Nature Songs ~~~~
MAY, 2000
They say wisdom comes as you age-
Now I'm in a real jam-
at sixty I should be a sage-
look what a fool I am!
~~S. Minanel
May 1,2000 - Perhaps S. Minanel had me in mind when she wrote the above quote. Interestingly enough, she became the first woman editor in comic books, writing one-page fillers, games and puzzles for Archie Comics.
Back to what could be termed a normal kind of day for me. I make it to Q4L for the water fun. The steam room is working and today an overdose of essence such as you smell with the old timey chest rubs greets me as I open the door to take the heat and steam before taking to the water. Only a whiff and the sinuses are open and filled with the aromatic steam and my eyes burn with the fumes and steam that greet me at the doorway. I use the water dumbbells for floating and peddle around in the pool for fifteen minutes to take the place of not doing the Life Cycle on the floor. About halfway through the regular session, I realize that I am getting a floating sensation and remember that I forgot to eat anything before leaving the house.
I had to leave the group and go back to the locker to retrieve some candy that I had in my workout bag. A few pieces of candy and a long drink of water, and I was ready to go back and complete my workout. I was weak and could not do all that I wanted to, but I was able to do some of the things. Note to me: Do not take a pill for diabetes and then forget to eat! It doesn't work that way. Also, put a nutrition bar in the bag to eat if needed at a later date.
Back home, I rest a few hours before going over to spend some time with Mother. She misses having company and it is becoming a habit for her to look for me to come by everyday since her last puny spell. When I don't come to see her, she calls home and leaves messages. One day last week, Cotton was laughing about coming home and having five messages on the machine from Mother for us to call her. We weren't gone all that long.
The headache is not in any notion to leave me, but I can still get around. That doesn't mean that I feel like attacking the house. A few clothes washed, and a few things picked up and returned to their proper place while the dishes pile up in the sink. I walk and move about for only a short spell at a time and my back screams that it is time to stop. Thankfully, it does not hurt when I am in the water, but then again the movements aren't necessarily the same.
May 2,2000 - I go by myself to do my water workout this morning and fiddle around until close to time for the class to begin by the time I arrive. There is no peddling around in the water before class today. We have our part-time instructor today and she does a lot of stretches with us. All that she had us do were things that I needed to be doing.
Once again, I rest before attempting to go out and do anything more. I called in my prescription for one of my blood pressure meds. I overlooked it when I got my other pills refilled and have been out of it for several days. Wonder if that would have any bearing on my headache? (Yes, Mother has called several times again today.) I head out mid-afternoon to make a circular trip with stops along the way. First came Kmart where I pick up another pair of water shoes. The ones I am using will not last me until next spring when some more may be for sale. While there, I happened to walk down the row of children's shoes where I had to choose a pair of denim shoes, decorated with lace and flowers and zippers for closure, for Giggles. I bought two more leashes for my dogs since my other ones seem to have traveled to New Jersey. Picking up more items using coupons clipped from the Sunday paper, I am ready to check out. Checkout stations were all busy, so I rolled my cart over to the Customer Service desk to get out more quickly.
Driving on up the road, I had to get my renewal sticker for my truck. Now to remember to put it on my tag before I lose it. Deciding that maybe Mother would like to eat a sliced bar-be-cue sandwich for supper, I use the drive through at Hannah's to get her a sandwich and me a chopped plate. Time to pick up my prescription is next on the circle I am making, before stopping to fill the tank of the truck with gas. A little over an hour after leaving home, the circle is complete and I am at the nursing center in time for supper with Mother.
Good thing I brought something for Mother to eat. She had some meatballs that looked less than appetizing, tomatoes cooked with okra (a combination Mother does not like), potato wedges with the juice from the veggies around them and a cup of mixed fruit. She ate part of the sandwich I brought her and the fruit and she was full. I was tired and hurting, so I didn't stay as long with her as I've been spending lately. She commented that I didn't have to rush off. I stayed for over an hour. Once back home, I decide I am too tired to check my email or do any computer work. Puppies and I go to bed a little earlier than usual.
May 3,2000 - First the steam room where the smell has tuned down a bit, but the steam is really hot, I can't handle staying for 20 minutes as I generally do. I get into the pool and do fifteen minutes of peddling around again. I do some swimming today. I find that I can swim and the spasms do not attack my feet as in the past. Either the exercise has helped, or the lumbar epidurals have benefited me. In the past, the exercise was not helpful. I shall try doing a little more swimming each day that I can and hopefully, the spasms will not be a problem anymore.
