Nature Songs ~~~~
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JULY, 2000
ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING DISORDERLY IS THAT ONE IS CONSTANTLY MAKING EXCITING DISCOVERIES. -
~~A.A. Milne
July 1,2000 - For some reason unknown to me, when I am feeling down about things, it always happens. Out of the blue, there appears a word of encouragement. A purpose for keeping on with whatever it may be, has a way of making itself known. There is a reason for things occurring as they do, if I only believe and continue with the projects around me. This time, it is an email from a complete stranger on the other side of the United States. I needed the message that came in that email. Those around me do not always tune in on times I may be off key and out of touch; especially when they are not in contact with me. I choose not to reach out with a phone call or surprise visit and be a bother to others. That makes it even more special when someone I have never seen or heard of lets me know that they understand. I learn that I have been able to touch someone else’s life and made a positive influence on their lives. It hurts when those that are supposed to know you best, does or says something to tarnish my efforts, or look down with disdain on what I may accomplish. Unknowingly to them, the wrong words seem to slip out letting me feel their disapproval of conditions and happenings.
Wes was here today and got my digital camera working on the computer. I downloaded my pictures onto the recordable disk. That’s my first time using that port for recording on to the CD. I tried to delete the pictures from the camera, and I have forgotten the combination. I also have lost my little booklet telling me how to do it. There are only three buttons to push. One would think that I would hit the right combination to clear the camera and ready it to use again. Maybe I can go online and find out how to do it. The new computer is so much faster working with my pictures than my other computer. It took very little time to convert the images to store. I think I am going to have fun with pictures now that I have space to work with them.
The grandsons and son-in-law returned from Kentucky and their week of working. The first thing that BingoKid had to report upon his return, “Golly, I thought we were poor! But we have a nice place to live.” He has a better grasp of how people live and how little many people actually have. In comparison, the day before he left last weekend, his folks took him on a tour of homes near Lake Norman which included some million dollar mansions (no, we will never live like that.) It gave him something to compare the two extremes of living conditions at a time in his life, I hope it helps him to understand people and their needs and a desire to help others.
Somewhere outdoors, it sounds as if the Fourth of July has started a few days early. Eleven thirty at night and the popping and booming goes on and on. At least I would hope that it is fireworks. I haven’t figured out yet where they are coming from. It would nearly have to be the County Fairgrounds or the Speedway. I could look at the newspaper to see what is listed for fireworks this year. We haven’t had any here in the city for a few years. We’ve been going out of the county, or out to the Country Club and that has been on the Fourth. I do know that Kenny Rogers is to be at Appalachian University for a show and fireworks ... Wonder what I will do this year? So far, there is nothing planned.
How did you get hired? Where are your thoughts? Aren’t you listening? Boy, are your dense! I thought the thoughts, but kept them to myself. Surely, the manager of the establishment will catch up to such gross negligence of service. I had to order the ham biscuit for Mother not one time, not two times, but three times. I ordered myself the chicken sandwich, but stressed that I did not want the Cajun, which was given to me on two previous visits. Realizing the bag seemed on the small side, I stopped to check and see what I had picked up from the drive-through window. Sure enough, there was no ham biscuit in the bag. I had to park and enter the dining room to correct my order. Miss Spacey dared not get any sudden smarts and was rather a funny sight in handling my request. She did manage to say she was sorry for the mix up after she discovered my ham biscuit laying beside where the bag had been placed before she handed it to me through the window. If I had known that was not the only mistake, I would have opened and sampled the meal before leaving the parking lot. The drink turned out to be not diet, but regular! The sandwich which should have had lettuce and tomato on it was nothing but two slices of bread and a plain piece of chicken breast - more than the Cajun dipped meat was left off. Yes, there is on the menu exactly what I ordered. It was not a special order. I’m just not sure how you go about getting it, except possibly never returning to this particular place of business to order broiled chicken. That was my one trip out of the house today.
This trip included purchasing a new telephone for Mother. She has about out challenged me messing up with the one she has been using. This time my ultimate goal was to acquire a machine that would be less likely to be broken. No more cordless phones with all the buttons to hold and manipulate while talking and has a tendency to run down. I checked for larger buttons to accommodate her shaking and her bad eyesight. Another must was for the next phone to have a choice of volumes to aid with her hearing it better when it rings. I’ll super glue the controls if she manages to get them moved or turned off!
Once the perfect choice was made, there was a longer cord needed to make it accessible for her from any place in her room when she is sitting in her wheelchair during the day. For easier use of the phone handset itself when she talks, I threw in a coiled twenty-five footer line to attach it to the base. There will be less mess for her, but more ability for movement while she talks and less chance of pulling off the base into the floor (I hope!).
After getting all her phone numbers moved into the memory and explaining to her how to use the phone, I watched as she made a call on it. I called big brother so he could call us back and get the volume adjusted right. Her same numbers have been placed at the same memory on each of her last four phones now. Wonder if they will really work for her now that she has a new phone! I have some doubts. She promptly tried to give me the TV remote to bring home with the old phone. That was not a good idea ....
July 2,2000 - I’ve been a bbaaaaddddd little girl today. The two of us decided to play hooky from church this morning. Seems neither of us were interested in listening to the Guideon speaker scheduled for today’s service. In talking over the phone last evening, we discovered that we have nothing planned for the Fourth of July. Time was when there was always something to do, but there is nothing I can think of that calls me to the line of duty for celebration this July.
