Nature Songs ~~~~
DECEMBER, 2000
, continued ~~
December 21, 2000 Two days till Christmas Eve. We are beginning to wonder whether Cotton and hubby will have problems driving down from New Jersey to share Christmas with us. There has been some blowing snow and sleet throughout the day and we may have more tonight. By Saturday morning the temperature will be down in the single digits with the wind blowing to bring the chill factor down even more. According to records we have had seven Christmas’ with a trace of snow and one Christmas with snow since the keeping of weather records.
Memories came rushing back when I saw that the recorded snow was in 1947. I remember that snow. It blew across our big front porch where I made tracks through it. A path from the steps to the door was swept clean by my Grandmother to make coming in and out easier. Most vividly, I recall going about a mile through the snow to my other Grandparents’ house for the annual Christmas Eve Party for the family. They had ten children living who all would come along with their children. The house was always packed with kinfolk and we cousins would run around playing for most of the evening. Food would fill the big dining room table tempting us to taste some of all of it while we waited for that special time to gather in the living room waiting breathlessly as we listened for our name. We drew names each year and was impatient to find out who got our name. I had a favorite aunt that always gave me a special present, as well.
Time to leave the party this year was different from most. The cold wind was whipping our faces and any skin that wasn’t covered as we left the warm house. The ruts in the dirt road leading down the steep hillside had turned to ice making it hard to walk. My father had to lead Mother down the hill; climb back up to the top and help me down to the bottom along with my brother. We had a sidewalk to make the walking a little easier up the next hill, but the wind and ice slowed down our steps making it difficult to keep going. Once we got to the paved road, we found that it was a solid sheet of ice. Once again, Dad helped us across one at a time. Mother has goulashes on over her shoes, but she was wearing high heels which made her walking even harder. Once we crossed the main road we felt that we were almost home even thought we had about a block to walk before turning down the road to our house. At least the last hill was shorter and not as steep as the one at the beginning of our walk home. That was truly a Christmas to remember.
My memorable experience this year is much less happy than that one with the snow.
Reality set in only a day or two after I ordered a DVD Player which I thought I would use here at home for the grandchildren. Everything seemed to be in order and on the up and up. There were no flags waving to alert me that I was about to make a serious mistake. The site announced that it only would accept payment through a money site that is very reliable and trustworthy generally. My daughter and I use the money site and know that it is a safe place, so why should I question the order I placed? That question was going to come back to haunt me.
Two days later, I wanted to show Wes what I had ordered. The bookmark I made of the site was sent to the money site instead of the web page used for advertising. I sent an e-mail to ask them about the web page. The e-mail was returned to me, “unknown.” I knew then that something was not right. I called the 800 number that had an answering machine. I left a number, but never got an answer back. I wrote the money site inquiring about the company that took my money. That was November 22, 2000.
They sent me a short confirmation of receiving my e-mail, but that was about all. It seemed to be turning into a waiting game. I knew for sure a few weeks later when I began receiving e-mails concerning a product that is almost identical to what I ordered that things were erroneous for certain. Each of the e-mails had a different return addy. Two of them were described as being Sega products so I e-mailed the Sega company and was quickly informed that they had no product as I had described. Very interesting!
Yesterday, my credit card bill came so I was ready to begin doing something today. Remarkably, an e-mail arrived from the online money exchange place announcing that I was eligible to apply for re-imbursement on a fraud claim with them after thirty days. I spent quite a while at the computer filling out all the information needed and cutting and pasting the letters and returns I have been accumulating since first I order the DVD player. Before all I had the information on it’s way with hopes of getting things worked out.
December 22, 2000 Flabbergasted would best explain my feelings around mid-morning when I checked my email. How peculiar things seem to work! I received an email from a strange place this morning. It was a letter apologizing about the DVD I had ordered last month along with explanations on why it had not been mailed out. They offered to refund the money if I no longer wanted the item or didn’t want to wait for it. There was the e-mail addy which I had never seen before and no actual name was mentioned as to the company or a person other than the signature which was E-Commerce, Inc.. which I was never able to locate.
