February 22, 2015

Home Again!

February 22, 2015

It is good to be home again.  Most of us like to travel, but most of us are glad to get back home after those travels.  We had an excellent trip.  When we were traveling, the weather was good except for mist, drizzle, and rain today mostly between Dallas and San Antonio.  Being a Sunday morning, the traffic was rather light so that made traveling in the rain bearable.  We did pass a very bad accident along that part of the trip and it had traffic on the expressway down to one slow lane.

Accidents can happen any where, and any time.  We had received a prayer request yesterday morning for friends who had been leaving California after visiting their daughter and her family and were in a very serious accident as they drove.  They were doing about 65 mph on the expressway and a vehicle doing 90-100 mph rear-ended them.  It was only by the grace of God that they are now at their daughter's home after the horrible hit they took, sending their car in all directions.

About 1:30 we met up with our son David and his family at North Star Mall and had lunch in the food court.  After visiting for a while, the kids went shopping and the adults continued visiting.  It was good to see them all.

 I napped part of the way home and also did some reading.  Ron and I were delighted to have great visits with two of our 4 sons and their families.

 

When we got home our two oldest grandsons came over and helped Ron unload the car.  We had brought back a table that Stephen had used for the last several years and no longer had room to keep.  We will use it in our living room for the older grandchildren when we have the family over for lunch.

Ron and Stephen had loaded the table and chairs last night at Stephen's house as we unloaded some decorations we had used at the rehearsal dinner.  The decorations are things they look forward to using in their home.  It was so good to see them and to see that marriage is agreeing with them.

 

Our children are so thoughtful.  Diana had knitted a scarf for me and it is beautiful.  I know I will enjoy using it when it gets cold enough here.  All of our children are very generous toward us and we are thankful for it.  I shopped at the Quilt Store yesterday with a gift card from Stephen and Kristina and Ron shopped at Half-Price Books with a gift card from them.  They all know what we like.

At the Food Court at North Star Mall today, hearing was difficult, but Ron said he had the same problem.  It was very crowded and noisy.  We noticed the contrast of the almost silence as we stepped out of the mall and heard the birds singing, compared to how very noisy the mall was.

We are so glad we were able to be away for a few days, but we know this will be a busy week ahead as we try to catch up on things.

February 21, 2015

Classes Are Done!

February 21, 2015

As Ron and I sit in a Chick-Fil-A, I think after three days of classes, our brains are fried.   This afternoon after Ron attended the trade show, he and Stephen went to Half-Price Bookstore where he used a couple of gift cards and came out with a large box of books.  We are waiting at Chick-fil-A while Stephen attends his weekly Bible study and Ron was bemoaning the fact that he forgot to bring his Kindle.  We had just left Half-Price Books.  I suggested he go get a book out of the car.  Very embarrassed, he trudged out to the car for reading material. 

Poor Ron, I have laughed at him all weekend.  We stayed at the convention hotel while attending the classes and for some reason they put us sort of at the far end of the building on the top floor.  We have seen only one or two people in that section of the hotel the whole time we have been there.  I told him that maybe they remembered his snoring from three years ago and put us as far away from other guests as possible.  He did give me permission to share these stories.
 

We left home Wednesday morning and had a good drive to Dallas. The weather was wonderful and Ron drove so the heavy traffic didn't bother me - I slept some.  We arrived at our hotel ahead of the 5:00 traffic.  After unloading we relaxed having had a long drive.  We had stopped at Pok-e-Joe's on the way up to get lunch and neither of us was hungry so we read and went to sleep. 

Thursday morning (and each morning) the hotel provided us a fantastic buffet breakfast that was filling and delicious.  On Thursday, Ron and I were in a class together all day.  Our class fees included a lunch which was a buffet of sandwich fixings and was delicious.  The class was on the use of the computer program Quick Books which many small businesses use for bookkeeping, as do we.  I know the basics, but Ron doesn't so it was a good class for him to attend and I learned a few things.  The teacher had 15 minutes notice that he was needed to teach the class due to an emergency with the scheduled teacher.  He did a great job and was easy for me to hear and understand.

After class we went to the room and relaxed and waited until about 7:00 and went to the store where Stephen works.

We spent some time with him there until he locked up the store and then we drove to his house and got Kristina and went to supper.

