Nature Songs ~~~~
APRIL, 2000
The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in HIS Heaven - -
All's right with the world!
~~Robert Browning
April 1,2000 - April Fool's Day! I shall not play any jokes or pranks on anyone this year. This was always such a fun day to spend at school with the little ones. We would do silly, fun little things throughout the day with the children. It was a joy to them to be able to think up little pranks or to be caught off guard for something they did. There were always some that had to be worked with and helped along until they caught on to the game. Watching the excitement they could generate was constantly amazing to me as they learned new things, large or small.
Allan was by early as he came to pick up his truck and head out to do some lawn work this morning. This is the first day of Trout Season and he was lamenting that he was not able to be out on the side of a secluded stream casting out his fly rod to tempt a trout onto his hook. This is the first time he has missed the first day of the season in many years, as far as I can recall. Of course he can do trout fishing all summer, but there is some sort of magical spell cast on that opening day which is symbolic of the summer being just around the corner.
Tbird is planning to come over today to work on that paper she has been preparing for her National Teacher's Board. She mentioned bringing Giggles with her. I guess the boys will stay with their dad. Hope that I can keep up with little miss Giggles and not have my back bothering me or getting worse. BingoKid is supposed to also come over to mow the lawn for me and do some of the mowing out around the fruit trees.
The apple tree in back of my house is already in full bloom along with so many other trees. The ones out in the field are not yet blooming. The pear trees have bloomed and shed their white petals. The plum tree along with the cherry trees in the front have shared their blossoms. My tulip magnolia has three blooms on it this spring. I was fearful that it may not sprout out this spring since it had a rough summer last year with all the dry weather and my not keeping it watered often. The dogwood just outside my bedroom window has spent the week teasingly showing promise of opening its buds, but yet today there are still only the tiny green cups turned upward, waiting for its own magical time to burst forth with the white petals of spring. Many dogwoods are already in full bloom, red, pink and white - and one lone purple iris has surprised us to bloom in the midst of the daffodils, narcissus, pansies, Johnny-jump-ups, tulips and other sprites of spring.
April 2,2000 - A routine is emerging back into my lifestyle. That of once again attending church each Sunday. Time was when I would attend two or more times on a Sunday - morning and evening services, and other events that may take place in the afternoon. Then there was the Wednesday evening pray-meeting, Women of the Church, the Singles group, the Overeater's meeting, choir practice and any other thing that may occur during the week. It was a busy time of life along with the additional duties part of those years, being a single mother of four holding down a full-time job, and keeping the children all in their related activities of music lessons, voice lessons, scouts, band, cheerleading, various sports, meeting with friends and their church involvement's. Yet, it is a challenge well taken, that I am able to attend just this one morning each week. How one's life can turn completely around in the blink of an eyelid, never to be the same again. If there were someone living close enough to share with the goings and comings, I feel that I could take part in life a bit more than what I can do alone.
Today, I stopped off in Hudson after filling up my half-filled gas tank of the truck with gas that was six cents a gallon cheaper in Hickory, to get a few groceries while passing by the store. What with this being designated as a PRAINY DAY with the rain set in for the day, I knew that once I got back home, I would be here for the duration. It will be in the morning before I attempt to scurry out again, so I swung by the nursing center and spent about fifty minutes with Mother. She was all caught up in the Final Four Basketball Game on TV and didn't mind much at all when I told her I had some things to put in the refrigerator and was also ready to rest.
Folks in North Carolina are not happy campers today. North Carolina is out of the Finals after losing yesterday. Florida was just too fast for us.