I had to think things through for a few moments before taking any action. If I were to say cancel it and good riddance I may not be able to give any help if it were not what it appeared to be. The grandsons have been anxious about seeing it, so I wrote to them asking for some answers as a sort of test of the situation. Then I forwarded their letter to the Sega Company asking if there was any truth to what they wrote to me about the hold up in shipment. I had one more e-mail to send. I forwarded their letter to the money place to be added on to the fraud claim I had mailed last night.
If all works out, I can receive the item in about two weeks and cancel any other processes that have been put in motion. If all is not what it seems to be, I have more material to add to the mounting list of problems to date. It takes about two or three weeks to get entities gathered and sorted through.
Realities of life have a way of expressing the frailties of human’s dependence on things at the most in-opportuned moments. Opportunities don’t always wait for our choice of time and place. For example: I received a call from Ms. Jay shortly after lunch today. She was calling from down at the road where she had gone to get our local newspapers. Water was frozen over our water meter boxes and a little was running down from them, which meant problems. Her top came loose from her side and the meter seemed to be working properly which meant that the problem was on my side, and it was frozen shut. She came back to her house to get something to pry open the box so she could shut off the water for me.
I first called the water department to come out and check it for us. I was not sure that Ms. Jay would be able to get it open since it was frozen over. Then I called my sidekick when a problem arises, Wes, to get him in on affairs. I had to leave by then to take Tbird’s hubby to pick up the car that she had wrecked a while back since it was finally ready for them. On the way down the drive, we saw Ms. Jay with her arms down in the freezing water working on getting the valve turned off. It was being difficult for her to turn - not to mention that a cold wind was also blowing making it harder for her to work.
Once back home, Ms. Jay did the running up and down stairs to get the power turned off for the water heater. She remembered to turn off the ice maker for me as well. What would I do if she were not here to help me in times like these. Phone calls, checking weather against the time of day, and not knowing what would be needed to repair the leak, Wes and I decided to get enough water through the pipes to hold through till tomorrow and not attempt to do anything today. The temperature was already down in the twenties and the low tonight is to be in the single digits... much too cold to have to work with wetness and the unknown. Of course we realized later that we could have turned off the inside valve for the city water and turned on the pump in the basement. It was never disconnected when we hooked up with the city water. There is a chance that we could use the well for a while until the weather is less of a challenge.
The washer is fixed to drain the water out safely and for now there is no water coming into the washer so that it will drain out . . . . so-be-it . . .
December 23, 2000 Early to rise and on a day that it is not necessary to do so. There are no pressing needs to get any particular thing done early this morning. Nothing planned at all until mid morning when Allan will take the presents down to my Brother’s home for his family’s Christmas. We will have no formal family gathering as in the pass. This is the first Christmas - EVER - our two families have not been together for Christmas. He is getting three day passes to come home from Rehab today through Christmas to be with his own family. I was able to stay home at night when I came home from Rehab. He has to go back to the hospital each night but he is happy to get home at all.
BJ had an episode of his lower number in his blood pressure bottoming out on Friday which gave everyone a scare. He was put to bed for the rest of the day and had to take therapy this morning before he was cleared to come home so they could evaluate him. Needless to say, with all he has been experiencing, he needs no extra excitement this year, and I cannot provide the energy needed to have the group here at my own home. I rode down to Hickory with Allan this morning and we dropped off our presents for him and his family at his home before he was discharged from Rehab.
I opted to ride with Allan and his family to Hickory for some last minute shopping since I had no water here. All the new places opened up the past few years made it seem like we had gone to a different planet for me. I’ve not been shopping in that area in a l-o-o-o-n-n-g time. This was my very first time in the new development behind Valley Hills Mall. The whole series of new stores reminds me of being up in New Jersey shopping with Kohl, Target, Old Navy, The Linen Shop and other places lined up side by side. I only made it to the parking lot and observed while Allan went in to pick up a present from Best Buy
I sat in the car while they shopped at several places except to eat at Sagebrush and then I went into Sally‘s Hair Salon Supply to pick up some Hoofer’s Choice for fortifying my fingernails, damaged by the chlorine pool water. As always, there were a few other things that screamed at me to pick them up and buy them or else! I found a few stocking stuffers as well as some nail polish on sale. Before we could leave Hickory, Wes was beeping us about the water leak.
