MARCH
but what they digest that makes them strong;
Not what we gain,
but what we save that makes us rich;
Not what we read,
but what we remember that makes us learned;
Not what we preach or pray,
but what we practice and believe that makes us Christians."
Frances Bacon
March 7, 2003 ~ Signs Springing Around ~~ Last Sunday Giggles was playing out in the front yard. Her eagle eyes focused on something purple near the river birch tree. She had found the first crocus blooming. Bending over to get a closer look it took only a second for her to decide that she wanted the pretty new flower. After plucking it from the ground, she brought it inside to save for her Mom. I found her an empty spice bottle to use as a vase since the pretty purple flower was so small. She proudly checked on her special find during the afternoon and watched as it opened out more in the warmer air indoors. When Dad came to pick her and DynoKid up, she made extra special care to see that the flower went home with her.
March 9, 2003 ~ Teen Island Bash ~~ A most delightful evening! Time flew as we all gathered in the Church Family Life Center for the treat awaiting all. We were greeted at the door and immediately had a paper lei slipped over our heads. The huge gymnasium-like area was transformed into the wonderland setting the mood for what was to come. Metallic palm trees hung above our heads and spotlights reflected off the green leaves and golden streamers making up the trunks. The event was a two night sale out with hundreds in attendance and what appeared to be zillions of teenagers darting around throughout the energized evening. I have to note that these kids who most often are viewed as being lazy and untouchable in comic strips and some parents were this night pumped full of zeal and energy.
March 11, 2003 ~ Change/Not Change? That Is The Question ~~ The Grandsons have told me they would like to have another name than what I've been calling them here and have used on their web sites in the past. That is two of them have said that. Good ole NascarKid is still happy with his. He knows how popular Nascar events are around here and looks forward to driving (on the road; not the racetrack.) Bingo forgets how young he was when I began using Bingo for him. Back then he loved singing Bingo and was very happy with that name. My how time flies and children grow. DynoKid says that his name is all right, but he really would like one of the more popular names today used in cartoons.
Someone sent along an e-mail to me that came to her from another, and another, and another. You know, one of those where your message is more of who sent to whom information being forwarded along before coming to the actual message. At times I'm tempted to hit delete instead of weaving through the threads to find the treasure tagged on at the end. Then again, in some instances, the treasure may be repeated over and over throughout the threads as well. It is so easy and takes only a minute part of a minute to hit forward and then go through to highlight and delete all the extra and useless tagalongs. Some times it may be necessary to skip along and realign some of the sentences or paragraphs that have been separated by the forwards. Again, it takes little time as a general rule. I like to take time to clean up an e-mail before sending it along to others, because no way can you know for sure how much space is awaiting at the other end. The unsuspecting mailbox may be about to max out.
Here I am about to forget what it was that I had on my mind to jot down in the beginning. It's another of those times when two things occur at the same time that are interrelated in some way. First I checked my e-mail and found one of them with all those threads to wind through. It was a jewel! In a very short space a sermon was revealed. A sermon which rings through for many of our society:
I was sitting at a stop light this morning. The lady
in front of me was going through papers on the seat of
her car, and when the light changed to green she did
not obey its command - a green light is a commandment
- NOT a suggestion.
When the light turned to red, and she had still not
moved, I began ( with my windows up ) screaming
epithets and beating on my steering wheel. My
expressions of distress were interrupted by a
policeman, gun drawn, tapping on my window.
Against my protestations of, "You can't arrest me for
hollering in my car," he ordered me into the back seat
of his car. After about two hours in a holding cell, the
arresting officer advised me I was free to go. I said,
"I knew you couldn't arrest me for what I was yelling
in my own car. You haven't heard the last of this!"
The officer replied, "I didn't arrest you for shouting
in your car. I was directly behind you at the light. I
saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel,and
I said to myself, "What a jerk. But there is nothing I
can do to him for throwing a fit in his own car.
Then I noticed the 'Cross' hanging from your rear view
mirror, the bright yellow 'Choose Life' license plate,
and the 'Jesus is Coming Soon' bumper sticker, and I
thought you must have stolen the car."