Strangely, when I saw the overhead view of the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, I didn't even think, "Basketball." I thought, "Tbird and her graduating from Grad School." Her class was huge the year she graduated and the ceremony seemed to go on and on forever as each little division of Indy/Perdue took center stage and received awards and diplomas. The vastness of the Dome could only be noted by comparing the group gathered for the ceremony and the corner of the Dome that was designated for use that day. Seems we walked for miles to get to our corner, and then afterwards there were all these areas for the groups to meet for refreshments and good-byes. What I remember most is taking pictures of Tbird and one of her friends in their robes and hood colors back at her apartment before the event. There were more pictures taken during the ceremony. Why would it stay with me all these years? I failed to get the roll of film in the camera the correct way and it did not feed through as the camera was clicked; therefore, there were no pictures! Somebody living in that apartment in Indy was not at all happy with my boo-boo.< BR>
This has been a most quiet afternoon. No one came by. No one but Mother called. I spent much of the time searching high and low throughout the house. I looked in, out and in between everywhere something lost may be hiding itself. Even the bed was pulled out and searched behind and under. No place could I find that white envelope with the various slips of paper inside. What was it that I lost? My forms that are needed in order to file my taxes for the past year. They were put up (so I thought) in a safe place until I was ready to send them to the accountant to compute my taxes and file them. So much for that safe haven. Once again I have out done myself when it comes to placing something in a place and have forgotten where that safe place happened to be. By all rules of the game, they were supposed to be in the file cabinet in a folder. Not so!
April 3,2000 - Stormy weather during the night and more to follow throughout today and tonight. According to the weatherman, we had 54 tornadoes in North Carolina last year. That time of year is here again. Warnings are out to be on the lookout for some later in the day over the state along with high winds, high water and flooding in low areas. That contributes to a yucky sort of day - a Prainy Day indeed. Not to mention that there is that hour of change yet to adjust to.
Going to and from Q4L we commented on all the squirrels running in and across the roadway. I've never seen so many out in the roads as they were today. They seemed to be in a hurry as they scurried around. It made us wonder if the bad weather could be what had them on the move and so agitated-like. It's sort of like the turtles when a heavy rain is on the way. They are always off searching for higher ground before the rains begin. Along with the activities of the squirrels, we also could not help but notice all the purple of the wisteria hanging among the trees, the purple of lilacs blooming and all the white of the cherry and apple trees. The blossoms of this particular Spring are the most lush that I can remember observing in many, many years.
I have given up any hope of finding the envelope holding those goodies for taxes. Once more around and then it was time to take phone book in hand start making phone calls. My first call went to my accountant to have a form filed for extension of my tax filing. That gives me time to round up copies of the needed forms I lost. Then several more calls; having to admit what a Klutz I have been and asking for copies to be mailed to me. That leaves my retirement W-2 form which I will send a letter to Raleigh asking for a copy of it since they do not have a 1-800 number for me to call, and I don't have a specific area to direct my call to. What fun! Some people such as myself just have such a special joy in life having to deal with the bobbles and oddities brought upon ourselves. How can any person have a boring life! They only need me to spice up the atmosphere.
April 4,2000 - Time. Time well spent. Time wasted. Time saved up in a bottle for later use. Wonder what use it would be to anyone if time could be saved up for use at one's own choosing? What a melee would occur. There would be no certain length of day or night. There would be little to no rhyme or reason to another's plight. Guess I will have to take what is given to me at the time it is offered.
Giggles was here bright and early this morning once again. Dad has committed to more work and needs my help this week and possibly next week. After that she will be in Day Care full time. This morning we loaded her up on the seat between us in the truck and proceeded down into the valley for our workout. She loved sitting up high and being able to look out. She was pointing at the pretty colors displayed by the trees and flowers. It was raining pretty hard and many of the trees have begun to shed petals, giving the impression of a light snow in places along the roadway.
We ended up playing some with our noodles in the pool. Each of us, using two noodles, sat on them in the water and chased each other around. It was great exercise for using some muscles we seldom use and also had us working for better balance and control. We laughed with each other and had the most fun as some of us got dunked when we lost our balance. Allie and I got into another game of fencing each other- then there was the splashing each other with our noodles curved. We sound more like kids, than adults. We felt more like kids as well.
Tbird took off a half day sick leave so she could see her doctor in Blowing Rock. I rode up with her and we got to see some snow. One day it is in the seventies and the next day it is snowing.... Tonight is supposed to be down to freezing. We drove on up to Boone to pick up some things at the Health Food Store and then stopped off at Blackberry where Tbird bought some pottery. The wind already was bringing in the colder air, and the buildings has smoke plumes curling from their chimneys.
