Nature Songs ~~~~
APRIL, 2002 ~
April 1, 2002 - April Already? ~ As I rummaged around in the dark back corner of the basement a stroke of good luck appeared. I happened to be looking for some empty canning jars to give to Allan and his wife. What I found was far better than jars. On one of the shelves, there was a dusty tattered cardboard box about the size of a bread box. I recognized that kite string was wrapped around the box several times to hold it shut. Slowly, the box was pulled to the front of the deep shelf. It felt heavy and I had to wonder what in the world was inside, because I had never seen it before.
Who knows for sure who placed the neatly tied box back in the dark corner of that bottom shelf of the cabinet? It reminded me of something my Dad would have done because of the manner in which it was packaged. Shaking it gently as I carried it out into the daylight of the adjoining room gave no clues as to what was contained within. It was time to take the next step and open up the box.
With the mystery of the strange carton, all thoughts of any jars were quickly forgotten. I looked first to see if any writing was there to give a clue to what I would find within. No writing! Only signs of age and neglect ... Now to remove the string and take a peek into the mysterious interior. My fingers shook a bit as I worked to open the box. Then ... there it was!
Behold! Green stacks of hundred dollar bills filled the box to the very top. That was more money than I’d ever seen in this house! It had to be something my Dad had saved up. He had a passion of saving up money to take to the bank and swap for crisp hundred dollar bills. When he died, we knew that he was not kidding when he used to say that he was careful about keeping up with his billfold because that was where he carried his “planting” money. Looking through his billfold we found twenty-two of them hidden throughout behind pictures and necessary cards stored in the plastic sleeves.
Now here I was looking at more of the bills he had collected throughout his lifetime. He didn’t believe in banks for investing money to make more money. My hands became clammy as I carefully laid the money out on the table to count.
April Fool!
How I wish I had found some money hidden away in some crevice somewhere here at home. It would help alleviate some bills I’ve run up with this buying spree I’ve been on lately. Guess my best option is to control my buying things on Internet using credit. I really should become one of those souls that don’t own a credit card. Then I would have not the temptation to spend what I don’t have in hand.
Unexpectedly, the daVinci books I ordered took longer to be delivered than I anticipated. The confirmation announcing that they had been shipped came the same evening I placed the order earlier in the day. The two or three days generally required for them to find their way to my mailbox turned into seven days. I was glad to see the mail lady pull up to the front door because I knew that meant she had a package that wouldn’t fit into my mailbox.
Excitedly, I began to browse through the books after opening the package. A surprise awaited me. I was looking for a list of 100 questions and could not find one. Taking out the lessons copied from the class listing, I began reading the first lesson. So far, I hadn’t read it because they were already on lesson four when I signed on for the class. Right there in the first lesson was my clue and page number for the 100 questions. Instead of reading some listed in the book, I was instructed to sit down while listening to music and with no interruptions begin writing any questions that came to me about things I wanted to know, learn or change. This was to be a list to be completed before stopping. This I did at 3 am and it took less than an hour to complete the list.
As I began to jot down the ideas that came to mind I wondered how in the world I could come up with that many questions at one time. The instructions stated that it would be fine to repeat questions because it would help define particular problems or thoughts. As it so happened I had no repeats and indeed there was the need for me to add one more:
“101. Why do I not sleep at night?”
In the past week, there were two nights that I slept some. The other nights there has been no sleep until a nap here or there during the daytime and that was earlier as opposed to later in the day. There was not enough sleep to cause me not to sleep at night. The notation that came with the new pill the doctor gave me stated the full effects of the medication could take up to three weeks to work. Wonder if after three weeks things will be better. Maybe I only need to turn our time around and plan to do things during the night while sleeping more during the day ....
April 15, 2002 - La-La-Land, Again Times come when things appear to drift off into that unknown area of bleakness and aloofness. Why wonder or care about things? To move is to struggle and the effort isn’t there to even attempt a move. Such has been my week. Here have been the plans for feeding off the energy of springtime and make some positive moves in life. Once again the body has stepped in and made the announcement loud and clear: “That is not to be! Never make plans and expect to follow them. I’m here to make the plans myself for this system.” So it is that I lie in this single bed in a pink room. The television is stationed high up in one corner offering only tidbits of the total programming of the local cable station. A room-wide window wall faces the main street and the full day of bright sunlight. The drapery is opened about a foot to the left of my head to allow a glimpse of life outside the room. Add a chair, bedside table, counter with sink and large mirror, clock beside the TV, pretty picture of a vase of pink flowers and the writing board, you have a good idea of what it’s like here in the hospital. I like the picture as it brings thoughts of doing some painting of my own again soon. From my bed I have a good view of the nurses’ station located across the hall from my room.
