Nature Songs ~~~~
OCTOBER, 2001 ~ continued ~
October 18, 2001 - Drag ... drag ...drag’n ..! Getting up was so hard to do this morning. The cool morning air and stuff I’ve been doing has me in slow mode. It would be so much easier to roll over and stay in bed all day today. I know I can’t give in to that desire. I missed getting out the newspapers for the recycle man. Dishes are overflowing the sink. They are nearly overflowing the whole cabinet tops around the sink and stove. I’ve meant to wash a load or two each day this week. Will today be the day? Right now, I have to vote no!
Getting my bag to take with me to workout and I find it is loaded with the wet stuff from yesterday - yet! I go ahead and leave the damp shoes to wear again today and replace the towel with one of my terry robes. Since the truck is so nice and shiny, I’m driving it as much as I can this week. I’m all the way out of the house and realize I forgot to get the key for it. Back to the house to unlock the door and get my key before I can drive the truck. Once inside Quest, I find that I am not the only one to feel exhausted, tired and in slow mode. Most of the other fifteen or so are in the same boat. We get through the exercising, but I know I am going to be sore. I tried a little harder on stretching and we also did some new things that used a few lazy muscles for the first time in a while. Why do I have to try so hard when I know what the consequences will be?
The drugstore had called a second time for me to pick up some of my medicines, so I drove by the pick-up window and paid for them. Once home I noticed that they didn’t run one through insurance! That means I have to take the paper on it back and have it redone. I wondered by there were two bags instead of one since it was only two prescriptions - when I got home and looked at the receipt I found out what they had done.
Rest was the agenda for the afternoon. A nice long visit with Mother followed since I didn’t go over yesterday. We watched one of the playoff segments of the Yankees and Mariners together more than anything else. I came home and carried in a few of the flowers I hated to see freeze tonight and thought I was ready to settle in for the night..... WRONG!!
Close to nine, Tbird brought the boys and left them for the night. She has a workday at School and the boys are out for the next two days. The lens is out of NascarKid’s glasses and I’ll have to take him over to get a tiny screw replaced and the lens back in. Giggles happened to hit them this afternoon (seems that happened to me). While we are at it, I’ll get DynoKid’s glasses realigned from when they were all bent up back last spring.
Nope! There is more to do tomorrow. I’ve decided not to work out since I turned the wrong way this morning and pulled a muscle along the side of my lungs. It was only a put the right foot angled out to the side and the other foot straight ahead. That was the easy part. Then, with hands on back of hips, twist gently the opposite way to feel the stretch. The next step, I think, is what got me when we raised the arm of the same side as the leg out to the side and stretched up. Now it hurts when I have to have that occasional cough that keeps hanging on after lo these many weeks.
The phone rang around eleven this evening and Tbird informed me that she needs me to pick up Giggles for second time this week ( and the third time in less than a week.) DynoKid has a soccer game after that and they will all come home with me until Mom and Dad come by after their joint meeting somewhere. Friday, the boys will be visiting with friends since I have a doctor’s appointment of my very own.
Allie’s birthday was Monday. Oh, I know she already has a present from me, but we were going out today for her birthday. She called to say she wasn’t feeling well and could we postpone it until Friday. I wasn’t feeling all that well either, so we both felt better for having put it off till another time. Maybe we could wait until Saturday and drive out into the forest and eat at Saddlebrook. It would be a great time to take in the changing leaves.. I’ll have to run that by her and see what she thinks.
October 19, 2001 - Does life take sudden drastic changes for everyone else as often as it does for me? There I go seemingly on an even keel and - WOW - out of the woodwork there pops out some unexpected throw out of left field. These missiles are not always of the woebegone terrible disasters classification. Rather, they appear more as an unexplained wonderful answer to prayer, bringing a needed improvement to my life. Yesterday was one of those days.
My new neighbor has been looking for a truck to use since he has moved into a house with more land around it. There are lots of uses for one when you start thinking of getting things done. He looked around and tried out several, but none of them appealed to him as much as the one he looked at daily just across the driveway. He noticed it was not driven very much and finally asked Allan if I may be willing to sell it. Of course, Allan had to tell him that he and Wes have been after me for a while now to sell it and the Explorer and get myself one good vehicle in place of two. The two of them have never liked driving the Explorer I am driving now.
I made a vow to myself when I bought the truck I would keep it for twelve years or more. I liked the truck when I bought it, too! As much as I do like it and even though it drives and rides like a car, common sense speaks out loudly that it is not a necessity of life for me, but more of an enjoyment and luxury. The engine looks like new and only 16,500 miles are showing on the odometer after a little more than five years. I got the title for it out yesterday and met my neighbor at his bank in order to allow him the privilege of owning the Black Beauty.
