Nature Songs ~~~~

DECEMBER, 2000

, continued ~~

December 14, 2000 I collapsed last evening. I laid down to rest and before I knew it, it was after midnight. I was still dressed and got up then to change into my night clothes. Icicles had formed along the eaves of the house and the outdoors was shiny with the cover of ice. Rain was still falling.

Morning brought a barrage of cancellations of different places along with the late opening of area schools. The bridges are the worst part of the danger on the main roads, except for the spots of black ice. There is enough of the ice around that I decide not to venture out for my morning workout. I’ll have to work doubly hard tomorrow to make up for missing two days straight.

A call to my pain doctor and I learn that my back work will be done the first of next year. They will call me when it is time. That’s sort of good and bad. It is good that I will not have to be concerned about the effects of the laser and how I will be over Christmas. It is bad that I will have to motivate myself to do things in spite of how I may feel and I may not do as much as I would like to. Which reminds me, I have an appointment with my regular doctor tomorrow.

I’m off to spend some time with Mother this afternoon. I missed her yesterday. When I took time to check my answering machine yesterday, I had six messages from her over two days. Maybe I can get her nails polished this afternoon. I’ve been unable to get through to my brother today. He must have his phone off the hook. I’ll wait until I get to Mother’s and call from there. Mother can talk to him some for herself, which makes her feel better.

December 15, 2000 Back on schedule today. The dense fog slowed us down a bit as we descended into the valley. A little black ice was on the road to be a little wary of as we drove around curves in shaded areas. It took a while for the water group to meander in and make a good size class, but we formed a group of twelve finally. Drat! The steam room had been on and some steam was evident but it failed to spew out any additional hot mist for me. Apparently, it had stopped working so I moved over to the sauna for a slow cook to relax my muscles and pain points..

The doctor’s office was all decked out for Christmas and as usual my own doctor was wearing his Santa hat as he visited from room to room conversing and prescribing his way through the day. I had to head back to the lab and x-ray departments before leaving. Once my arm was stuck and drained of three vials of blood, an x-ray was taken of my right foot to see if anything showed up that would be causing it to hurt and make walking difficult at times. Final verdict on the foot: probably too much pressure with some of the aerobics I’ve tried in the water recently. The arch appears to be dropping and it is pushing out a bone on the outer edge of the foot. A suggestion was made that I should see a podiatrist and I may need a special shoe to relieve the pain when I walk. No appointment was set up so I can put that on hold for a while and make a point of wearing my walking shoes more often. I’ve leaned toward wearing some of the flats which are not a good policy for anyone with back problems anyway.

Another trip by the drug store to drop off new prescriptions and refills. Seems every time I turn around I am having to go to the drug store. Thursday I got a letter from the insurance company that beginning the first of the new year they are making changes in their payment policy. They have come up with a List of Approved Drugs which they accept. Of these, the same payment scale still works. Any drug not found on their list will cost $25 to fill up front! I checked through my long list and found all but four of them on the list mailed out. I have to go online to check the longer, more complete version to see if I need to see about trading off any of those four for something else. So far, I haven’t been able to get online to see the list. Guess everyone else is doing the same thing. The doctor’s office does not have it’s official list from the insurance company as of yet which surprised the nurse when I mentioned that it goes into effect next month.

Those presents are still laying around waiting to be wrapped in colorful apparel. I have a week and that week will fly by in no time flat. I left the nursing center with all good intentions of coming home to work on the presents. Here it is way past time to begin such a project and they still wait for my moment of dynamism. (My daughter’s motto is Be Dynamic. Wonder if she would share some hints with me.)

December 16, 2000 Mid morning and no packages wrapped and added to the meager pile completed. There is more of the day, so there is hope I may do some of them. I go to Tbird’s church again this evening for their Christmas performance. Over 200 people are in the cast and choir not to mention live animals and some special sound effects. Both the boys are also taking part in the event. Dad and I will have VIP tickets for up front seating - and I am taking a pillow with me to make getting up and down easier.