Author Anonymous
Change of topics ... Skipping off from the computer to the community. Maybe it is because I feel all yucky and things have been like this all along, they just bother me more. Maybe it is because things are being done differently and what I see is a legitimate reason to cry out , "Foul!! This is not right!" Maybe it is mainly because of changes in Mother herself. There is the possibility it is a combination of things happenings. At any rate, I feel so at odds with the nursing center and some of its staff. None of the other family members bother to check by and spend time with Mother, so there is no comparing of notes. Brother does go about every two weeks or so to see Mother. He isn't well himself and no way can I confront him with what I observe and fret over. He can't take the pressure of worrying right now.
One evening I go in to see Mother to find her in bed in the dark. Her light and TV are off. The green beads I put on the light pull string to help Mother find and use it has been removed and a new tiny string is attached. It hangs limply down the side of the wall way behind Mother and her bed. Her TV remote is just that - remote to her!! It has been placed on the windowsill by someone. For one of the few times, she has ice in the water mug, but there it sits in the seat of her wheelchair which is across the room from her bed. The telephone is perched atop the candy bowl on the table behind her head which has been rolled up. Her rolling tray had been pushed over in front of the TV. As I rolled the chair up close to her bed to visit with her after turning on the light and TV, bringing her tray beside the bed; placing her phone on it and fixing her a glass of iced Coke to sip on, I noticed something in her hands. Clutched close to her body she held a banana and a carton of milk. She declared that it would be snatched from her and returned to the kitchen if she didn't hold on to it.
All Mother could talk about was having to get up and get out of there because no one liked her and she needed to go across the street, home. She talked of bygone years where dwelled the old home place. Brothers and sisters were all much younger as she asked about different ones and had I done such and such for her or them. Mother was extremely agitated and lost in her thoughts. It took awhile to calm her down so she could get interested in something other than her memories. As she calmed down she would squeeze the zebra ball given to her and listen to the sounds of the television. Once she was calmer I looked up a nurse to report on how I found her and that she also needed to be cleaned up some. I knew that I needed to leave while she was calm. No way did I want to have to leave her as I did the night she hollered after me that I knew better than not to obey her and take her home.
Sunday she was once again in bed. Her clothes I'm sure was the same gown placed on her Friday night. Again she had little around her to fulfill needs and time. She has the zebra ball which is excellent for her to hold. It encourages her to use the right hand which has been closed and unused much of the time now. Mother has always been right handed, but now she uses her left hand for everything. I thing the Parkinson's Disease causes so much shaking in her right side that she refuses to try using it any more.
Yesterday was another one of those days for her! When second shift CNA's came on duty, there laid Mother in her bed soaking wet. She wore the same gown placed on her by the same CNA that now got her up out of the wet bed and into dry clothes. She had no drink all day because the one I gave her yesterday, I emptied the bottle and counting the bottles on the shelf now, none were missing. Her phone second shift had placed on the bed after making it up. There are several on the second shift during the week that are more thoughtful and caring than some workers seem to be. One came in the room with her lunch tray one day. She took time to open her foods for her and named what was one the plate. What she failed to do was tell Mother where each was located and that the meat was chopped as well as opening up the silverware and putting a straw in the coffee. When Mother tries to drink normally from a cup due to her shaking, more of the drink goes down the front of her clothes than into her mouth.
Can you imagine feeling for a piece of your food and getting gravy all over your hand? Eating rice with your fingers isn't much better. I've asked and asked the dietitian to give Mother more finger type foods which she can eat easier.
I cooked some of the large dried lima beans yesterday and took a bowl of limas over for Mother to eat. Large lima's are her favorite! She likes the broth as well as the beans, so I added some to the beans and took a slice of whole wheat bread. She likes to soak up the broth with the bread before eating the beans. I only took her about 3/4th cup and she enjoyed every little drop of it. A bowl works so much better for her because she holds it close to her mouth. She holds the bread with her hand at first and then puts what's left into the beans and uses a spoon easily the short distance from bowl to mouth.