Fun time! The three of us left together after our workout this morning, Allie, Ms. Jay and myself. It was time for us to head up the mountains. Ms. Jay had mentioned that she liked eating at the Emporium in Blowing Rock, so we took her there for her birthday lunch. Allie and I had decided to give her a certificate for a massage at Q4L since she had never had one. We sat beside the windows, but could not see the view of the mountains because of clouds. From there we drove on into the town of Blowing Rock to stop at the Weaver's Shop to see what they had. Then, the urge for ice cream was too much for us, and we were drawn like magnets to the homemade ice cream and fudge shop. First came a sample of some of the fudge, then came the huge cone of ice cream. We sat there in the shop and savored every bite of our high calorie, high fat content forbidden frozen delight. We made a pact that tomorrow we would each work out twice as long to work off some of our indulging, before reasoning that because of our workout this morning, our metabolism had kicked in and was burning up some of the extra calories as we sat and enjoyed ...
I begged out of visiting with Mother. She left two messages while I was gone. She came back that I am treating her like a step-daughter because I could go out and eat with my friends, but I couldn't come to see her! Well, that was okay she didn't care if no one came to see her anyway ... It's not like I've been over more than usual to see her lately. Lady comes this evening to clean house. I were expect her to take one look and back out the door. Everything seems to be in shambles. She comes and works, even doing most of the dishes for me before heading to the grocery store for herself and heading home in Morganton.
May 4,2000 - Days come and days go. Even though some days may appear to have nothing special taking place, something completely unexpected always pops up its head to set each day apart from all the rest. None of my days are ever monotonous. May it be one of the dogs - outside or in, an unexpected phone call, the weather, my own action or inactivity, or a completely out-of-the-ordinary thrill, days are never dull in this house. Many times it is easy to report that the ghost of the house has been exploring once more. It is a friendly ghost for the family, yet one that I feel certain would step in and be protective if any harm were to attempt to invade the premises. Each member of the family has had its own experience with the ghost within the walls of this abode throughout the years. No doubt it will be here for the duration of the structure; It may well have been here on this spot even before the house was erected
Gee, how did I ever get off on that topic? That could be a complete volume of stories all by itself with the many strange happenings here through the years. I shall jump from the surreal world back into the touchable, see-able way of life.
I swam some today. That is a feat for me in as much as for many of the past years, each time I attempt to swim both my feet would begin to cramp and make it difficult to move through the water. That is the best indicator to me that perhaps the shots in my spine may be making a difference. Then again, getting my legs straightened out could be part of the answer. I have been able to swim on my sides or do the breast stroke, on my back and such, I just could not do the regular swim strokes. A rush of adrenaline pumped through the extremes of my body giving me that endorphin high that athlete's experience.
Later in the evening, after spending time with Mother, I decided to take the plunge and check my computer and email. Thankfully, no virus was awaiting me. I went through deleting any mail that I was not completely sure of as a precaution, and just as I got to the last entry, there was a surprise awaiting me. The daughter of my life-time friend sent me a note about her mother. She has not been doing well at all. I had not heard from her in several months and was wondering how things were going for her. She broke her foot last summer and ended up loosing her leg in October. It was December before she made it back home only to have a setback and have to return to the hospital. Anyone experiencing what she has, knows how depressing it can be and what a drain on the body to have to adjust to such a different way of life.
I hope to hear from her more often now that we have contact once more. My last emails to her had been returned to me rejected, Christmas card unanswered, and through the years, I had misplaced her telephone number. This month is her birthday. I shall send her a card.
May 5,2000 - Yeap! I swam across the pool this morning and there was no screaming from my legs and feet to stop. Only my lungs were letting me know how out of shape they are as my heart beat more quickly with the surge sent through my body with the different exercise. Hopefully, I will be able to keep up with the swimming and add more laps as the days and weeks turn into months and years. This is an activity that I have missed more than any other lost through past years. Water activities are always a joy to me.
Ms. Jay and I trotted off for Wally World after our workouts this morning. A new supply of swimsuits had come in and they are on special. There is a Catalina suit, that does little for displaying the better side of our physics, but is highly chlorine resistance and comfortable for our workouts. Many of us girls have them now along with the bike shorts and water shoes to carry us through the weeks of working out in the water. We call them our official uniforms.
