JULY
Nature Songs ~~~~
JULY,1999
Do you ne'er think what wondrous beings these?
Whose household words
are songs in many keys.
~~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
July 1,1999 - For awhile it seemed that I would be completely alone for the day. No big deal. It dawned on me last night that both of my neighbors are off on vacation jaunts. Ms. Jay and her husband and the twins left for Colorado and Utah to visit relatives. She was pleased that their youngest daughter's baby, grand-baby # 16, arrived before they left. They aren't sure just when they will return. It could be several weeks. All is dark and quiet around my other neighbor's house as well.
Without a doubt, dear Charlie chose last evening to bark and bark and bark and ... for over an hour or so, and I could not determine just what it was that he was barking toward. I bought him a new ball and stuffed toy to play with. He tore the toy off within five minutes after he started playing with it. After barking so long he carried around the new toy very much the same way that Ozzie Dog used to claim and protect his belongings, much as if it were the prize for battle well fought. When he rested, the toy was placed under his chin so as not to have it disturbed. Even after going to bed, he was antsy; jumping at the least little sound, making his own sounds of a short bark, a warning growl, grunts, and keeping the toy safely beside him. Wonder what would be going through his mind. Interesting if one could place electrodes of some type on his head and be able to cipher what his thoughts are. Good old Oreo just takes it all in stride, staying close to me and taking advantage of the moments to rest.
The boys are to come back over around lunch while Mom goes to a farewell luncheon for one of the teachers at one of her schools. She should have one for herself at some point. As it stands at this moment, it is very much a reality that she will be able to work full time at one school this coming year and that school is the one closest to her when her children attend. She is excited because it is her school of choice.
Maw-maw needs some 20 ounce Cokes and I'll have to get her some over to her room pronto. Hopefully, Tbird will stop by and leave her some on her way home.
July 2,1999 - What in the world would Tbird do without her favorite Mother? She left early this morning for West Virginia and a Tai Chi Competition for the weekend. Of course Giggles goes right along with her. When she came by to pick up the boys she mentioned that I would need to keep them some today so Dad could work at the Nursing Homes. I offer to let them just stay the night and not have to get up so early this morning to trek over here. Some how I ended up in Maw-maw's room again and the boys had my bed. Growing boys take up more room on the bed each time they come back for the night. That plus the two dogs can pretty well fill up the sleeping surface of a regular bed. (We had to have pizza for supper, but Mom paid.)
Speaking of little Giggles, here is a gift made by Treeheart for her. I think it is precious! Of course I am prejudice when it comes to my only granddaughter. Treeheart knows how to whet my appetite for learning to use the tools for doing projects like this. I must learn to do some. Thank you, Tree. *G*
from~Treeheart
Checking e-mail last evening I had replies from Yahoo! about my web page I can't access to work on. This time it was 12 pages of information and directions for doing things - but none of it related to the problem I am having. Both of them were once again automated messages. It seems impossible to reach a real true-to-life living human being with information or help in my case. Unable to get into the message center of HotSprings, I did get to log on a message on Heartland Message board where eleven others were having the same problems - "We're sorry. An error occurred. Please try again soon." Later last night when I tried to update my message, I could not access it. Instead the reply button only went to the sign-in page. So the vicious circle continues. I wonder for how long?
By mid-afternoon yesterday, I realized I was getting too much of a headache and was all tensed up, and my worrying and fretting was of no avail. Until I can get some sort of something worked out, I signed up for another site to used for my Journal. I think that I will just keep it; strictly for my Journal. At some point I do hope that I will be able to put some sort of connection from it to the other site that is presently off limits to me. Nothing new today on this venture. The two e-mails I sent to persons for help have not replied. I realize this is a holiday weekend, so I shall bide my time. The plot thickens.
Wes' father-in-law came by and picked up the Blazer to try out. Hopefully he will buy it and I will be back to my two modes of transportation. Allan wants me to sell my truck, but I really would like to keep it. I just need a place for it that it won't get all the oak and pine trees yucky stuff all over it. Maybe I can convince Allan to move some of his landscaping equipment to his place and open up a spot in the shed for it. I thought of a canvas cover for it. That may still be my best option.
Tbird is off to West Virginia. Allan and his family are off to the campground. I am supposed to get Wes over to mow my yard and field. As of now nothing is planned for me this Fourth of July Weekend. Maybe I can get some rest and get my back to feeling better. It has being rebelling since Tuesday evening about something. I'm not even sure what I did to get it stirred up! Maybe when I lifted the watermelon from the table to the countertop. The stress and headaches of the web site have not led to a feeling of well-being either.