Another of the EMS boys came to my aid this evening. There are so many different things that each of them are capable of doing. I feel fortunate to be able to have them willing to do things for me. This time, it was fixing the brakes on the Explorer. I haven't driven it since last week after hearing the brakes screeching when I applied them. For a fraction of the cost of taking my car to a garage for work, I have new front brakes and the Explorer is ready to roll. I call them boys, but they have their own families and children.
Mother made six calls to me today. Several of them was while I was gone up the mountain... she knew I was gone and called to leave messages, anyway. While work was being doing on the brakes, I took a cup of coffee over for Mother and visited with her for a short time. There is plenty of coffee there at her establishment, but for some reason she decided that a cup from home would be better. Once back home, I finished up the finger work on my log cabin jacket. It is officially finished and ready to wear. Ms. Jay wore her's today. Tomorrow I shall wear mine....well ? maybe...
April 5,2000 - Was that me I saw driving in the other direction just a moment ago? No, there I go! Look again! Ah! Yes, it is me! I seem to be running back and forth a lot this morning. It all started with a phone call from Wes. He worked third shift the past two nights and was getting off soon. Plans had been made with a friend for leaving his Pathfinder to have the wheels aligned today. The friend called to tell Wes that he could not help out. I was chosen to be the go-getter-and-take-home option. It meant changing around my own plans somewhat.
I took Ms. Jay to Quest so she could do her weights before our water session. I was driving right by there anyway. With a little time to spare before Wes got off work, I chose not to go in and do any of my workout. Instead, I drove down the road to McD's, stopped by the window and bought some bacon, egg and cheese biscuits which were on sale and two black coffees. From there I back tracked to where I was to meet Wes; parked; read the paper and worked on the puzzle while I sipped on my cup of coffee and had a biscuit. Once Wes dropped off his car, I took him back to his mother-in-law's house to sleep for awhile. He was pleasantly surprised that I had brought him some breakfast. Later Wendy is to picked him up and take him get his vehicle back.
Here I was backtracking to Quest, where I rushed in and made my appearance in class about five minutes late. We had quite a workout again today. Everyone seemed to be tired from our class yesterday. In fact, some of the folks that are normally there, were missing today. I was extremely tired and shaky after the class today. I would have thought it was a low blood sugar attack except I had eaten this morning. It must have been something else. I only know that it was a struggle to take a shower, dress and make my way back home to collapse on the bed for about an hour.
Lady woke me from my rest with a tapping on the front door. She came early today so she could work on the kitchen floor along with the regular housework duties. I wandered around the house for a little discussing with her some things that needed to be done before Cotton and her hubby come in for a visit around the end of the month. Then off I go to Hickory to keep my appointment for getting my hair cut. I stopped by and picked up a sandwich and drink in the hopes that it would give me some energy. That didn't help much at all. Knowing how worn out I'm feeling, I take the opportunity to drive by and visit with Mother for a very short time.
She was so frail looking there in the doorway as I turned to go into her room. I could only wonder how long she had been caught there between the door of the bathroom and the other bed in her room. She was sleeping there in her wheelchair. I called her three times before she answered me by saying that she only had her eyes closed and was listening to the gospel music on the television. Why was she listening there in the middle of the doorways? Oh, she was just resting for a bit before moving again. There is no way that Mother would call and ask anyone for some help. One would think by now that those working on her hall would understand, and seeing her needs would step in and give her a helping hand. It would only have taken a single minute to pull her forward enough to shut the bathroom door and then push her chair back to her side of the room where she could have been a little more comfortable. Yes, there were some workers passing back and forth outside her room door. She said she went to the bathroom after lunch. That means she had been sitting there for at least an hour and a half before I happened in on her.
I got back home just as Lady was finishing up stripping the kitchen floor. Wow! What a difference it was making. She got a coat of wax on the floor before she had to leave. Maybe I could get one of the boys to put another coat of wax on it before I start moving around much in there. It has literally been years since this floor was stripped of its old wax buildup.
There is very little that I will do the rest of the day....