Knowing that swimsuits do not stay in season year - round in stores, we are buying extra suits to carry us through the whole year while the supply lasts. Bet the stores where we are buying up different supplies are happy with the bulging sales of late. My particular shoes are from Kmart. Others of our group are bringing in the belts to wear when their feet are giving them troubles. Even with the shoes as protection the bottoms of the feet can take a beating on the floor of the pool, and some of the girls are having to do exercises in deeper water. Me? I stay in deeper water. I found out ages ago how much easier it is for me to function when most of me is submerged and held up by the buoyancy of the water.
Shopping rounds made, we stopped at Subway for sandwiches and dropped in unexpectedly to visit with Mother as we munched on our lunches. Lucky for her that we did. Some way, Mother was presented with a less than appetizing dinner tray. It looked yucky to say the least. All the food was pureed! For a patient that needs to be encouraged to eat and who has a problem with picking up food because of her shaking from Parkinson's, this was not the meal for her. We quickly called in a CNA to trade her tray for another one - except for the cup of mixed fruit which Mother ate while waiting for a new plate of food. When the new plate arrived she had potatoes, green peas and veal (we think). It wasn't long until she was holding meat strips in her hand , taking small bites along with mixing bites of potato with peas, and enjoying the roll that was also missing on the first plate. I had requested more finger foods for Mother since she has a problem with using the fork and spoon. Wish I had the stamina to make the trip over at each mealtime and monitor Mother's eating, or that the family could work out some sort of schedule where we could shoulder her needs among us. For now it is mostly me and her ...
Our friend had to place her Mom in a local assisted living facility not long ago. This past Saturday, she got in a car with complete strangers and they took her for a ride and returned her without any of the staff knowing that she was even missing. This has really upset the family, so they spent the week investigating other options. They found a place in Statesville which is actually owned by the same company that runs the place here in Lenoir, but they have a section which is closely monitored especially for patients like her Mom. I got an email today that all the moving is complete and that Mom is now in a safer environment.
Wes has agreed to go with me in the morning to get Elsie Dawg's Rabies shot which was due in April. So far this year, our county has recorded eight cases of active Rabies. There is now a fifty dollar fine for pet owners who do not have their pets vaccines up to date. Elsie Dawg being an outside pet, it is even more important to have her shots up to date. I probably need to discuss the necessity of putting her on a regime of aspirin or whatever for her deformed hip and leg. She has slowed down and it is possible that it is giving her some pain as she ages. I stopped and petted her as I checked out my clematis plant and staked it the other day. She is growing whiter each week as she grows older. In human years, she has almost attained those Golden years of retirement. She is eight years old now, that would equal about 56 human years.
This is the summer for the seventeen year locusts to make their appearance in our area. The mountains are predicted to have the largest amount of the noisy critters. The signs of their emerging from the ground is already evident by the little mounds they form as they come forth. A friend from Kings Creek area has reported finding the empty hulls they leave behind as they break free in search of food, growing larger, lots of noise and mating before dropping back into the ground for yet another seventeen years sleep.
May 6,2000 - A quiet sort of day it seems and yet, things were to be done. Allan drops by from working out on Blue Creek digging post holes to complete fencing in a pasture he has been working on along with landscaping, barn building and other things as time allows. He mows the front yard for me before going to his own home. Wes and BingoKid have helped me take Elsie Dawg for her rabies shot. The shot was not very expensive, but by the time I picked up heartworm pills for the three dogs, the cost skyrocketed to $64 dollars. Pets are almost as expensive as children and to some they are as an important part of daily life as children.
Wes goes home to fence in his own backyard to make a safer place for BusyKid to be busy in his own little way. There is a creek that runs along the back of the lot and hopefully by evening it will be on the opposite side of the fence where it will be less of a temptation to be explored and played in. BingoKid stays with me to mow the back yard and the field using the Kabota. I keep the television off so as to keep an ear on how he is doing as he circles around the yard and field. His Poppa comes over to move some things from the backyard just as BingoKid finishes with the mowing and gives him a ride home.
