jul004

Nature Songs ~~~~

JULY continues ~ ~

July 22,2000 - They are here. They came in the mail this week. My tickets to the events at the Civic Center for the new season are here. It’s official. Everything is in order. Now to put the tickets in their appointed place so as not to lose them. We have a new friend that will be sitting close to us this year. We are already having fun talking about the programs to come.

I had the opportunity to go to the beach. I turned it down. The timing was just not right for me. I couldn’t force myself into pack and go mode for some reason. Maybe it was the reports of more shark bites along the coast line this summer. Perhaps the rip tides that have caused more deaths in a week then expected turned me off. Then again, it could be the heat, distance to get there, and all the hula-to-do of going through the motions of going.

Tbird called to report that it took them nine hours to drive to the coast of North Carolina. (Strange that the South Carolina coastline is closer to us.) She reported that their suite is only 300 feet from the water’s edge. (Wonder if that is high tide or low tide?) They walked along the beach after supper in the dark. I would not have been able to do that.) They have a place at Trinity Center in Salter Path, NC, which has a marshland trail which the family plans to explore. In surrounding towns are some more places to visit as well. They hadn’t decided whether to take the Ocrakok Ferry to the Outerbanks during their stay. I feel even better about my decision to stay home this trip.

The online classes are lined up for the summer session. I am toying with the idea of taking the Spanish I Class. We have so many living around here now that speak only Spanish that nearly all of our signs in stores and around are in both English and Spanish. We have a man that cuts the grass along the roadsides of the city that has a very limited English usage. We stopped to ask him about trimming back the banks on each side of our driveway so we can see the road better. He never did understand what it was we needed done. My neighbor ended up having to call the city office to get the work done. If I knew a little Spanish and about how the sentences are formed it may come in handy some day. I haven’t made up my mind, yet, but it is a good thought.

There is another class on herbs and the history of herbs. It interests me because of the story I have been toying with writing Nevermore Land. The information may help me with some of the plots that are already mapped out. On the other hand, I’ve been interested in an herb garden. Perhaps this would be a good incentive for me to work with a small garden of my own. Decisions, decisions, always decisions ...

Progress brings some unwanted aspects to life. Along with the good some bad must sneak in. Here we are living in the backyard of Charlotte, a city of progress. Who would have ever thought that only seventy miles away a terrorist group with worldwide recognition would be cornered and make national news. We are North Carolina where the rednecks, good ol’boys, mountaineers and hillbillies live. Copper stills are hidden from the revenuers. Stalks of marijuana are hidden among the trees... but terrorists? That sounds like a darker, sinister, more evil business to be conducted here. Yet, there are reports of at least 20 different antigovernment groups operating here amid our state tainting the waters.

July 23,2000 - Sunday, Sunday ... Sunday morning ...

And some rain came to aid the fields and yards. It’s much too late for some plants. I’ve noticed even my maple tree is beginning to drop leaves and it is so early in the season for leaves to die. The wild cherry tree has dead branches of leaves. Allan cut down three or four smaller trees that were dying when he trimmed around the house. The dry weather is taking its toll.

Guess by now Allan and his family are all set up on the beachfront in their camper for a week of rest and fun. This will be his first time camping out on the sandy open air of the beach. Years past we always chose to camp in the trees, protected from much of the sun and blowing sand. He talked of taking along plastic to clamp up around the tarp on the side of the camper with clothes pins to keep out some of the wind and sand. They are on North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

Tbird is up the coast in North Carolina and not camping out. I’m still happy that I chose to stay home this summer. erhaps I am getting old and decrepitude and too attached to home and old ways.

With a flurry of finding what to wear, taking meds, feeding dogs, and whatever else, I surprised myself and made it to breakfast on time this morning. For some reason I thought my clock said six a.m., but when I put my glasses on, it was after 8 a.m. It was close to nine till I got to McD’s in Hickory, but I made it - not to mention that others were driving faster than myself. I figured it wasn’t worth speeding so and taking a chance getting to my destination. I saw my first car tag from Canada at McD’s this morning for the summer. Most of the time we have people from Canada vacationing along this area year round, but there have been fewer as of lately.

The sermon this morning was on Sanctification. It was one that stepped on many toes within the church, including my own. A time to rededicate ourselves and becoming better followers of the Word and the Lord. I know there are things I feel left out of and do not know how I can improve on doing more. Surely, the way will be opened for me and I will be able to know what it is I need to be doing. My strengths and uses of years past are now gone. I’m not sure what I can do. I pray. I am concerned. There must be more.