Strangely, I was thinking back about how much differently I would be spending the day after the Fourth this year compared to 1959. This year I will be making a trip to my surgeon to discuss my right knee and its episodes of misbehaving. If there is a problem, is there anything that can or should be done for it? It all feels very “run-of-the-mill- la-te-dah -so-what” its another day occurrence. Not so, way back then! It was the first date with the man who would become my soulmate. It was the first time we met. It was the first day of the rest of my life. My heart was aflutter with anticipation and a little fear. How could I have known that day how things would be now! Back then, it was dining on a steak dinner as we got to know each other followed by a drive-in movie. How the times have changed.
I wrote some more on Nevermore Land yesterday. For a fictional piece of writing, it seemed strange that I was looking for the correct types of herbs and trees to list them in Chlorella for use by the faeries. Makes me wonder where I am going with the story.
I began with no story line at all and as I meander along, rummaging through my thoughts, plots begin to grow and I jot down little tidbits to remind myself, “Ah! This would be good to use in my storyline. I’ve got to remember this.”
I’ve lost more little tidbits here and there than I have held on to. Organization would be a good idea. That’s true in more areas than writing! Ouch, that thought hurts. It steps on too many of my toes.
I was somewhat good today. I watched church on the TV. It was an exceptional presentation in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for what they believed in - America. Along with the sermon that followed, the youth, music and military units left some impressive thoughts to consider. What was appalling was the lack of discernment on the part of the television station with the movie that immediately followed the church service. It left much to be desired; so much so that I changed channels.
July 3,2000 - Oh, hum! Same ole run-of-the-mill start of the new week. How is anyone supposed to know that it can be so different? To begin with, BingoKid spent the night with me. Dad came over and finally fixed the commode so it would not run off and on all the time. The family came with him. BingoKid chose to stay when it came time to leave. It’s good having someone here to keep me company. Tbird dropped off the boys to visit with me while they went to church last evening, too. We made plans to meet at the church camp today. See, all ready things are beginning to get busy.
With Charlie’s expert help of licks and yaps, BingoKid arose from bed with both eyes pried open enough to get on his sandals. He stayed in a daycare packed with kids off from school at Quest while I did my workout. Instead of dressing for the day as I usually do, this day I change into a dry swimsuit under my usual shirt and pants and the two of us headed off for Hickory and the church camp to meet the family. We had a sandwich to eat for breakfast/lunch as we rode down the road, and arrived way ahead of the others. BingoKid did not have his swimsuit yet and chose to sit in the truck and listen to music until the others came.
Wendy and BusyKid came, went and came again to join us for the afternoon. Tbird arrived with her three and an afternoon of water and fun sped by much too fast. The sunblock slathered on good and thick, chairs, drinks and snacks near-by under the canopy, good friends and neighbors sharing the pool with us, the hours passed. Several friends that remembered way back when along with me were there and we exchanged memoirs of summers past. All too soon it was time to leave the cool waters of the outdoor pool. It was quite cooler than the heated water of our exercise pool, but so much warmer than the ice cold chillier pool of yore once fed by a natural spring nestled up the hills in the meadows that dwell only in memories.
Once home, I collapsed for the rest of the day. My energy is spent from the excitement and enjoyment of the day. NascarKid and DynoKid have come home with me. I am thankful to have them with me, but feel badly that I am too tired to do anything with them this evening. We called and ordered pizza for supper as we drove into Caldwell county and picked it up become coming home. This was Little Caesar’s $5 day, so I let each boy have a pizza of his own. What doesn’t get eaten today will be good tomorrow for them.
Mother got a treat this afternoon when one of her granddaughters took her out for the afternoon. The center called me around 9 p.m. concerned that she was not back in her room yet. I assured them that all was well and that she was in good hands. Mother called around 10 p.m. to report that she was “home.” She was very tired and confused, but happy because my brother seemed happy having her at his house while his grandchildren played in the pool between his house and the lake. Confused? Yes, she said that she had to get to bed because she had to work tomorrow ... I told her I loved her and I hoped she slept well.
July 4,2000 - The grandsons took over my bed last night since the television happens to be there and not in the extra bedroom. Charlie, Oreo and I were more than happy to share that room between ourselves. That bed does have a good mattress on it. DynoKid must have really been tired because he slept till nearly ten this morning. They were off with their family this afternoon for another day in the water and a cookout. I chose to skip this one. Instead of partying for the Fourth, I spent some time with Mother and made plans to eat supper with Wes and his family. We phoned around to find a restaurant open today.
After a late supper, it was time to drive out to Cedar Rock Country Club for the fireworks. That was the Speedway I heard the other night that lasted so long. Many of the places had fireworks over the weekend instead of tonight. Guess that explains why so many other people had the same idea we did and were congregating around the greens waiting for dark to descend on us. We sat in the parking lot near where the action would be. It was such a grand place to watch as the bursts of brilliant colors shot out across the sky. I sat inside the car and saw it all without having to move or strain to catch any of the action. A perfect ending for a perfect day.
~continued page two.
©2000 by Stormy Jeanne
