinnia seeds I planted Sunday are already coming up.

 

I picked up lunch on the way back to the office and split it with Ron when I got there.  We stayed busy in the afternoon and he had to leave to check on the work at the house.  I spent all the time waiting on customers.  I did manage to get the papers ready for the accountant and have them in the mail.  I will email him a copy tomorrow.

 More zinnias coming up on the end of the rose  flower bed.

 

On my way home from work I picked up the new prescriptions and went by Mom's but she and Debbie must have been out running around again - the car was gone.  I came home and spent about 15 minutes in the yard checking on the work the men had done.  They did leave a large bare area, but we can't see it from the house and it can't be seen from the street, so we won't worry about it.  We will probably scatter some zinnia seeds or something like that in the area for now and worry about grass later. 

Grape vines Ron finally got planted.

 

After I went into the house I read for a few minutes, and then went to sleep until midnight.  Got up then and talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  I had a snack and took my pills for the night and after reading a little more, went back to sleep.

Ron wants one of these for Christmas

April 12, 2016

Digging Deep

April 12, 2016

This morning I went out about 9:30 to see if the men from the utility company had started working yet.  Three men were out in the back yard where they had marked off a spot yesterday.  It was so funny.  One was sitting on the digging machine, while two were leaning on their shovels.  I went back out at 10:00 and the scene was exactly the same.

I sent Ron a text asking is anything was going on at work and he said the power was off.  I told him to send me one when it was back on.  At 11:00 he sent a text to say it was back on.  I went to the yard and the scene was the same and the guys laughed and said the others had just arrived.  I told them the only reason I was still there was that the power was off at my office.  They said oh yes, they knew about it; a bird had caused the outage.  While we chatted 5 or 6 more men arrived.  I loaded my car and left.

We were not sure why the men had decided to dig in another place but later found out they were moving the line.  About 30 years ago our neighbor across the side street had put in a swimming pool and the line had to be moved.  They did not mark that on the maps and didn't do a real good job of laying it out in an effective manner, so they were making it flow better; and in the process, they would avoid having to dig up my waterfall and our playhouse in the backyard.

They dug a hole about 5 feet deep and of course as often happens in Brownsville, especially by the water, they hit water at 3 feet.  I don't know how they do this stuff in the muddy water.  These men have been so very nice to us, and we are trying to be very nice to them.  The work is for our benefit and any grass that is messed up will grow back.

This afternoon, they leveled out the area Ron had dug up over the last few weeks preparing for them (and then they ended up working in another area).  It was just a nice thing for them to do and with their equipment, it probably didn't take them 5 minutes and would have taken Ron all afternoon.

At the office, I did not get much done except for waiting on customers.  I had some very nice customers and one who was confused.  After work I went by Mom's but she was at a doctor's visit - my sister had taken her.  So I came home and worked in the yard for a while.

During the evening I talked to our son in Dallas.  They are still waiting for some of their remodeling to be finished.  They are doing fine other than being tired of walking around boxes while the work is being done on the house.  I think they finally have all their choices made, so maybe it will be done soon.

Then I talked to our son and his wife in New Mexico.  This daughter-in-law is the one who has had the blood clots in her leg and has had a lot of knee pain.  They have determined that she has a torn meniscus.  She will have a long slow recovery, but it should heal without surgery.

Just before going to bed, I mixed up a batch of cookies to bake in the morning.

April 11, 2016

The On-Going Saga of the Replacement

Of the Underground Electrical Wires

April 11, 2016

Area cleared for electrical work.

According to the men from the electric company, last week their plan was to start work in our yard this week.  That meant that Ron continued the work he has been doing for weeks, clearing out all the trees and shrubs that were overgrown on the utility easement in the yard.  That has been a major job and I am proud of him for sticking to it and getting it done.  We have an area that is enclosed with a high fence for our motor home, but we rarely keep it here.  Half of that area is in the easement and it was also cluttered and overgrown.  Ron has been busy.

Chachalaca came for a visit this afternoon.

 

This morning about the time I was leaving for the office, the men were gathering in this area to do the work.  As I left they were digging a hole in the street at our corner.  I mentioned it to Ron and he had a job in this area so he came by to check on things.

Late this afternoon they called him to say they would not be digging in the area they had told him, but rather in the area out by the water!  The easement goes right through the area where my waterfall is and where the playhouse is that Ron built for the kids MANY years ago.  We don't know if the lines are not where they thought or if they are just going to bypass all the work they would have to go to with the other things in the way.  I have suggested that Ron stay home in the morning and see what they are doing.

Roses I picked today.

 

Again, after work, we both worked in the yard.  Ron planted a couple of grape vines for me that we got in Houston several months ago.  He had to move a couple of things so the men could easily get to the new area.  It is basically a clear path, but there were water hoses, etc. in the way.

He went to sleep as soon as he got a bath.  He was so tired.  He has done such a good job, but it has been exhausting.  I did another load of dishes from the church meal and put a lot of things away.

 Black-bellied Whistling Duck

 

I got a cute photo this evening from our daughter-in-law in McAllen of one of our granddaughters with their 2 new puppies.  The kids have been so eager to get them and I know they will enjoy the dogs.

Tree Ron dug up yesterday.

 

Late this evening I talked to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico.  She is still in a lot of knee pain and will see the doctor tomorrow afternoon to see what can be done to relieve the pain. 

April 10, 2016

What A Wonderful Sunday 

School Class We Have

April 10, 2016

The back yard has been filled with red-winged blackbirds this week.