Mother called early to let me know that she is up and dressed just in case the pastor of he former room mate comes with a basket of fruit for her today. He brought her one last year and told her he would be back with one this year. She is real excited and wondering if his son will be along with him like he was last year. This pastor has been a wonderful friend to Mother since meeting her. He and his wife come regularly to spend some time with her throughout the year even though it is a special drive for them coming from Morganton. She really misses not having some of our own Church once and awhile at least. Our one good friend and her husband are the only ones that visit with her regularly, and that is because she made a promise to Mother’s sister that is now in Alabama and can’t visit Mother.

While Lady was here on Thursday evening we had a rather strange visitor come to the door. A man came asking for money for the American Heart Society. That in itself is not strange, except in our area letters are generally mailed out asking for contributions. What made this one different was the fact that he was offering to sell two figurines. One was a little girl for $5.95 and the other was some sort of frog for $6.95 - with all proceeds going to the Heart Association. He had an official looking plastic coated form in his hand, but I learned later that he didn’t stop next door! If he was really working for the Heart people, one would think that he would stop at every house making a plea for money. I didn’t give him any money because it seemed strange to me that he would be here. I did the solicitation for money last year in this area and that wasn’t the way it was done; everything was done through the mail.

It’s off to the drugstore once again to pick up the meds once I’ve paid the required ransom. A rainy, prainy day to have to get out, but here I go in hopes that the thunderstorms decide to stay west of us for the day. Thunderstorms in December ... weather ain’t what it used to be. Maybe it will snow in ten days. I’ll have to watch to see if the adage is correct.

I’m back from making my rounds today. My stop at the drugstore had a twist never experienced. My new drug can not be filled until the twenty-seventh under the rules of the insurance company. Seems when I refilled my old prescription for one-a-day to carry me through with two-a-day until my doctor’s appointment to keep from having to pay extra for calling in for a prescription, I’m over the limit on the number of pills for the time period. Guess I will have to use some office “freebies” a few days to carry me through until then.

While with Mother I tried to call Brother. There was no answer to his room phone. I called the front office and they rang his room. He has been moved to Rehab where I spent two stints recouping with my new knees. Joy, joy, what fun he is in for! This weekend is quiet for him because most of the other patients are probably home on weekend passes and no therapists are there. He will be surprised how alive everything becomes on Monday morning and what a long day he is in for. It will not be a time for rest and quietude.

December 17, 2000 Some way to wake up in the morning! The thunderstorms must have played havoc with the electronic equipment at the radio station last night, or else someone is at the station that does not know how to run the programs. I heard a few strands of a tune and then nothing when my timer turned on the radio as usual. After a long interval, there was part of a beginning line of another song, then nothing again for a while. This continued for around twenty minutes. The regular programming that begins at seven was sporadic for another ten minutes before things were straightened out. The station used to go on automatic for the night hours and play music all night. That must still be the process, otherwise a person would have stepped in and corrected the problem.

The program at church last night was excellent. The music was accompanied by displays of lights. I heard someone say, “Look! Laser show!” That was not exactly right. It was showing everyone the new lighting in the sanctuary and what could be done with it. Anyone who has experienced a laser show knows about the brightness of colors and extremely clear lines made using laser as opposed to electric lamps.

The play was written by a member of the church and the songs were a collection of songs from past cantatas. All the songs were exceptionally energetic, yet meaningful for the storyline which intertwined the birth and life of Jesus with a family Christmas of this day and time during a tragic event. The boys came to sit with us after they had their song in the program and for them the best part of the night was at the very end when canisters of confetti exploded bright streamers in the air. All the children were around gathering up handfuls at the end.

NascarKid came home with me for the night and is going to church with me in Hickory shortly. We are meeting at McD’s for breakfast and he is hoping he can get a yo-yo at breakfast. That is yet to be seen.
Some way to wake up in the morning! The thunderstorms must have played havoc with the electronic equipment at the radio station last night, or else someone is at the station that does not know how to run the programs. I heard a few strands of a tune and then nothing when my timer turned on the radio as usual. After a long interval, there was part of a beginning line of another song, then nothing again for a while. This continued for around twenty minutes. The regular programming that begins at seven was sporadic for another ten minutes before things were straightened out. The station used to go on automatic for the night hours and play music all night. That must still be the process, otherwise a person would have stepped in and corrected the problem.