July 3,1999 - It's been a strange sort of few past weeks. Ups and downs and half-ways ruling how I feel and react to things. One time I am thinking about how good it will be to get out and go and do things. Another time, I am aware of being paranoid about going public and possibly falling or messing up or not being able to motivate as I need to do. Choosing to go to the beach was a decision made with a lot of mixed feelings. Thinking of past trips, there were the memories of things I love to do such as walking along the edge of the water, the sand washing from under my feet as the waves race into the shore line and then out, bringing to life the sand for a few brief moments as shells are seen digging back to hide before they become a meal for the marathon birds.
During the week there were the times it seemed that the group was there waiting; waiting for me to shake a leg getting up or down the stairs as they watched and hovered. Activities had to take into consideration how I could be accommodated for that length of time. All told, it was a positive experience for me, even though there were spans of time I felt disadvantaged and maybe a little hindrance to the group. Even helping with Buddy Boy was not an option for me other than to sit and let him come to me.
Perhaps the lowest point for me has been the reaction to the realization of the time taking for my knee to heal. Until it strengthens, guess I'll be taking steps leading with the left leg for each step taken. It is slow, but it is safer. It's the constant exercising daily that is going to help build up the weakened muscle. It is time that will clear away the bruising and swelling. More significant is preventing another injury by plunging downward anew. Then, too, here is the back not wanting to cooperate by flaring up making life in general a hard row to hoe.
The up side has been the interaction with my grandchildren. The birthday party for Busy Boy and watching the children together was a highlight event. Playing with little Giggles and being able to marvel how she is changing and growing so very fast. Visiting with Tbird at her house and meeting their new puppy, Benji; checking on the shades of stain to use for the outside of the log house; interacting with the children was an upper. Purchasing the tickets for the upcoming Civic Center Season is exciting just to anticipate! Being able to tell Ms Jay I could look out for things at her house while she is on vacation and collect her mail felt good. Getting e-mails from ladies that I have brightened their days with short notes of encouragement has in turn brightened my own days.
July 4,1999 - Earlier today, I got an offer from one of my ICQ friends to see if she could find any help for my unattainable Yahoo! Geocities website. I graciously accepted. By late afternoon I still have not heard anything back. I still try to sign in. I still get the same message, day seven and counting, to "try again soon". Any one care to take a gander as to the definition of the word "soon"? Since I cannot get in to add a link to the new site, I have added the webrings on the new pages to help point the way. At least now I don't feel as worriated, aggravated, irked, and rankled about keeping things sort of on an even keel. My blood pressure was way up I'm sure from the stress of trying to obtain the unattainable.
Bojangle's provided the biscuits and hot coffee for brunch this morning. Mother has been wanting a good country ham biscuit and I obliged by going by and getting her one . She was still in bed and it took some encouragement to convince her to get up before lunchtime. We had our biscuits and watch the church service on television together. The music director had a wonderful program of music built around the Fourth of July theme and paying homage to the Armed Services as well.
Thunderstorms rolled across for the second day straight. Yesterday's storm was longer lasting and probably had more water in the long run, but today's was more like being in a tent on the top of a mountain during a storm than being in the foothills and in a house. The windows shook, the things on shelves jiggled around and the dogs got as close to me as they could. It was as if the thunder was surrounding us instead of passing overhead. Humidity and high temperature makes for very uncomfortable atmosphere as the heat index is around or over the 100 degree mark.
The storms passed, and all was well for grilling our steaks for a Fourth of July supper. We opted to eat indoors. It was only Wes and his family as Allan's crew was at the campground and Tbird was not back from her competition. As it neared dark we drove out to the country club to take in their Fireworks Spectacular. We parked closer than last year, but I had to get out and walk down the parking lot a few cars away in order to get the full view of the many colors exploding and cascading, swirling as they caught the fascination of young and old alike. In the background once again we had music to accompany the array of bursting colors.