The earth around the water meter was cold, but not frozen solid about midday when Wes dug down to find the leak to repair it. The problem was the connector right at the meter box. My neighbor offered the pipe we needed which was only inches and it ended up that all we needed to buy was a coupler and some glue for putting together the PVC joints. Voila! In no time at all, there was water in the house once again thanks to my two sons and my neighbor.
Rest was at a minimum for today. I sat in my recliner for a short time while Buddy Boy and his Mommie carried my gifts into the sunken room to place around the Christmas tree. Cotton had left a message they would stop for the night and be here tomorrow. I had to buy some groceries for them before they got here and get a few more things.
December 24, 2000 Christmas Eve has arrived, just as it always comes, and the season is official here. I must be excited, or maybe it is only that I got too keyed up and tired yesterday. I was unable to make it over to see Mother yesterday. I bought her Cokes, but forgot the peanuts she wanted, so I had to take care of her today along with other special events of the day. It is not even six a.m. and I am wide awake and restless. Things need to be done, but I can’t do them; therefore, I shall not worry about them. My company will have to take me as I am.
McD’s breakfast is on for this morning. I have to remember to take along the presents for my aunt. She was invited to come here for Christmas, but I think she decided to go to Greensboro to be with her brother and his family tomorrow. (*Note: So early in the morning, and there is a wedding -white dress and all- on a TV church program. Turns out it is the preacher’s daughter.)
I have the things to take over to Mother after Church today, but it probably in be later in the afternoon before I get them to her. Maybe by that time Cotton will be here and go with me over to the nursing home.
The annual Christmas Eve Supper is planned for Tbird’s home this evening for her in-laws and a few neighbors, and me. She called last night complaining of feeling bad and thinking she may have strep throat. Mom was asked what she should do. (After all these years.?) I suggested she should see a doctor immediately and get something for it. She went down to a Hickory Convenient Care place and sure enough, she tested positive for the strep bug and was put on antibiotics. I guess tonight may be put on hold until another time. Then again, she will say she is feeling better and have the get-together anyway. Her hubby does all the cooking for it, so that would be no problem. I wouldn’t want me or any of the others to get the bug.
I’m off to start my day.
December 25, 2000 It’s Christmas. There was no fanfare to announce it’s arrival, it slipped from one day to the next as all days reach that appointed destination. Christmas Eve began as any Sunday with breakfast at McD’s. In Sunday School several of the ladies has small presents for all of us. I brought home a jar of blackberry jam and some candies. Oh, all right, we did have Christmas cookies to go along with our coffee during class. I gave my aunt her present before leaving the church to fill up the car with gas at $3.29.9, and making a few stops looking for more stocking stuffers.
While I was at the grocery story, Cotton, hubby and the three smaller dogs came. Wes was here to welcome them. Ginger, a basenji, was decked out in a green jacket with a sort of fur collar to keep warm. Being a native of Africa, these are dogs that have a disdain for cold weather. It’s hard to believe that she and Strider are nine years old now. Like any child, the time flies by and you wonder how they got so old. Frannie seems to ignore the cold even though she only has a mop of hair on her head. When she sleeps she likes to be warm and loves to be held, but doesn’t mind running around to keep up with all the activities otherwise.
After stopping by to visit Mother for a few minutes we headed over to Tbird’s for our annual get-together and supping on hubby’s famous chili. Tbird herself is sick with strep, but try to keep her down! She went to Convenient Care Saturday evening for meds to help, but she wouldn’t miss church yesterday and she tried to keep her distance from the guests. She still had a fever which was 102 degrees at the medical place. Me thinks she may be in bed for part of the week.