July 24,2000 - Tai Chi in water is supposed to be good exercise, stretch and strengthening for those with Fibromyalgia such as myself. After a morning of working through the motions I am gung-ho for more! With soft music playing in the background, our instructor demonstrated the moves for us outside of the pool. She would have to reach over to the chair beside her at times to wipe the sweat from her face with a green Quest towel. Many of us labored to keep up with the constant gentle swaying of our arms and body as we tuned in to the movements of our bodies. For about thirty-five minutes we maneuvered through the different movements and steps, often as though in a slower dimension. These were things learned in a workshop in Atlanta, Georgia, and brought back to be shared with us. I was impressed and have felt the benefits of the new movements several times throughout the remainder of the day.

A quick call to the nursing center made from the locker room at Quest let Mother know that I was on my way to Morganton to the Quilter’s Guild Meeting. I promised to stop by and spend a little time with her on the way home after the meeting. Ms. Jay stopped by with me and made Mother’s day a little brighter. I read in the paper yesterday that the roommate Mother had when she first moved to Shaire Center had died. Her son had moved her to Morganton to another vicinity about a year or so ago. She died in the hospital. I have chosen not to tell Mother. She is already concerned about her sister in the hospital in Florida who had two broken places in her spine. Perhaps there will be a better time ...

Strange. I have not been in a mood to be very social lately. When my family has been here at the house I have more or less kept off to myself and not had much to say. Others bothered me this morning as they talked during our workout. I wanted to concentrate on what I was doing and not miss anything. Little talking was done on my part at the Quilting Meeting. I can’t say that I was a good listener, either, since I don’t remember much of what people were saying.

We had a yard sale to raise money for door prizes at our August Challenge Luncheon. I brought nothing to sell. I bought nothing from the tables of items waiting to be sold. I walked on out of the building to get my truck and drive up close to the door to pick up Ms. Jay when she came out. However, she saw me leave and followed fairly close behind. I hadn’t bothered to tell her what I was thinking of doing. I should have donated a little money to support the cause, I guess. I didn’t even register to go to the luncheon - or for a class being planned for September. Darra Duffy-Williamson will be the instructor. I’ve attended her classes in the past. She is an excellent teacher. I really should go, I guess.

Tbird called to report they returned home safely. She needs my help with the children a lot between now and when school begins for the boys. It starts tomorrow afternoon when I’ll keep all of the grandchildren for her while she gets her hair done in preparation for going back to school. I’m tired. I wonder how we will do. Her call reminded me that I forgot my own hair appointment to have my hair trimmed. Maybe she can make me another appointment while she is there tomorrow. I hadn’t cared to call on the phone to reschedule my missed haircut.

July 25,2000 - Our other regular instructor spent the morning in the water with us showing more of the things learned in Atlanta’s classes. here are many movements that are going to take a while for me to get the hang of, such as being able to bend my knees as I slowly move from side to side. It takes concentration to get myself in the correct position where the knees are concerned. All the more evidence that it is something that I need to practice and improve on.

Four of the grandchildren were over for the afternoon. hree of them were spending most of the time with the computer instead of being with grandma. Little Miss Giggles decided that a nap was not on her agenda for the afternoon. She would much rather play with the dogs’ water and food. It wasn’t long until she was carrying the food by the handfuls from my bedroom to the kitchen to add to the little bit of water in the bottom of the water bowl. It gave her something to do which she enjoyed as I let her proceed with the trips back and forth. Finally, being satisfied with the amount of food she had, she carried the bowl into the den and proceeded to feed the dogs until the bowl was empty. At that time, I figured she should be tired enough for a nap. I was tired enough for resting, myself. She took an hour nap and then was ready to explore again.

DynoKid was my gofer for the afternoon. He didn’t get much opportunity to use the computer. Between going back and forth to see what the other boys were doing and watching television, he was an excellent helper with his little sister. NascarKid and BingoKid worked on their websites and played a new game BingoKid had brought from his house on racing cars and trucks along with other games built into the new disk.

We talked over the phone off and on throughout the day, but I chose not to make a trip over to visit with Mother. Perhaps tomorrow will be a better day for visiting with her.