July 5,1999 - This whole week is to be filled with chances of Thunderstorms, high humidity, temperatures in the nineties - heat index even higher - and prain. Guess it is a good time to make a pact with myself to stay indoors as much as possible. Both houses near me are so very quiet with everyone on vacation this week. I have not seen anyone next door feeding Rebel, the German Shepherd, but I did notice yesterday evening some fresh tire prints in the lower drive. Someone had been there since the rain. Ally came up Saturday to check and make sure he was okay because he had not been barking when she had her bull terriers out as he usually does. He was in his house and came out barking ferociously as he protected his domain. She backed away feeling better once she saw that he was doing all right. She wasn't about to challenge him and was thankful it was someone else's job to get close enough to offer food and water.
My family doctor's office sent me a letter stating that he will not be available the week I have my next appointment with him. Now I have to call and make another appointment. That is fine with me because I will have Tbird's children that week anyway. She starts back to teaching that same week. The children begin the following week. That makes one realize how fast the year is flying by.
I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when we drove past my old stomping grounds (school). There is an artist in residency there and she is doing some wonderful paintings around the school. It brightens up the buildings so very much. Out side the doors of the lower floor where I taught Kindergartners there is a picture of children and a rainbow. Outside of the cafeteria is a huge hamburger with all the trimmings. There are more pictures and art throughout the halls of the school. I would like to go by one day just to see them. I had a large apple tree and red barn painted in the corner of the room I taught in. It was easy to keep it "in season" throughout the school year and the children always loved to sit near it and read books. It was the first thing that caught your eye as you turned the corner at the other end of the hall and walked toward my room. Memories seem to pop up when you least expect them. Pleasant memories are always welcomed.
We also noticed that the recent storm had taken its toll on one of the flowering crab apple trees in front of the main building. The winds had twisted and split it through the middle. Strange, but that is the same spot that a tree was destroyed during a storm years ago while I was still working.
Memories gently remind me that I have some genealogy to work on. Many ghosts of the past are tucked away waiting for some one to rattle their chains and bring them back to fill a void. It may not be me to fill in the missing links, but how can I know if I don't get busy and try.
July 6,1999 - Checking my medicine stash, I notice that the pills for my stomach are going to run out before I realized and I need to refill them by the end of the week. I should have done them when I did the last batch. Eye-balling the amount left in a bottle does not always work out exactly correct.
Taking the offers of different insurance programs at face value do not always work out either. Upon further investigation things may not be the great saving desired. My insurance from work became my secondary insurance once I was eligible for regular disability. I have yet to understand that my AO had the same companies as I and yet for some reason they "choose" for me to continue a 20% copayment on each office visit, etc. as if they are the primary insurance. She was not required to do so. I have made calls for explanations but so far have not had it explained to me the difference or the grounds for deciding who gets what treatment.
On the same drift, it's interesting that they supposedly pay 80% of all prescription drugs. My drug store supposedly offers the lowest prices. It is amazing how much money is "disallowed" because it is not the lowest price, leaving me to foot the bill for what remains. Even that amount is no small expenditure. For only $10 or $15 dollars a year, AARP offers a plan where you can buy meds locally from a participating drug store at THEIR price. This means a savings of $300 to $400 dollars a year to me - well worth the investment. This means I have to file my own Secondary Insurance, but well worth the effort, and I still may have several that do not meet the criterion when I mail the form in. This all makes me wonder about all the talk about Seniors being affected by new laws that may be enacted concerning Medicare, Seniors, and prescription drugs. How does one survive when they have no insurance to help out and are bringing in only the minimum amount allotted by Medicare to meet all basic needs on a daily basis?
Is it my imagination or is more concentration being addressed toward Tai Chi lately by the media? I know that Tbird and I had been discussing how it may help with my mobility and pain level.
I spent some time browsing the Internet to unearth more about it, being impressed with what I learned. Nonetheless it seems now that every where I turn there is information about Seniors and Tai Chi. The closest home is an article in the Charlotte Observer in regard to a group that meets in Mooresville just outside of Charlotte and seniors from Charlotte that attended each week. One had stress and high blood pressure problems which improved dramatically with the sessions. Another going because of Arthritis resulting in mobility and pain problems was noticing improvements. More articles have appeared in magazines, books, other newspapers, TV Programs and on Internet. It would be remarkable if we could have instruction offered in the new Quest for Life Center when it opens this fall. Classes at one of the area Community Colleges nearby would also be beneficial, as well as intriguing. Currently, Tbird goes to Asheville for her sessions. It is an area of self-improvement that I am intensely interested in. I strongly believe that it is something that I can adapt to and would enrich my lifestyle.
Continued
© 1999 by Stormy Jeanne