Late evening found Cotton wrapping her presents and helping me fix up Christmas stockings. I had one small problem there. I forgot where I put the stockings last year. We finally decided to use “Teeter bags” for the adults ( those plastic grocery bags - I have a story about how they got the name.) and shopping bags for the Grandkids. It must have been around 1 a.m. till we had everything laid out in the sunken room and ready for this morning.
I was up early to put the ham in the oven to heat up so it could fill the house with the aroma of Christmas and family fun. Soon Cotton will leave to meet Wes at the nursing center to bring Mother over here for Christmas with the family. She has already called to say she is dressed and waiting - where are we?
Nine o’clock and all should arrive for fun and festivities of a family Christmas. It won’t be much longer. With visions of happy times for us, I feel a sadness for those that have no one to share with during this season. I have to think of those that have each other, but no money for sharing presents or having enough to eat. We are fortunate. I wish those less fortunate a sense of happiness for what they may have. Sometimes money, gifts, and a bounty of food lack the warmth of love and companionship. They may be most unhappiest of all. I feel for them. Here, we are fortunate, we have the best of any combination, we have love, compassion and understanding of each other and soon we will be sharing together. This is our first time in several years that we have been complete - Cotton and her family are here; there is not an empty space in our hearts missing them - we have always felt her absence when she is unable to be with us.
Evening finds me worn out and happy. It has been an exceptionally satisfactory day, all in all. Everyone has enjoyed the fellowship and memories of years of long ago through the joys of the little ones. My greatest pleasure was that which no money can buy and so priceless to have shared . . . my family. The children, the children’s children, Mother and my brother along with some of his family really gave me pleasure.
We were “running behind schedule” since the little ones took more time at home with the first Christmas explorations of the day. Little Giggles was the first one up of her siblings, and reports are that her eyes glowed with excitements as she quietly took in the unexpected sight before running to her brothers’ room to rouse them from their deep sleep to join her at the Christmas tree.
Another household found BusyKid trying out his very first bike - training wheels and all. What better place to ride than in the hallway? Big brother took off outdoors on his bigger version. Yet another home found Buddy Boy, eyes wide with wonder, scrambling to open yet another present.
Here we had our traditional piling of the papers and boxes mid-floor as each searched under the wrappings to eye the special pleasures chosen especially for each one’s own enjoyment and use. The mountain of leftovers of paper and boxes had to be cleaned up carefully to make sure that no item was accidentally thrown out as several black garbage bags were filled to carry outside for the trashmen to tote off Wednesday.
Mother was first to arrive for the festivities this morning as Cotton drove my car over to the center and met Wes as he would help get Mother loaded in the car for the trip home for Christmas. Later, Brother BJ was brought up to spend a little time with Mother. It was the first time he has seen Mother since he unexpectedly ended up in the hospital. Such pride and joy shone in the eyes of Mother and Son as he was wheeled into the house and his wheelchair placed beside Mother’s. They sat and gently held hands for a brief time. Words were not needed between them. More presents were exchanged and much too soon the weariness of the trip began to show in BJ’s face and he needed to head back home for rest. His daily trips from Rehab over three days of the season has done much for lifting his moral.
Once all had drifted away to continue their journey sharing the joy of Christmas with other family, I drifted to my bed for rest, Cotton snoozed in the recliner and Richard napped on the couch downstairs. Cotton commented that coming home for Christmas was sort of like taking part in a real life soap opera. In New Jersey she leads a more sedate life.
December 26, 2000 Tiredness shows itself in many different forms. Getting out of bed this morning was slow and yet probably the easiest to do of everything done all day. I felt the grip of my body talking, trying to dismiss the messages it was sending. Some things refuse to be ignored. Fibro is one of them. Do too much and it begins to have tantrums of refusal to co-operate with your commands. The psoriasis is almost as bad as it sends out the itchy blotches of blisters as it calls for a halt or reprieve from doing more.