It all began yesterday morning. Seems all was in low gear for me and every chair passed was an invitation to sit a spell to rest. Allan commented about how pale I looked and when I mentioned that I had some bleeding from my stomach he tactfully suggested we ride up to the Ambulance base and let someone check my blood pressure. He had other plans! When we got to the hospital, he turned in and said we would just stop off there instead since one of our friends was working in the Emergency Room. It took little time for me to find myself being checked out while he checked me in at the desk. The antibiotics had attacked my stomach and apparently had an ulcer or ulcers acting up.
I was officially clocked into the Emergency after waiting a spell in the waiting room at 11:20 a.m. The nurse wheeled me up to the third floor of the hospital at 5:10 pm. My three fifteen minutes of being the center of attention in-between was not all fun or enjoyment. Feeling more or less out of sorts, it didn’t concern me that I was laying there. The doctor on duty gave orders for the nurses to carry out. First came the IV which made contact on the first attempt. Medicine for my stomach was fed through it. X-rays were taken - two positions standing and two while lying down. Another one had to be taken while I stood, and as I got up from the table there was a clink sound. The IV needle had come out and landed on the table. Blood spurted everywhere before pressure could be put on the vein. The nurse held my hand while the technician took the last x-ray. Another vein was found on the other hand and a new IV was soon working again. This one was taped to my little finger which was not strong enough to hold it steady. Joy! Joy!
The third order was the least liked of them all. A tube was to be run through the nose to the stomach so it could be more closely monitored. Sounds easy enough, but the procedure turned into a nightmare as far as I was concerned. So much so, that I have to wonder if something comes up some time and I’m unable to speak up, what would happen if an attempt was made to insert a tube? Four endeavors and all failed. Two nurses tried their skill to no avail. Each time, the tube would make a turn to the left and put pressure on my eye making it water and feel as if it would pop out! Once again there was a rush to stop the bleeding caused by the tube’s errant paths. Seems when my head went through the windshield when I rear-ended another car, more than the sinuses above my eyes were damaged.
Around 8 pm the nurse was once again finding a suitable vein for yet another IV. The little finger’s weakness had allowed the second one to work loose. After three stabs on the right arm, she went to the left and was able to make contact on the side of the wrist. This one stayed for the duration. Every four to six hours a lab technician was coming to draw blood to check and see how I was doing the whole time I was in the hospital. They had to use a tiny butterfly needle which still did its damage at time leaving more bruises on top of bruises. One was done too quickly without pressure on the spot when the needle was removed. As a result I spent Saturday evening with my elbow wrapped in hot towels to encourage the swelling to go down. However, the huge tennis ball size hematoma remained.
Sunday afternoon and it was time for me to come home. I stayed in bed the whole time I was there and was instructed to stay in bed at least three m ore days after returning home. I had two new prescriptions for my stomach and one of them is to be taken four times a day from now on ... There was also the message that it would probably take up to three months for the stomach to heal completely and I needed to do only light activities to keep from putting any pressure on the stomach that could cause more injury and slow down the healing. Added to that was the prognosis that I should never take another aspirin or any NSAIDs . That adds up to being able to use only Tylenol and pain pills for arthritis. Life has taken a drastic change all of a sudden. I have tried to steer clear of pain medications because of side effects and the way most people have to keep upping the dosage over long term usage.
April 19, 2002 - Heatwave ~~ The dogwood trees are finally in their full-fledged white glory. The woods are dotted with white patches. Seems it has taken a lot longer for the dogwoods to erupt into full bloom this season than it usually does. Now they are in bloom and we are right in the middle of a scorching hot spell which spreads from Bostian, MA to Dallas, TX. There’s little chance of a break in the heatwave until sometime next week and even that will be in the high seventies. High eighties up to mid nineties this early in the year is most unusual. Makes one wonder if that is an indication of even hotter weather this summer? Hope the air conditioner remains in workable condition.
Between the weather and not being up to par, about all I’m doing is dragging through each day. If I do a little something one day I am out of it the next day. Any day now, the energy can return and allow me to do a little more. My wish is to get back in the water and start walking. Meanwhile, news has come that Allan is scheduled for back surgery on May 3rd. Hopefully all will go well and he may get to return to work after eight weeks of recovery. I wish him better than what I’ve dealt with for most of my life ...
April 26, 2002 - Shangri-La ~ The month of April is quickly coming to a close and there is little contact that has been made with the outside world. Time has come to put aside the comfort of the Sanctuary and move back into that external exchange with life with others. It has been a pleasure to loll around here with the two boys and Charlie has really become attached as he follows along with my every move. Even now he is sprawled out on the foot of my bed, and his tongue sticks out a bit while he snoozes away. One hint of a sound and he will jump to attention and sound his alert announcing his detection of movement or noise.