It turned out to be a Christmas Dinner at Chili's as Kristina and Stephen gave us the Christmas gifts they had for us.  I got books and more books and Ron got a new Bible that has more footnotes than you have ever seen.

 

We had a good time and good supper but stayed out later than intended and kept them up late.  Kristina has a little bit of a long drive the next morning to the school where she teaches.  It was good to be with them and see them happy and doing well.

We got back to the hotel about 11:30 and went straight to sleep to be ready for another 8:00 a.m. class Friday.  We were up early for another of those great breakfasts.  Then to classes.  Friday we were in different classes.  Ron took a safe class all day and I took a class in the morning on Growing Your Business and in the afternoon on Locksmith Marketing.  Both were useful and the same man taught the marketing class who taught the Thursday class.  The morning class was small and I was on the front row, so I did fine hearing.  These are the best classes I have taken for the license.  They were useful to me, well taught and I did not fight to stay awake.

Friday evening we met Stephen and Kristina for my birthday dinner at Olive Garden since we couldn't be together for my birthday.  After supper we returned to the hotel and visited for a while before Stephen and Kristina headed home. 

Saturday morning was the same: great breakfast and 8:00 class.  We just had a one hour class this time.  It was harder for me to hear and less interesting, but necessary.  After class we returned to the room before going to the trade show.  I only stayed long enough to greet some friends and then I met Stephen and Kristina to go to Carrollton to do some shopping.  They had given me a gift certificate to the Quilt Store there and that made shopping extra fun. 

We looked around town at antiques and assorted other unique shops before having lunch at the Twisted Root Burger Co. and then we went to the Quilt Store.

Kristina and I both wanted to learn more about each other's tastes in colors and fabrics.  We had a good time shopping and I managed to spend my gift certificate before we returned to Dallas. 

Ron and Stephen had left earlier to go to the Half-Price Book store and Kristina and I shopped more before meeting them.  Then she left for a baby-sitting job and we went to Chick-fil-A with Stephen.  That is where I started this blog.

February 17, 2015

Licensing a Locksmith

February 17, 2015

Most of you know that Ron and I are the owners of Landreth's Locksmith Service.  My grandparents started the business and that is where the name Landreth comes from - it is my maiden name.  Ron married the boss's daughter.  About 15 years ago I guess, the state decided Locksmiths needed to be licensed.  What a shame that a few "fly-by-night" guys put all these regulations and expenses on the rest of us.

Now, we must have 16 hours of continuing education every two years.  We pay for the classes, the travel, the hotels, the meals out of town, the license for the business and licenses for each of us. The past few times, there were no classes that had any relation to what I do at the office, but since I am a co-owner, I must be licensed and take classes.  Last time I took Safe Work for Dummies or some such course.  I have taken classes on Keyless Entry,  Storefront Doors, Rules and Regulations, Americans with Disabilities Act, (how to be sure a disabled person can open a door), Methods of Entry, Panic Bars, and a long list of other classes that do not apply to my work in our business.  I have been complaining for a while to those who select the classes to be offered, that there are others like me who run the office and would like some help in that area. 

This year, they are offering an 8 hour class on Quick Books.  I use Quick Books for our bookkeeping program at the office and know how to use it, but it has many sections I don't use and it could be helpful to find out whatelse it could do for me.  Ron doesn't know how to use it and found out while I was out so much this past fall, that it would help if he did know how to use it.  So we are taking that class together on Thursday. 

Friday we will be in separate classes.  With my hearing limitations, that makes it hard for me.  Last time I took all the classes he did.  Friday I will be taking Locksmith Marketing, which may turn out to be mostly webpages.  (Oh, I took an 8 hour class on Webpage Design.)  We do have a website that our sons set up for us.  Then they moved away.  I don't know how to maintain it so I have to call them to make changes.  This afternoon, our oldest grandson showed up at the office and I asked if he could get me into the programing portion of the website.  He was going to work on it a few months ago, but forgot the password.  I gave it to him this afternoon and he quickly did a lot of things on it for me.  I wish I was taking him with me to this class!  Now I know who can put into practice what I learn in the class.