'Twould be so good if Mother could get better attention from those working in the center. Tuning in to her needs doesn't take that much effort or time. She and all the others in the center as well as those in all nursing homes and centers deserve a quality of life while residing there. Where Mother is you find many families that are active in the care of their relative. Than there are the ones like Mother's present roommate who has absolutely no one to visit and provide additional care. I don't feel up to having to worm my way up through the ranks in order for Mother to get better attention. These are things that should be done as a daily routine. I'm tired and discouraged. Many things are happening which drain me of energy and take me deeper into a depressive state.
Thank goodness I have found something which occupies my time and interest. When I sit before the computer, I am soaring out in space to different lands and sharing with them. The Paint Shop Pro lovers have a site which is where we share back and forth. Question? You can find the answer quickly. The homepage is off in Holland and it unites us all together. I truthfully do more watching than interacting. I love the art work which I'm learning to create with their help on the PSP program.
Yesterday Ms. Jay came out to bring my morning newspaper and daily mail. She happened to be taking her one mile walk when the mail was delivered and brought my mail and newspaper to the door for me. Her granddaughter was in the stroller which put her at the exact level to spy another crocus. This one was a deeper shade of purple and sprung up beside the walkway. There are lots of them blooming around the tree now, but only the one so far beside the walkway. A bit later on yet another crocus will jump out into the morning sunlight. Those will be light purple with stripes and a larger flowers. The crocus around the river birch tree are a profusion of brilliant colors. It's not uncommon to find these flowers showing their heads while snow is still on the ground. This year the rain encouraged the blooms.
Jonquils are sprouting up all over the yard and several of them are flaunting the first blooms of the season. Paring those signs along with spying a robin in the front yard and I know that the time Spring is near. It can't be far behind. The dogwood tree's buds are swelling with growth. When they burst into bloom everyone around will know that Spring has arrived.
As I watched the robin yesterday I had to wonder if eggs were already incubating in the nest and maybe two more sessions of bird rearing would happen this year. Early this morning I listened as the robin trilled its song near the backdoor. Its nest must be close. Ill keep an eye out and see if I can spot where it has been built.
I've signed up to do some spring signatures with the group from VU. About fifty of us have joined together at The Place so we can continue working on our PSP skills. We need only ask and answers will be given by those that know. I'm learning a lot of new skills with the group and finding it harder and harder to push back from the computer. Tutorials written for making designs all of sorts abound, and I especially enjoy scripts! With scripts, all you do is download the program, but the correct image in Paint Shop, push a button and watch. Once the script does the picture, it's time to start playing with the tools to embellish and individualize.
Tables decorated with a mass of brightly colored cloths, those fold-out paper palm island centerpieces and candles were equipped to seat either eight or ten people. We were all gathered together around one of the smaller tables and socialized as teens wandered around throughout the tables supplying our every need. Choices of regular or decaf coffee, sweet or unsweetened tea and water were refilled often by teens sporting straw hats, brightly flowered shirts and grass shirts. Supper happened to be generous servings of pork. Whether the fattened pig was roasted for us I didn't know, but it was delicious and served with half a potato broiled and topped with a savory blend, steaming corn on the cob and assorted toasted breads. Different colored plastic spears adorned with the shape of a pineapple held chunks of pineapple atop the pork as the finishing touch. Dessert was an assortment of pound cakes.
I got a call Thursday afternoon from Tbird inviting me to be a guest. She had three extra tickets after some friends had to change their plans at the last minute. I called my friend who worked as Mother's nurse for a while. She was excited about going with me and brought along her second grade granddaughter. NascarKid was actively involved in the production which followed our meal. He had practiced for months with the band and they provided all the background music between each skit to follow our repast. He was not shy with his bass guitar as his head bobbed up and down keeping beat with the music. She had spent hours in the background helping with all the costuming. Another mother filled in for her Friday evening so she could be with her family and watch as NascarKid did his share of entertaining.