April 6,2000 - I've enjoyed today. Getting up earlier than usual, I went outdoors to unlock the truck so Giggles carseat could be put in it when her Dad brought her by on his way to work. While outside, I walked on out to the mailbox and got yesterday's mail from the box and picked up the morning paper. Back indoors, there was time to sit at the computer and check my e-mail which I had not retrieved since Tuesday. Earlier this week was cold with snow blowing, but today is springtime once again.
Ms. Jay came out and helped get Giggles in her carseat and we were off to Quest for our usual jaunt about the pool. Our regular fearless leader was not with us today. Instead we had the one that gives us quite a workout, and what a workout it was. We kept a steady pace going for forty minutes doing jogs, lunges, jumping jacks, leg lifts - front, back and sideways -, kicks; then worked with our water weights and stretches to fill the rest of the hour. There were arm movements to go with each of the leg movements, as well.
Little Miss Giggles was asleep when we stopped by the Day Care to pick her up, which was good for us. We took her to Wally World and did some shopping. I got to stop by Ladies Wear and show her off to my ex-DIL while looking for socks. Ms. Jay and I picked out our materials for charm squares for our next Quilter's Guild meeting while the cotton material was on sale for two dollars a yard. No, I didn't buy any at that price. I paid regular price for a piece of material I liked better.
I about forgot that I needed to buy a new mop for Lady to use on my wood floor. The one she has been using is broken and I forgot last week to replace it for her. Now she has one, but the question is where do we put it so that others don't get hold of it and mess it up like the last one. After checking out, Giggles played with the mop handle and watched other children coming in and out while we waited for Ms. Jay to finish her shopping.
We stopped at Subway and bought sandwiches for lunch and took them to the Nursing Center to eat with Mother. Mother was happy to see that I had brought her a ham and cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato and proceeded to eat every bite of it. Giggles ate the meat from mother's tray from the dining room and drank some of the carton of milk which they always bring to Mother and she very seldom drinks any of it. Back home, it was time to rest for the two of us.
Evening comes and with it a feeling of aloneness. I am very much aware of the fact that I have come to another plateau in life. Yes, it has hit! The Empty Nest Syndrome ! Everyone is off doing their own little things in a world different and away from me. It is only me, here in this big house, and my dogs. We are the family now. I send out feelers and comments, hoping that some will step in and be there for me. I have to accept that the time has come when I do it physically alone, or not at all.
Tomorrow is almost here. I want some sort of something in the form of reassurance. I do something I have never done before. I'm not at all sure of what to expect. I called the doctor's office to ask questions. The only response: be there at 11:30. Later in the afternoon the place I am going to called to confirm that I would be there. Again, all they had to say was, "Be here at 11:30." There is no one to ask for more, or to share. Here I exist as a unit of one - alone.
Ms. Jay would go with me, but she has a doctor's appointment in the morning, herself. I mentioned it to another of my friends, and felt hurt by the response. Something to the effect, "I had shots in my spine and it was done in the hospital in surgery!" End of discussion, it was as if I didn't know what I was talking about. Times have changed, surgery is not always done in the hospital anymore. This is a procedure that was described to me as being done in surgery. Otherwise my doctor would have done it himself in his office, but it is not equipped for those services.
I talked with all four of my children and told them I was having it done. It appears they have lived all their lives with me and my back problems and this is not anything new to them. I even asked my DIL if she might go with me. I never got an answer from her that she would be able to help. The boys didn't seem much concerned. Wes has talked about how busy he is now with the Spring Furniture Market now open in Highpoint. Allan, has a lot of obligations to take care of. Spring is always busy for him with all his yard work to take care of. It was after seven this evening before he finished up for the day. Tbird is in a tizzy of her own with way too many irons in the fire. Cotton has her own problem and is too far away - but she did call today to see how I was doing.
I shall take the bull by the horns and get the matter taken care of myself. I will just go ahead and do my water exercise in the morning as usual. The class is over at ten. That gives me an hour and a half to dress and drive down to Hickory with less time to think about what I don't know what to expect. I shall barge forward.
©2000 by Stormy Jeanne