The program at church last night was excellent. The music was accompanied by displays of lights. I heard someone say, “Look! Laser show!” That was not exactly right. It was showing everyone the new lighting in the sanctuary and what could be done with it. Anyone who has experienced a laser show knows about the brightness of colors and extremely clear lines made using laser as opposed to electric lamps.

The play was written by a member of the church and the songs were a collection of songs from past cantatas. All the songs were exceptionally energetic, yet meaningful for the storyline which intertwined the birth and life of Jesus with a family Christmas of this day and time during a tragic event. The boys came to sit with us after they had their song in the program and for them the best part of the night was at the very end when canisters of confetti exploded bright streamers in the air. All the children were around gathering up handfuls at the end.

NascarKid came home with me for the night and is going to church with me in Hickory shortly. We are meeting at McD’s for breakfast and he is hoping he can get a yo-yo at breakfast. That is yet to be seen.

No rest today ... 12:30 midnight and no sleep. Guess I know which way this night is headed.

December 18, 2000 We went to church yesterday. We did not get a yo-yo at breakfast or lunch. There were none in Hickory. I had to leave the morning service a little earlier than the congregation. There was so much getting up and down during the morning, I felt there was not another lift left in me if I sat on the pew another time. NascarKid decided to stay with me for Sunday School since only fifteen minutes remained for the morning schedule.

NascarKid and I boogied on down the streets of Hickory heading to the Hospital to visit with BJ. The Rehab area is a drab place to be on weekends since all the therapists are gone and many of the patients are out on weekend passes. Just hope BJ will have a pass for next weekend and Christmas Day. He is worried that he may have to spend the time in the hospital. Pleasantly, the nurse on duty for the day remembered me! It’s been a few years since I was last there.

Once home, the rest of my day was spent wrapping presents, presents, and more presents and there are many yet to be wrapped. I have twenty-one to wrap for my brother’s family, not to mention a few friends and my own family here.

Most of the regulars were missing at Q4L today. Seems that most of the cars parked outside belonged to someone in the water. We gradually kept coming in to the water until twelve filled the pool. There was steam waiting when the class was over. I left the building carrying a small tangerine given to each of us by the instructor for Christmas today.

This turned out to be one of those topsy-curvy kind of days for me. DynoKid needed his bottom bands inserted by the Orthodontist and I was chosen to pick him up at school and take him to Morganton and then back home. We stopped at Wally World while DynoKid took in the assortment of toys to dream about receiving that week. He returns in five weeks so I made the appointment to suit me since I suspect I’ll be the one to take him..

As I drove up to the back door of the nursing center one of the CNA’s couldn’t wait to talk to me. The same was true of the head nurse when I entered the hall. She informed me that she had left a message on my answering machine. It appears Mother decided to go to the bathroom by herself again. She fell once and somehow managed to stand up to reach the help button for a nurse before she fell a second time. From talking with her it seems she was most likely down for about twenty minutes before help arrived. She vows that she is fine, but she makes a face when she moves in bed. After watching her feeling around with her eye shut, I asked about opening her eyes. She said when she did, a bright light hurt her head. After reporting that to the nurse she said she would call and talk to the doctor. I hope she doesn’t mess up the surgery on her eye.

Big Brother survived his first day in Rehab, but was tired and a little put out with all he had to do. I dared Mother to say a word to him about her fall. That would be one of the last things he needs to have anxiety about while working to get better. I called the hospital and allowed Mother to chat with him this evening before I came home.

December 19, 2000 My CHRISTMAS GREETING and Christmas dogs.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go ...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ...

Yes, it crept into our county quietly around 3 a.m. No major accumulation is expected for this weather system. Schools for our county has been canceled for the day. School for Tbird’s county is on a two hour delay for the time being. It’s only 6 a.m. so there is a chance that things could change for her county before buses head out to make their morning pickups.