The Marketing class is 4 hours.  The other 4 class hours on Friday for me will be a class on How to Grow Your Business.  That will be helpful (I hope).  I don't remember what Ron is taking on Friday.  I think it is one class for 8 hours.  On Saturday morning we will both take a one hour Ethics class.  So really, we have to have 17 hours each, since classes are 4 or 8 hours and you need one of your hours to be ethics, so for us the only way to do it is to go to 17 hours of classes each. We could spread them out, but it works out cheaper to get them all in one long weekend.  This will also be our state convention for locksmiths.

I am dreading the next few days.  The hearing is always very difficult in group settings.  The lunches are around large round tables and it is hard to hear anyone who is not right beside me.  Hearing in the classes is hard.  I have been in classes of 8 and classes of 40.  You never know.  Some teachers help; some don't.  Some talk fast; some speak softly.  A few speak up and speak clearly and that really helps.  There are rarely any classes offered south of San Antonio.  We have taken a few classes in Corpus, but those are rare and most are just a couple of hours on a week night which is not easy for us with a 3 hour drive each way.  We have taken classes in Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Corpus.

During the next few days, I am not sure how much I will be able to keep up on the blog, but I will try. 

February 16, 2015

Monday, Again!?!

or 

Time Flies When You are Having Fun

February 16, 2015

As I typed that title, I thought, maybe the first line isn't really true.  At first there was a feeling of, "How can it be Monday again, already?"  Then I thought of all that has gone on since last Monday and that makes it seem like it has been a long time ago.  That made the second title "Time Flies When You are Having Fun" seem more appropriate.  Last Monday my friend, Tiny, was still visiting with us.  That night we went to the Oyster Bar to eat supper with Tiny and Mom.  Tiny wanted fresh fried shrimp while she was here.

Tuesday evening was our quilt group meeting.  That day also, my sister and her husband arrived in town.  Wednesday was my birthday and Tiny and I ended up leaving the office and going shopping down town and then we picked up lunch before I took her to the airport in Harlingen. I stopped at the quilt shop in Harlingen and then at a friend's office.  Next it was time for my birthday dinner at our son's home with my birthday cake which was made and decorated by a couple of our grandchildren.  Thursday was Mom's birthday and we had a birthday dinner at her house followed by a beautiful, yummy cake. 

Friday night it was time for supper with our friends.  Saturday was Valentine's Day and Sunday was busy with church activities and lunch with our son's family and another family.  What a week I have had since last Monday.  As I have mentioned before, we manage to spread out the celebrating for a week for the birthdays.

This morning I over slept again.  Ron was almost ready to leave when I got up.  I asked why he didn't wake me and he said he planned to do it before he left.  He can be very sweet.  I managed to spend a little time in the yard before coming in and getting ready for work.  When I arrived, I saw I had a text from my friend Rhonda and she wanted to know if I could go with her downtown so she could shop for some fabric.  I was glad to go along and we left my office about 11:30.  We were only gone an hour, but accomplished what she needed.  Rhonda is fluent in Spanish and that helps shopping in downtown Brownsville.  She is busy getting ready for her youngest daughter's wedding. 

When I got back to the office I ate lunch and worked on some bookkeeping chores.  Then I cut out some fabric pieces for a quilt.  I have an ironing board, cutting board, and sewing machine in my office, but don't use them too often.  I want to get better about using them when it is slow at the office. 

Just before closing time I left to go by Mom's house on the way home to see how she was doing since she had been having trouble with her cough.  She had just gotten home from the doctor's office.  Our daughter-in-law Barb had taken her.  Barb dropped off a prescription at the pharmacy on her way home and I took Mom to buy groceries.  We each picked up a few things and then I took her home and stayed to visit for a while. 

Mom is doing much better, but the medications cause some problems and she is eager to get off as many of them as she can.  She will need a little time to do that, but should be able to do without some of them.  Each one brings its own set of side effects and none of us like those. 

When my friend Tiny was here we talked a lot about having to depend on others to meet our needs.  None of us like doing that.  Tiny has had to give up almost all driving.  She has lost the sight in one eye due to a serious bout with shingles.  She will only drive short distances in the area where she lives.  It has been very hard for her to give it up.  None of us want to relinquish any of our independence, but sometimes it is for the best. 