I spend about three hours with Mother later in the day. She has wanted some pizza, so today was the time to surprise her. Calling Domino's Pizza, I order the carry out special which happens to be two medium pizzas with one topping. The topping for both pepperoni. Leaving one in the car, I carry in one surprising Mother. She is trying to eat an unappetizing looking hamburger as I walk in and gladly puts it down in exchange for the pizza. She eats three pieces! Quite a feat for someone that has not been having an appetite. I take home a whole pizza and two or three slices of the other to save in the refrigerator for another time.
May 7,2000 - We decided to meet for breakfast at Hardee's this morning before going to church. It is across the road from McDonald's, so not out of the way going on to church. Oddly enough, today is Homecoming at church, and it seemed sort of fitting that the air conditioner was not working in the sanctuary. The five circulation fans were turning over head to keep the air moving through the opened windows. Only a small section of the stained glass windows open, so not a lot of air was allowed to enter. The choir looked like the choirs of years gone by sitting in the choir loft minus the hot, heavy choir robes of today. From experience singing in the choir, I know how hot the members are sitting there where the air does not stir and lights shining down on them.
The pastor serving our church during the time of my stroke back in the eighties was guest speaker this morning. He and his wife came from Pennsylvania to be with us for Homecoming. After church, there was to be a church picnic at our church camp with plenty of food, games, fellowship, being followed with a vespers service. I have chosen not to go to the picnics and outings since it is difficult to navigate the uneven grounds. Time was when I would be there in the midst of all it all and help my aunt by getting her food for her or holding her arm as she would walk the uneven ground. My own immediate family is not there to help me in much the same way.
Tbird brings her children over for a while this afternoon. I keep them for a few hours while she and hubby go to a church not far from me for the evening service. They are considering attending this church. There are many pros and cons for them to consider for such an important change in their lives. It will be quite different from the church of her childhood.
NascarKid thinks that I will order him a pizza for supper. What a surprised look comes on his face when I say, "No, I will not order you a pizza for supper."
"Why?"
"Because there is one and part of another one in the refrigerator already. All you have to do is put what you want in the toaster oven and heat it." Those were words of music to his ears. He gladly devoured most all of the pizza while DynoKid opted for waffles.
May 8,2000 - Monday morning, beginning of another week, but not the average, run of the mill sort of week for me. Then again, how many weeks do I have that are run of the mill? This time, Ms. Jay and I load up the Explorer and drive over to Morganton for a Quilting workshop on dyeing material for use in quilting. By the time we arrived all the shady spots were claimed and we were out in the sun with several others. Thank goodness I loaded the sunscreen on thick. The directions said that it was waterproof and would keep me safe all day. I ended up giving it the ultimate test and it did not let me down as the sun came burning down on me heating up the air to 84 degrees. This was definitely not a session to be tried indoors with all the dripping and messes we made ...
MY UGLIES
I bought a pair of uglies -
That really was their name
'Twas all I could find
At the beach summer past -
Just in case you ask!
Those shoes have set at home
Among more favorites - all alone
After all they're really ugly
The name uglies aptly cast upon them
No matter how comfy they may feel.
I had no desire to wear them still
UNTIL TODAY!
Wearing the uglies to dye cloth for quilts
The message came loud and clear:
Drops of red
Daubs of blue
Splattering of yellow
In no time at all
Those uglies became a prize!
I had a ball today with folding, twisting, wadding, knotting and tightly wrapping the pieces of white cloth with rubber bands. After mixing the thirty different cups of colors, the pieces were dropped in. Waiting, adding magic potent, more waiting, and time came to unwrap a few to rinse and see what masterpiece evolves. Of course, the temptation to mix and match colors on the same piece of material was much to great to resist. If I had thirty yards of material instead of six, I would have found a way to dye all of it.
By two o'clock, the major dyeing was complete. Because there was only one sink to use and about a dozen of us working, we each took home our prized possessions to complete the process of rinsing, rinsing and more rinsing until the water ran clear. Then there was some liquid to add to the last rinse before drying and ironing. Only after ironing could the true beauty of the cloth pieces be admired. It was nine p.m. till I was finished. Tired? Of course. Happy? Immensely. So, I had to drag a chair outside to sit while I worked; my back screamed at me on occasion; others had to do a few things for me - I am extremely happy that I went. It was well worth the effort and discomfort. On top of that, I got a pair of shoes that I won't mind wearing any more. They are a work of art.
continued page two
©2000 by Stormy Jeanne