July 26,2000 - We did things a little differently at Quest this morning. We ladies have found that a swimsuit put out by Catalina is cheaper to buy and holds up better in the chlorinated water of the pool than other suits. Alas! We cannot find any more of them to use and many of the ladies would like to buy more. Today we gathered together before our class sporting our suits of many colors. From bright orange to shiny red through green, blue and black, we lined up together to take a picture. llie wants to send a picture of us to Catalina showing that we use them with the hope of maybe getting them in stores around the year for us and others to use for working out. I’m intrigued with the thought of me posing in a swim suit with a dozen other ladies to send off the picture to who knows where. They might take a look at us and decide that manufacturing that particular style was not a good idea after all. We were kidding each other of that fact after class in the locker room.

I was tired before I ever made it to Q4L. I had Little Miss Giggles this morning and made a small mistake. I assumed she would walk to the truck without holding my hand. She did. She walked around the truck twice and then took off to the woods. I had to track after her and bring her back to the truck to be safely locked into her carseat so we could make our trek to workout. No more walking without holding on firmly to little hands for the rest of the day. It was a lesson well learned by moi.

Tbird came to pick her up about mid afternoon which gave me time to collapse for a short time before going to see Mother. Allie brought some red and yellow tomatoes to me this afternoon, so I was able to cut up a nice yellow tomato to take Mother. Yellow ones are Mother’s favorite and she ate every slice of the one I took her. She also had some country ham to munch on along with the tomato. Brother had been over to spend some time with her this afternoon. He brought watermelon for her. Between the two of us, she seemed to have a very enjoyable afternoon.

July 27,2000 - Wham! Bang! Bonk! Slam! Back and forth we went between the seven of us there in the water. We had two beach balls and were trying to keep them both up in the air and moving for about twenty minutes. No young ones have ever had any more fun than us oldsters. I got in a lot of swimming chasing down the balls that escaped to the deeper water. One among us is afraid of water and even forgot her fear as she scurried around in a game of keep away. It was a workout. We did a lot of exercise with the short jaunt of volleying around the balls. Some of us were sore. Others don’t know what they missed out on this morning when they didn’t show up for our class.

Tbird met me at Quest with Giggles. We took her into daycare and Tbird continued on up the mountain after moving the carseat into my truck. Once I got Giggles home, she was ready for a nap. She was so sound asleep when Mom came for lunch, we waited an hour so she could get her nap out. She was the center of attention at Mama Loo’s Chinese Restaurant in Hickory where we had lunch prepared with no MSG. It’s the only place I know that I can eat Chinese and not have a headache afterwards. Giggles ate her share of the food as well.

Earlier this week, Goofus called to tell me that he had the “Check Engine” light problem solved on the Explorer, but he was not happy with how the transmission was performing. It was burning the transmission fluid again, and putting in the new governor had not solved the problem. He wanted to go ahead and rebuild the transmission. He promised to have it finished by the end of the week. I noticed when we drove by today that it was just sitting out in the lot. Wonder if he has even worked on it or not? Wonder if I will ever get it back ...

BingoKid was supposed to spend the weekend with his brother at his other grandparents’ home. He decided he wanted to stay with me instead, and will be over later this evening for a long weekend with me. Before he was to come, I left for Wally World to pick up a few things for Mother. That may not have been the best decision I have ever made. Before I made it to the end of our road I was in a hailstorm. For nearly two miles I drove in a driving rain, pelted by ice, some of which was about the size of a marble. It was ended by the time I reached my destination and I was able to go into the store to choose a new bird feeder for Mother to use in place of the one the squirrels tore up. I threw in a bag of sunflower seeds since her other feeder is ready to refill. She is already out of candy again, so this time I chose to buy what was on sale for the best price which left out chocolate, the favorite of most of the staff. At the check out lane, I got her another six pack of twenty ounce cokes. I took it all over to her except for the bird stuff which BingoKid can help me with tomorrow.

July 28,2000 - I will not groan or moan. I will say I have slept better. One of the instructors commented this morning that I didn’t seem as chipper this morning as usual. I didn’t tell her that BingoKid chose to sleep on my bed because I have a television in my room and that he rolled up in my blanket leaving me with cold feet. I traipsed off to the other bedroom around two this morning. Ms. Jay called before seven, and I chose to answer the phone in the kitchen rather than have to go around the bed to get to the phone in the bedroom. It was not a night for perfect sleep, but then no night has perfect sleep. What would I do with a good night’s sleep?