When I went deaf I had to depend on my husband for so many things and I still do.  The main thing he still has to do for me is the telephone calls.  He also has to be sure I am up in the mornings after my vibrating alarm goes off.  I can drive, but when we travel together he does all the driving now.  We used to share.  I did make some trips alone, to the Dallas area this past fall, but broke each trip up into 2 days.  One of the medications I take makes me sleepy so it is just too hard to do the trip in one stretch. 

Mom and I talked about the things we do out of habit without thinking about them.  She and I have always been able just to reach up and get something off a high shelf.  We are both learning that sometimes that isn't wise.  We also just twist to get something we need to pickup instead of turning our whole bodies to face the item we need.  Old habits die hard.  Many of us carry things that are heavier than we need to be carrying.  A friend posted yesterday that after she carries 5 gallon water bottles, her knees hurt for a couple of days.  I suggested 3 gallon jugs.  That is what we use and still, I ask Ron to put them on the counter for me.  I can do it, but usually pay a physical price for doing it.  I used to have no problem with the 5 gallon bottles.  Now I would not try one at all.

Ron mentioned that he sees his mother slowing down a little more.  She is almost as old as my mom who just turned 92.  We are so thankful to both have our moms and to see them mentally alert and happy.  Ron's mom has more physical problems than my mom, but she stays busy with reading and handwork, and craft items.  She enjoys her days.

Most of us have some weakness that slows us down as we get a little older.  For me, of course the hearing is a big adjustment.  For Mom right now, it is her back.  Ron's mother also suffers a lot with back pain from bone spurs in the spine and knee trouble.  I hope that each of us can grow old gracefully.

February 15, 2015

Salvation Sermon

February 15, 2015

Last night I did not sleep well.  I went to sleep early, but woke up at 2:00 a.m. and tossed and turned for 2 hours.  At 4:00 a.m. I started reading until 5:00 a.m. and then gave up and got up.  I baked muffins for breakfast and wrote my blog for the previous day.

Ron left for church a little before I did.  We had a good group in class and very good discussion.  Ron brought a good lesson and always encourages discussion.

Mom had asked me to call this morning to see if she wanted me to pick her up for church.  She had a bad cough yesterday and wasn't sure if she would be up to going today, but she was, so I picked her up and we returned in time for church.  She lives close to the church.  We had a guest preacher today and he is excellent in explaining the gospel and telling people what they must do to be saved.  Using the scripture in John 3:16, he very clearly laid out what one must do to come to the Lord for salvation.  Several adults responded to the sermon, coming forward to ask God to forgive their sins, ask Him to come into their hearts and to ask Him to become the Lord of their lives.

The pastor speaking this morning was Dr. Gene Williams.  He has preached here many times before and is very good at presenting the message of salvation in a very clear way.  He is getting well up in years and his health is failing.  As you watch him walk, you worry he may not make the next step, but once he is behind the pulpit, the Word of God pours from him flawlessly.  What a blessing it was to have him in our church today.

After the service Mom went with the Lunch Bunch and we went with Jeff's family to Buddy's Bar-B-Que place along with another family, the Benders.  It was a fun lunch and all the children enjoyed each other's company.

Ron and I came home and relaxed.  We both had headaches for some reason and so it was a quiet afternoon.  He went to his Mom's to take a few things to her that she needed.  He got a late afternoon nap.  I  am trying not to go to sleep early so I can get back on schedule.

Hearing in the restaurant again was hard.  I could hear my grandson sitting on one side of me, my daughter-in-law at the end of the table on the other side of me, and our friend across from me.  That really isn't too bad, but this place is shaped like a barn with very high ceilings, and concrete floor, so I think hearing could be hard for others also.

In church, using my transistor radio and the cable for the Cochlear Sound Processor, I could hear probably 98% of the sermon.  That was great.  The biggest problem there is that if I have the radio hooked to the sound processor I can't hear people next to me speaking to me or hear guests I may be greeting.  So I must make a choice which I want to hear.

February 14, 2015

Valentine's Day 2015

February 14, 2015

Flowers from a sweet young lady at church.

The day was a rather unproductive, laid-back kind of day.  I slept until 7:00, spent time at the computer until 8:00, spent a little time in the yard filling ponds and feeders for the birds.  Ron had left early and left me a note saying he saw four green jays in the yard before he left.  I later saw one, but that was all.