Most of the members in our Sunday School class have been together for MANY years.  We have watched each others' children grow up, get married, and have children of their own.  We have seen several of them lose a spouse.  We have laughed together and cried together.  We have helped out each other in times of need. 

Yesterday the young woman who had just the afternoon before laid her husband to rest, was in class.  Everyone went out of their way to make her feel welcome.  She is younger than most in the class, but we don't care.  We will be glad to help her in any way we can.  Maybe later she will want to go to another class, but for now, she is content in our class.

We really love this bunch of people.  There is a core group of around 20 - 25 who are there most Sundays.  We try to keep track of what is going on with those who are absent.  We laugh a lot.  We share heartaches.  We try to meet the needs in the group.  I love these friends.

After class I stayed for a bit to visit with a few members in the class.  Then I joined Mom and my two sisters in church for a good message on baptism.  I am really having trouble with some of the medications I am on; they make me so sleepy that if I sit still, I go to sleep.  It happens in church, at home in the recliner, at work at my desk.  I know I could not make a long drive alone at this point.  It is so frustrating.  The doctor keeps saying it will get better.  It isn't.

Ron and I came home to eat leftovers for lunch and each took naps after lunch.  His was short.  Mine was long.  We each worked in the yard following our naps.  I planted zinnia seeds and he transplanted  plants.   We both worked until dark and ate snacks for supper.

April 9, 2016

A Busy Saturday,

With Wonderful Helpers

April 9, 2016

Saturday morning I got up early as Ron woke me according to my request.  I had a lot to do before going to the church to prepare for a meal for a family who would be having an afternoon funeral for their loved one.  Our Sunday School class was providing the meal and one of the ladies had called different ones to ask for help.  All who were called were more than willing to help. 

First I needed to gather tablecloths, napkins, tableware, serving dishes, serving spoons and table decorations.  We were using the youth building with round tables and the tablecloths I had for our son's wedding rehearsal dinner a year and a half ago were perfect for the day.  They were a neutral color and I had the matching cloth napkins.  I used the flowers from the last Winter Texan Banquet I hosted, with one large arrangement on the serving counter and small arrangements on the tables in simple "jelly glasses". 

I had most of those things taken care of before the other helpers started coming but when they arrived, I put them all to work.  We had lots of food and lots of help serving.  We had at least a dozen helpers and they all did a great job.  I was so thankful for the help.  One of the men had fixed brisket and brought it sliced and ready to serve.  We had 3 or 4 kinds of salads, green beans, corn, rolls, and 8 or 10 desserts.  Everything was so well done. 

Many of the leftovers went with one of the ladies who has a ministry in Mexico and I know it feed some hungry people there.  Ron and packed up everything in the car after the meal and had time to bring it home and quickly change clothes and get to the funeral in time.  It was a packed sanctuary at the funeral home, with many people standing in the back.  There were more flowers than  I have seen at a funeral in 40 years.

Ron transplanted about 5 rather large plants along this side

 of the house.  He had cut them back but the root systems are huge.

 

Everyone loves the young widow and her family and apparently it was the same with the family of her husband who had died.  I did not know him well, but many of his family were there and lots of his friends.  The young man was 40 years old and died waiting for a liver transplant.  Everyone knew how seriously ill he had been so his death had not been a shock, but rather a great disappointment.  We had all been praying that he would get the transplant and be restored to health.  They had only been married about a year and a half.


After the service Ron and I came home.  I was exhausted and quickly went to sleep for a couple of hours.  Once I woke up, I worked in the yard for a while.  Ron had been working in the yard while I slept. 

In the house I ran the first load of laundry and the first load of dishes from the meal at the church.  That was about as far as I got.  I did not finish unpacking boxes.

Six weeks ago this area was solid with bushes and trees.

April 8, 2016

It Is Friday, Again!  Yippee!

April 8, 2016

Before leaving for the office, I went into the back yard and picked some of the miniature roses.  They are lovely as always.  There are several more buds about to open.  It was a very nice day temperature wise.  It was cloudy, but only scattered a few rain drops.  

At the office, we usually give away calendars away during the holidays.  I have just a few left.  As I have given them out I have been giving them to customers I have made comments such as, "I know the year is 1/4 gone already, but would you like one of our calendars?"  Across the board, all of the customers have said they can't believe it is already April. 

Today, Ron says he woke me, but that I just grunted and turned over.  He let me keep sleeping.  I appreciate that, but it is startling when I wake up and he has left me sleeping.  I have no recollection of him trying to wake me this morning.  When I got to the office, Ron was very busy.  I helped with the customers who were waiting.  Then a little later, he left for a couple of hours on a job. 

It slowed down as has become common for Fridays.  The morning had several customers, but the afternoon was almost dead.  Only two or three customers were in during the afternoon.  One came in just as we were closing and wanted one of the Disney keys and spent a long time trying to decide which one.

Ron, Mom, my sisters, and I went to Jason's Deli for supper and enjoyed the food and the visiting.  It was a good evening.  From there, I went to the grocery store to get a few things I will need in the morning for a meal we are preparing at the church.  Tomorrow will be a busy day.

My sister asked me at supper tonight why I wasn't using the Cochlear mini mic.  I told her I was hearing everyone well.  It was not noisy in the restaurant.  They have just remodeled.  I am not sure if that helped or not.

I did have a funny thing happen this afternoon.  Ron said something to me and what I heard was, "Water your plants tonight."  That did not make any sense.  He had watered most of them last night.  I asked him to repeat what he said.  I heard the same thing.  I could tell he was getting impatient with me and I had no idea why.  It turned out he had asked a question, "What are your plans tonight?"  Welcome to my world.