BingoKid worked out on the floor at Quest this morning while I did the water stuff. We did new things with our noodles working in pairs today. Once again, I had a day with plenty of exercise and fun.

From there we were off to fix Mother’s new bird feeder for her and fill her old feeder. She was happy with having everything up and working again. She had other company today that had left her some yellow tomatoes to munch on. Yesterday, the pastor of the lady that used to share the room with Mother came to see her. Mother’s old room mate got sick last week and died at the hospital. Her pastor wanted to be the one to tell Mother and made a special trip from Morganton to talk with Mother and spend a little time with her. This made the experience a little easier for mother than if I had been the one to tell her about what few circumstances I knew.

BingoKid and I were off to the other side of Hickory from the nursing center. We went out to the lake to spend some time with mother’s baby sister. She was just getting in her golf cart to ride down to the beach when we drove up. BingoKid got on the golf cart and my aunt joined me while her friend drove on down to the lake to check things out. About an hour later they came up to the house where we sat out on the screened in porch to join us. It wasn’t long until my aunt took him back down to the water for another hour’s funtime collecting clams and checking out water’s edge. BingoKid wanted to take out the paddle boat, but we told him that it just wasn’t enough time today for taking it out of the boathouse. He wants to go back tomorrow. We shall see. It was after four p.m. when we finally wound around the roads, finding our way back home.

July 29,2000 - Enny-minny-miney-moe; count to nine before you explode! At least that is a thought as I compose myself for the next move. I’m ahead of their game, but they don’t know it. They are always surprised that I can tell them what they may be thinking at times. BingoKid has been here since Thursday night. He needs more exercise than he has done for today. DynoKid and NascarKid have been here since lunchtime, or there abouts. Before they get carried away with rough housing and one of them getting hurt, I jump in and change the action more to my liking. I put them to work. I have plenty for them to do as then soon will learn.

The shots in my back are wearing off. I can tell because my psoriasis is beginning to pop out in blisters on my elbows and hands. Time to start back on the Methetraxtrate, I guess. It is better to keep the stuff under control instead of trying to get back into control once it has erupted into a full blown episode. I’ve had a little reprieve from some of my meds, so I can’t complain. I’d love to ditch all the stuff, but my body doesn’t do so well unless it is helped along each day. So, should I love the technology of medical cures for whatever ails people? Certainly not the cost!

Another month will soon be here. Along with the month brings a new year for my journal keeping. I would like to be able to change some of what I record, but then it may not be an aide to helping me to cope with some of the daily trials. The whole process has been one to help me with acceptance of some conditions while bettering my lifestyle and outlook. I don’t always agree with what I have to deal with at times, but I am happy that much of my trials are easier to deal with than what many other people have to look forward to each day. Life is different from years back. I like to think that it improves with age and acceptance.

July 30,2000 - Twelve thirty in the morning. The night should be half over. It has not begun as far as sleep and rest are concerned. No, of course I didn’t! I know I need to rest in the afternoon, but how does one do so with three active boys under your supervision, and needing to be supervised a little closer than usual? Giggles joined the boys around six while Mom and Dad went to Mom’s twentieth high school reunion for a few hours. The few hours were drawn out closer to five and Giggles didn’t give in to sleep until about nine thirty. However, they took BingoKid home with them for the night and church in the morning. That makes it easier for me to meet for my usual Sunday morning ritual by not having to get him up and on the go so early.

My Explorer still is not anywhere in sight. I’ve heard nothing since mid week from Goofus. Ah, the sweet mysteries of life, and how something that should seem so simple to work out would be a torrid mix of how’s and what’s and what ifs. I’m wondering if the final cost of repairs and how well it is fixed will offset the length of time it has been gone ... Or, will it only make bad feelings worse ...

I got an unexpected raise on my teacher’s retirement this month. A whole 4.6 percent seems like a lot, but it appears to have put me in a different tax bracket and with all the taxes taken out and the deduction of my monthly rate for the new dental insurance, there is not a lot to show for a raise. It does cover the insurance, so that is good. Maybe with the rest I could plan to eat out somewhere special once a month. ( Now, if only I can go twelve months before having to have any major dental work done on my teeth.)