As for me and my plans, common sense speaks for itself. I shall stay home as long as there is snow or chance for ice. Brother in the hospital, Mother bedfast from her fall since it gave her fragile back a double jolt, no reason for me to have any desire - whatsoever - for jaunts outdoors taking a risk of joining the two of them. I was somewhat apprehensive about traveling over the South Mountains this evening to watch NascarKid as Santa Claus and the lead in a play for the PTO Meeting at his school. That will not take place now.

A good day for completing my wrapping of presents. Most of them are finished and stashed around the house awaiting that special day. The tree has not been brought up from the basement to be adorned. I may let the Grandkids form the outline of a tree with the presents - and voila! An instant tree with little upkeep and a timely taking down on Christmas morn. There are 21 presents to take to Brother’s house for his family, plus a birthday present for his wife. I had fun last evening taking time to play some with the toys Cotton chose for BusyKid and Buddy Boy.

Thank goodness all the voting chad mess is over; a president designated; the television calmed down from all the interruptions of “breaking news” to tell us that nothing had really changed. Now the “Cute” side of chad comes into existence with the compilations of various mementos going on sale. It’s a better time for staying indoors with the TV filling in background noises and interruptions have a sound of Republications and Democrats possibly working together.

Seven a.m. and time for Burke County school buses to leave if it were a normal day. They still have several hours before canceling classes for Children. I could receive a call pleading for me to watch the boys for the day. Will they go to school, or will they come over here ... ?

7:40 a.m. - school canceled in Burke County for children. Teachers have an optional workday. The phone doesn’t ring ... maybe Tbird will stay home with the children. We have about three inches of snow so far. Tbird also has water running over the road on top of the dam because the drain is clogged up. There was ice there yesterday when I crossed taking DynoKid home. Ms. Jay and her granddaughter deliver the two morning papers to the front door for me.

December 20, 2000 That phone call came; it simply came later than expected. Instead of wanting me to keep the boys for yesterday, Tbird asked if I would keep them today. She already had them at school by the time the decision was made to not have pupils attend classes. They spent the day with her and in the media center while she worked. They attempted to get to grandma’s house to spend the night before the temperature had dropped so terribly low, freezing the roadways. The temperature was already down to 27 degrees by the time they arrived. Come morning and our low was 12 degrees Fahrenheit.

Charlie managed to make his way to freedom outside twice during the morning. The first time was due to Allan forgetting about him and holding the door open. His bright red argyle sweater made it easy to keep up with him in the white background of the snow. Happy, happy Charlie didn’t take too long to find another opportunity to race through the cold icy snow. When the men came to work on unclogging the drain line so the washer would stop overflowing, I took no chances with him and fenced him away from the work zone and outside door.

NascarKid and DynoKid spent the morning rotating between the TV, computer and a hockey field-sized slice of ice on the newly leveled land across from the front yard. DynoKid managed too get himself soaking wet and I had to hunt up a change of clothes for him. When we had to leave, his shoes were not dry, but he had no choice, but wear them. There were two haircuts awaiting them in Morganton and NascarKid had a dentist appointment to get his twelve year molars sealed in an effort to save them until he is older and they can be capped. We will never know why he has soft enamel which cause him many problems with his teeth.

Supper at the Pizza place in Valdese then Tbird takes Giggles to meet up with Dad so she can go home. I take the boys to church because they have to sing three songs with their choir tonight. A brief stop to see Mother since I had to miss yesterday, I dial my brother’s number at the hospital so she can talk with him before I head on home to meet up with Lady who has been cleaning house. The boys come back to spend the night again since tomorrow is another teacher’s workday.

Mother was not a happy camper when I arrived in her room this evening. In her own words, “The nurse preached my funeral and I’m not even dead! She really got all over me.” A few questions and I assured Mother that the nurse was right and only trying to protect Mother. Only a few days ago Mother manages to “sit down” on the floor in the bathroom - twice. Already, she has tried her luck again. Seems that a CNA came into the room and Mother was sitting on the bed. When asked who helped her get there, turns out no one! Mother “slid on the bed from the wheelchair” She didn’t need help. That’s when the nurse was notified and came in to read the writ act to Mother about always having someone holding on to her whenever she gets out of her chair.
Continued Page four