The extravaganza began as our meal ended. Lights were lowered and an unseemingly crude-like stage area came alive. The whole side of one end of the mammoth room was decorated with black plastic - rolls and rolls of plastic. The plastic was used to partition off three separate areas and, yes, you guessed it! Black plastic made up the curtains for each cubicle. The only accessory was two palm trees the kids had designed and painted and now adorned the space separating the stage areas. It was time to let the fun begin, and fun it was!
For well over an hour, we were entertained by all the talent and ingenuity of children, grandchildren and friends bouncing around from stage to stage having fun themselves, but being very focused on what part they were doing. There was one British chap that reappeared on different stages with commentaries as he sat in his high-backed plush chair and also read poems written by some of those performing. Backdrops for each scene were designed and painted by the youth on huge pieces of cardboard. From two platforms in front of the stages were spot comedies between the stage scenes. All was nonstop once the music began until the last act was complete.
The Alps came alive with the sound of music-erred - three times no less. First time a vaudeville wooden hook pulled her off stage. Later on, she was skipping as she sang? And slipped down on the floor. Third and last time, the hills mimicked her and giggled as she finally gave up the attempt to sing. Karoke was a huge success with other skits while plane ingenuity prevailed for the rest. The standby baseball skit, Who's on First was a big success as the two guys never missed a beat and improvised some new quips as they batted back and forth.
Costuming is everything and it's importance was not downplayed. It took a huge room to hold all the costumes. Nothing was skimped on. The nun, Englishman with hat and pipe, bluegrass music with braces holding up baggy pants. The girl keeping time as she churned milk into butter sat over to the side. California raisins, four and five feet tall, all plumped out. The fifties music with guys in leather jackets and girls hair greatly enlarged to emphasize the poofed style back then. Monsters decked out in bright colors, each face designed by the wearer. Spacemen out on another planet with aliens. The list goes on, but Giggles' favorite of them all? Charlie Brown. His appearance was ever so brief, as all the other characters mulled around. Yeap! Ole Charlie Brown missed the football and fell flat when Lucy grabbed the football back just before he could kick. He lifted up his head and proclaimed loudly, "Good Grief!" And fell flat again. Ole Charlie Brown was non other than Giggle's brother, NascarKid. For her, he was the star of the show.
Making such a drastic change in my own mind of changing the names of people to protect the innocent and disguise all others seems a bit much. I sound like a plot on a mystery program, or perhaps detective or police episode. But, no, it's more in the interest of keeping up with changing times, making the boys happy and making this old brain of mine stay active. The gray matter needs to be stimulated in order to stay alert and function. I found another web site that gives not only the Hobbit names, but the Elf, Dwarf and human names according to system and alphabet devised by Tokien in his ever popular land and the search for the rings. Some of those names may be better to use. I shall have to compare and decide which I may use. I could opt out and use the human name in Tolkien language. If I'm going to make the change I need to make it this week. So ... I shall.
Sunday was the first day that our temperature reached seventy since November 10th. That's most unusual for our area and it only happened the one day. Today? I don't think we are supposed to get out of the low sixties, if that much. It was pretty yesterday with the sun shining and birds chirping merrily. My yard looked and sounded by a refuge for birds;. Oreo and Charlie have been darting out the door with hopes of finding a critter to chase. They never catch a thing, but the squirrels can take them on a short run as they jump from limb to limb retreating to safety. Birds are not as wild and some of them don't bother to fly.
I'm getting a message loud and clear from the kitchen. His Majesty Charlie is scratching furiously on the bottom of his empty water bowl. Some days they drink more than other days and when I don't catch water being gone, he wastes no time alerting me to his need for water. Need? Not always. Sometimes he appears to want the bowl filled so it will be there for him later. I shall stop and refill his water bowl. Then I'm off to see Mother at the nursing center. I didn't go over there yesterday. I didn't go anywhere yesterday. The maple trees are pollinating and my system is letting me know that it resents when the maples wake up from the winter. I'm outside for only a few minutes and my voice disappears. It isn't all that much better when I stay indoors. Ah, but I'll be glad when I get settled down a bit.
There he goes again. This time I hear him moving his bowl. I'm off to fill the dog's water bowl.
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