The canopy of summer around the house is no more. My new neighbor in working on his yard improvements had the trees and bushes cleared away along the edge of his yard. Now as every one turns the corner and enters our main road, there is a full frontal view of my home. In years past, the leaves would sprout out on the limbs and branches of the trees taken away and surround my place like a cocoon. A row of new shrubs have been planted, but it will take several years for them to form another source of screening for me.
A sparrow has built a nest at the edge of the front entrance to the house. A boxwood type bush grows next to an azalea plant. The leaves are very dense and provides great protection for the nest. Gently parting the leaves and looking down into the nest, I was pleasantly surprised to find seven eggs. Surprised not to find eggs, but so many eggs. I’ve never known a sparrow to have so many at one time. The parents will be plenty busy once the eggs hatch. The decision was made to not tell the children about the nest in order to protect the eggs and hatchlings.
Around 6 am the other morning, I happened to look out the window near the carport and watched a pair of cardinals teach a little one to fend for itself. Apparently their nest is on the hill beside the carport in one of the azaleas. Along with the cardinals was a pair of sparrows and their four little ones seemingly out for a first try out of the nest. They were a reminder for me to try to keep fresh water in the birdbath which is nearby where they searched for food.
Looking a little further down the hill, I could see the freshly planted garden which Allan and BingoKid have been working on. It is officially BingoKid’s garden, but Uncle Allan takes great pride in being able to show some tricks of the trade when it comes to planting and caring for the plants. There are onions, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli. 18 tomato plants, peppers, squash, and cucumbers planted so far. The rows are ready for planting beans and he has two rows tilled for corn which should already be in the ground. The first cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli became food for the rabbits and deer. For the first time in forty plus years, a new technique had to be used to keep away the rabbits and deer. This is the first deer problem, in fact. To keep them and the rabbits away we had to purchase some dried blood from the plant store and ask our beautician neighbor to save up some hair to spread around the outer rim of the garden which acts as a fence to ward off the deer. All but two of the herbs planted last summer have survived the winter and are thriving as well.
After all the mulch was placed around the front yard, BingoKid decided that we needed more color in one corner of the yard which is in the shade most of the day. Off we went to the store to chose some plants for him. The best choice for us were the impatients which flourish in shady areas. We bought a tray of 36 plants of assorted colors for him to plant. In the end he had more than enough and was able to put a row along the sidewalk and part of the main drive. Add the hummingbird plant, some begonias, a pretty pink geranium and a mandarina plant with its huge pink flowers, and one hanging plant of several more types of flowers and we are now set for the summer full of blooms. I shan’t tell how much money was spent....
April 29, 2002 - A Dream Comes True ~ What a day yesterday turned out to be! It all began Friday when Allan bought the supplies needed and came home to dig the holes for the posts. Pouring ready-mixed cement powder around each of the posts, he took the level and made sure all the posts were straight before watering each hole so the cement could set up and hold the posts securely. It took a long time for him to succeed with the project since he had to sit and rest every little bit and he could not bend over at all. It was as if he were working in a sort of straight jacket because of the pain.
Saturday morning, bright and early Wes came and work began in earnest. It was Wes who got to get down on his knees to work along ground level and it was Wes who got to do all the bending required during the day’s work. Charlie was the one to prance around and inspect each project to ensure it met his approval. Every time a new item was introduced, Charlie wasted no time to sniff it out and examine it from end to end.
The project was to replace the temporary fence put up seven years ago when Charlie was a tiny pup. We weren’t sure that the fence would work and bought iron rods and a fifty foot roll of wire to stick up and see how it would work before investing more money. It was only 32 inches high and there was no gate. Anytime one wanted to get inside the fence one had to step over the fence which included the men who came to service the heat pump.
The first agenda for the morning was to run a board along the bottom and top of the area to be fenced. Half of one of my pretty reddish-orange azaleas had to be cut in order to run the fence on one side and on the opposite side a white azalea had to loose some stems as well. The pole for the birdfeeders ended up just inside the new fence as well.
By early afternoon, the wire had been stretched on most of the fence. Next was to secure it to the top and bottom boards and posts. One side had to be trim off along the top because the fence runs along the edge of the front patio. All the edges were then bent over the top of the top board and a cap was nailed securely along to finish the fence. Three of the posts were left extended at the top about 18 inches to place a birdhouse or whirligigs. Allan used a lattice on the frame made for the gate while Wes finished off the last short section from the gate to the house. Hinges and a closure like those used at daycare’s were placed on the inside of the gate and - Voila! The dogs have a fenced in area which is about three times larger than the temporary one and Charlie seems very pleased with the end result.
Continued
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Lenoir,NC 28645
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©2002 by Stormy Jeanne