Around 9:30 I left for the grocery store and had a rather frustrating time.  I did fine with the shopping at the Wal-Mart on the port road, but when I got ready to check out, there were only 2 lanes open for people with a lot of items and many open for people with a few items.  There were only 2 people in front of me but the clerk was slow and chatty and somehow messed up the change for the man in front of me and someone had to be called over to take care of the problem.

It was well over 20 minutes before I got checked out.  I found a manager and mentioned three problems I encountered.  One that bugged me is that they run your check through and return it to you but when you sign the agreement for that, you don't see the total and there was something about additional fees.  The manager said she agreed that was wrong and would have them check on the software.  She said they had been short handed and that was why they didn't have more lanes open (didn't explain why the express lanes were all open). 

Once, home I unloaded the groceries, but only put away the cold things and sat down to relax and read.  I had a scare while at the store.  I thought I had lost my Discover card.  (I found it.)  I was buying a lot of supplies for the office and use that to pay for office purchases.  The last I remembered using it was in Harlingen and I had put it in my right hand pocket next to my phone.  A complete search of my purse proved it was not there.  Once in the car, I felt down on the right hand side of the driver's seat and sure enough, it was there.  It took a while to get my brain to relax over that concern.  So I sat down to read and of course, fell asleep - reading does that to me.

I woke up when Ron came home and we went out in the yard so I could show him a couple of trees I wanted removed.  He accomplished that during the afternoon.  I called to see if I could go to Mom's to pick up her and Carmen.  She said she had a bad cough and would I just come get Carmen - she was going back to bed.  Carmen worked all afternoon and got my house clean and shiny.  She is a hard worker. 

I cut out pieces for 6 quilt squares, but did not do any sewing.  I did laundry and a little cleaning.  At one point, the door bell rang, which is rather rare.  It was a sweet friend bringing me some flowers.  I think they were birthday flowers and so unexpected. 

Then I took Carmen to Mom's and stopped to pick up supper for them on my way.  Mom was much better when we got there.  It was good to see her bright smile again - it had been missing earlier.

Hearing issues were fine most of the day.  The grocery store caused no problems,  I do fairly well with clerks now.  With Carmen, it is not the hearing, it is the understanding since she speaks Spanish.  She knows a little English and I know a little Spanish.  We manage.  It was really an uneventful day and I was ready for one of those!

I added some fern from the yard to the arrangement.  I transplanted this fern to our yard from my grandmother's house almost 38 years ago.  I think of her every time I see it.

February 13, 2015

Just a Few Quick Words

February 13, 2015

Green Parakeets

Friday the 13th was a good day.  No tragic things happened.  We had a little rain in the morning and gray skies for the rest of the day. 

Ron was out of the office all morning at the doctor's office where he got good reports on his blood work done during the visit and last week.  He is feeling a little better and they are running one more blood test.

At the office, during the morning, I paid some bills, waited on lots of customers, and sent my reports off to the accountant who is suffering with shingles.  I gathered trash and sorted papers on my desk. Ron returned about noon and Mom, Janet and Joe Bob stopped by for a visit.  Soon the visit was over and they left so Janet and Joe Bob could pack to return to their home.  They helped Mom get a lot of errands run.

Ron was in and out a time or two in the afternoon and worked on the items I had taken in from customers during the morning.  He made a trip to check on his Mom and I waited on most of the customers so he could do the errands and counter work.

Just before closing, I saw part of the flock of green parakeets about a block away and went out to take some photos.  This one was taken a block from where they were.

I kept hearing some closer, and it turned out to be two on the power lines behind the shop.  I got a couple of photos, but it was so gray and windy, the photos are not great.

I love being able to HEAR them!

After closing, we went to meet our friends for our Friday night dinner.  They are always fun to chat with.  We had a good visit, but in the beginning, I was picking up a lot of noise on the sound processor and it was hard to hear.  After a bit, we had the room to ourselves and it got better.  The audiologist suggests that I sit across the table from my friend to hear better and if it was only the two of us, that might work, but with four of us at the table, side by side works better and after we eat, I turn toward her and that puts my deaf ear to the guys and we get along better.  Hearing in restaurants is so very hard.

Once we got home, I read for a while in the recliner and Ron woke me later to get me to go to bed instead of sleeping in the recliner.  A medication I am on seems to make me sleepy and I know I need the sleep, but I am not getting all the things done that I want.