At the top of the list for next week will be several items vying for top notch attention. I need to call about my income tax. I haven’t heard from it since delivering it to my tax lady. I was waiting for the next bank statement to come before sending in Mother’s forms for Medicaid. A new person has control of her account and apparently doesn’t mind doing extra work. She sent me a letter saying that I will have to appeal the decision to terminate her since I am a week late mailing in the form. The form letter said that important information was on the back of the letter, but it was blank. I suspect she only copied the one side and thought she would send it to upset me some what. I called Friday evening and left a message that she could let me know the date for appealing and doing whatever is necessary for filing for mother once again. Wonder what her supervisor would say if it was brought to her attention that I got only half a letter and that at no time did she attempt to contact me. This is a matter that can be done over the telephone without all the paperwork, but if it is paperwork she wants to do, then it is paperwork that we shall do. I probably have more time for it than she does.

Allan should be back from the beach now, but I haven’t heard from him. Perhaps he had to work at EMS today. Then again he usually calls from work if he is not too busy and weekends are not as busy as weekdays as a general rule. Wes called from Gatlingburg, Tennessee. They are having a good time there and have found a way to earn some money while on vacation. They sat through a ninety minute sales pitch yesterday and were paid ninety dollars cash. Today they sat through another one and were paid seventy dollars. He said for the cash paid, it wasn’t too bad sitting through the talking. I can about hear him asking questions to put the salespersons on the spot during that time as well. He is good at that. Wonder if they will try some more before coming home on Monday?

One a m and I’m still not able to get any sensation of relaxing. Least ways, I’ve found some fifties’ music to listen to for a while.

July 31,2000 - Rain, gallons and gallons of rain, but too much at one time and too late for farmers. I got to mother’s just as the storm began yesterday. It was an hour or so until the winds calmed down, the sheets of rain subsided, and the thunder and lightening moved on down the road. There must have been a pond of water outside the window at least three inches deep. The whole area around her birdfeeder was flooded. A squirrel tried to find safety on the window ledge for a while, but when the wind changed and the rain blew against the window the squirrel scurried off for a drier place to perch. Leaving the parking lot later, I had to drive through the water backed up over most of the lot.

Who would have imagined two more long storms would come our way by nightfall and during the night. We had thunder and lightening for over an hour before the rains came during the early evening hours and then about midnight another large storm swarmed down on us for yet another deluge. Water was still backed up in large puddles all around as we drove to Quest this morning. The road crew was having to do some damage control at the end of the road where work has been in progress on widening out the Connelly Springs Road. They had a mega puddle to drain before they could begin work today on the new roadway.

BingoKid spent Saturday night with his cousins and came back here about dark last night. He was a little slow awakening this morning and had to have Charlie’s expert help arising. Charlie was so quiet watching and waiting for him to get up until I told him it was all right to get him up. It wasn’t long until Master BingoKid was up and ready to go. We went a little earlier than he expected and was finished with his workout by the time I was getting started in the water. He went back out on the floor and did some more working out and tried some of the circuit training session while I worked out in the water.
Today we need to see if we can identify a bird feather he found down at the lake last week. It is about twelve inches long, so that rules out any small bird. It could be from a bird that flew up from the ocean area. We have a lot of birds that fly up this way every once and awhile. We’ve even had cranes, herons and egrets so they can’t be ruled out, but my first thought is that it may be from a hawk. We shall see what we uncover about it today. I was kidding him that maybe it was a wild turkey feather, which it really could be ...
We learned yesterday at church that we will have a candidate coming next Sunday to meet us and we will consider if he is the one to become our senior pastor. He is 47 years old, married, with two grown children. He has his doctorate degree in theology and has a lot to offer us. If only we have enough to offer him? It would be nice to get a regular pastor for our church that will stay for a long while. All of our recent pastors have not stayed over five or so years. For one reason or another each has moved on to greener pastures.

My tax lady called to say that my taxes are ready for me. I didn’t have the nerve to ask if I owe money, break even or get money back. I’ll wait until tomorrow and look over the forms to see what damage it may cost me. I got a dividend check from my auto insurance company. I’ll be happy to cash that. A phone call today and I got Mother’s residency taken care of for another six months. Now to get online and make a choice on what classes to sign up for. I need to get into the grove of doing something more than what I’ve been doing this summer, which has been very little.

Tbird starts back to school tomorrow. I’ll have the boys tonight, Wednesday night and Thursday nights as well as all the days this week.

AUGUST