I managed to dress and make a luncheon date with my children and their families at the Steakhouse. BJ’s son came in from Tennessee for Christmas. He brought his wife and Mother up to spend a little time with us this morning - and he wanted to take a shower before leaving. Strangely, their household was experiencing a bout of time without water. With them, a shower had sprung a leak and they were waiting for a plumber to come and make the necessary repairs. The cold weather is taking its toll on waterlines around here. As we left for lunch, they headed over to spend a little time with Mother.
After lunch, I sat in the car with Giggles while Tbird ran into Treasures to pick up a few things she wanted that were in the after Christmas sale. Once home, she had some calls to make, but I had to stretch out to rest. Little Miss Giggles chose to spend that time with me on the bed. Rest was a little less than real rest. The movements and curiosity of a nearly two year old are countless.
I barely made it up any for the rest of the day. I was zonked out, but good.! Family came and went. I only heard a few comments of, “Oh, Mom overdid herself yesterday. She does that when she does too much.” There was no sympathy or offers of holding my hand as they went about as usual. Looking back over the years, it is a familiar occurrence for me to respond as I did to all the interaction and activities of unique days.
December 27, 2000 A s l o w, s - l - oo - oo - w, morning is putting it mildly. In my mind I planned to get to Q4L this morning. That was not to be. I stretched and moved around to work out some stiffness, pain and kinks before reaching for the bottle to take another pain pill to take the edge off some of what I felt. Along with the busy days, some weather changes seem to add to the physical trials. How can one be judged and sentenced to endure different types of problems without knowing how the problems presented themselves in the beginning? There are so many people that live with far greater pain, suffering and disabilities and never knowing how or why they were the chosen one.
Midday arrived before I decided to ride with Cotton and hubby for a Bar-be-que meal and drive to Hickory for a little shopping. We rode out to the lake to my aunt’s place before heading to a shopping mall. I was delivered to the door of Media Play and pushed a cart around as I browsed through the CD’s and cassettes. I found several CDs I bought to add to my assortment which were different. I bought my first music of the fifties! After all these years and I buy the first collection of some of the music I grew up with. Some of the songs I’ve heard played by a group of friends and enjoyed caught my eye and I ended up buying a CD of Bluegrass fiddle music. The collection was rounded out with songs from popular musicals played by the 101 Symphony String Orchestra.
We searched around for a suitable hand-held notebook to use in place of the yearly calendar I’ve used for years for appointments and stuff. (For some reason, the small appointment book with all the appropriate dates and destinations updated for the new year has hidden itself in the depths of the house.) Traveling the road back to Lenoir and Staples led me to finding a suitable style with easy to use features. Cotton programmed it to make it compatible with the main computer for keeping backups in case of problems down the road. In only an instance, NascarKid pointed out how to use one of the new features.
December 28, 2000 Late last evening some out of town friends came by visiting. It has been years since I’ve seen much of them and missed not getting to see how their children had grown. (They had been left at home with grandma.) Their baby is nearly four and I’ve only seen pictures of her.
Time for attempting the routine today . . . and I made it! Getting back into the water felt so good this morning. There were only six of us and this was the first day back since before Christmas for most of us. We all commented on how much better we felt for being back. Several of us seemed to have some problems of Fibro flare-ups from too much activities during the past week It’s not just me.
The same several of us all headed to our respective homes to rest at the end of our morning out. I got to rest about an hour before leaving for another afternoon out with Cotton and Hubby. I got in trouble when Cotton and I decided to see what Belk had on special. It was 25 percent off the lowest price on the tag day today. My arm was twisted, forcing me to buy some good buys throughout the store. I came home with a new handbag which I needed, two vests, a pair of soft pants, an orange reversible sleeveless jacket and a silk reversible jacket. I wore the silk jacket to Hickory to see my brother for awhile.
Back home, Lady was busy cleaning house this evening. A bunch of clutter was strewed about and caused her to take much of her time picking up and straightening things. I ran over and visited with Mother, giving Lady some time to vacuum and mop with me out of her way.
Cotton and hubby have gone to Tbird’s to get a new computer up and running for their family. When all was quiet, I was ready for bed and rest once again.
Continued Page five
©2000 by Stormy Jeanne