Now, it is my hope to find me a suitable vehicle at a wonderful value which can be financed at 0% interest. Another Explorer is a consideration since I can get in and out easily and it handles well when driving around town. A Windstar may be the one I end up with if it is a better buy with excellent mileage using gas. I can get in and out of it, as well, but it will be a little more to handle in parking lots and in town traffic. There would be more room for the grandchildren when I have them.
Allie didn’t feel like going out for lunch the other day, and we are on for lunch together today to celebrate her birthday belatedly. I decided that today is not when I’m up to going out and call her to reschedule for next week. There is a place out in the boonies near Wilkes County we have talked about going to - Saddlebrook. Not enough time to drive out there today and make it back to my doctor’s appointment, so we will try to drive out there next week and see the pretty fall leaves on parade.
The Woolly Worm Festival is tomorrow and there will be the annual race of the worms to see which one will tell us the type of weather we will have this upcoming winter. This is a huge event up in Elkin each fall. Yes, the worm that climbs up a rope or cord the fastest is the one that predicts the weather by its dark bands of coloration. How did such a grand affair come to be a celebration of this lowly creature? A whole weekend of events are going on in honor of the woolly worm. I’m sure that the beauty of the changing leaves has a lot to do with the attendance there probably as much or more than just coming to honor the woolly worm.
October 20, 2001 - After spending time online yesterday checking out prices and options of available modes of travel, I see that going with the Ford is as good a choice as some of the other moving boxes on wheels. There is another brand SUV I like because it has a third seat which faces rearward, but the resell value of that brand is not very good if I should decide to sell it one day. I know I can get in and out of the Ford with ease and that is one of my best selling features as I shop online. I have a friend that works at Ford and he works well with me, too. Least ways, now I can go seeking the perfect vehicle for my use with an idea of value of several types. I can also go with the option that keeping the Explorer I now have as a backup may be to my advantage. The trade-in value is not all that great. If I get rid of it, selling it on my own will reap more money than trading it in on a new one. Zero percent interest on a loan is a drawing card for buying now.
This morning I will drive over to Morganton and see what is offered for my driving pleasure. My way of shopping is different from most. I go in, sit down and say, “Show me what you have to offer me.” We discuss options available and then one of the salesmen is sent out to bring such and such vehicle up front for me to view. If I like what I see, then I may take it for a test drive out the road and back, or he may tell me to take it for the weekend and get the feel of it and paperwork would be done the first of the week. The truck I just sold had only nine miles on the odometer when I drove it off the lot. I was hoping to have Allan go with me, but he has other plans for today while Wes is in Highpoint doing security work for the Fall Furniture Market now taking place.
I bought a toy for the young and older kids in the family. At the time I saw it online and what a great price it was, my thoughts were not on games. At 85% off at one of those “Spectacular” sales, it seemed a good time to order a Camcorder for the computer - and I did. It came and NascarKid took little time getting busy and installing it. He wanted to use it to talk online with one of his friends from school that also has the ability to send pictures. Before I knew what it was all about, there NascarKid was with his picture in one box and his friend’s image in another box. They were moving back and forth and talking about watching each other moving.
The next thing I knew NascarKid and DynoKid were involved in a basketball game using the Camcorder! There in the middle of the screen was the square box of the Camcorder and the boys were making movements with their hands to control the ball as they each tried to score baskets to win the game. I didn’t know that the installation included a series of games. There are about five or six of them that can be played using the Camcorder. Bursting the bubbles seems to be the favorite game so far, and it wasn’t long until everyone was gathered around the computer watching all the new action. This seems to be more fun that Nintendo or Gameboys ...
OH well, I’m off for the races to see what I may win - if anything - today. Some days I have to wonder why pick up the laptop and type a series of characters along the pages? Who could care what words those characters flow into? Why would anybody bother to take time to keep a journal? Then at other times there are some things jotted down which I know the grandchildren will enjoy looking back on as they grow older. It will mean something to them in time. Some of the events of this day will be recalled for them with fondness, I hope. A few of the sad events have to be interlaced with the happy ones. After all, life is made up of mountains of happiness and valleys of despair. It is this experience of the two that keeps us on an even keel. Our acceptance of life each day molds us into the total person of the future.
MASTERSTROKE! What a day this turned out to be! A call to Tbird to see if she would like to ride over to the car place and look at some cars led to a full day of togetherness. It’s been many a day since we have spent quality time together. Today made up for some of the times we have missed.
I ran by to pick up my sunglasses that I had to leave to be fixed Thursday when I took NascarKid and DynoKid by to get their glasses mended and straightened. Giggles happened to hit the corner of NascarKid’s Wednesday and popped out the lens just as she did mine not long ago. DynoKid’s glasses had been run over by NascarKid’s unicycle and bent up. (That’s another story.) Yet, mine were the ones that had to be kept and a part replaced. Both of theirs were fixable while we waited.
Plans were for me to drive over to Burke County pass the end of the road, down the narrow lane, by the pond, over the dam, up the hill and around the curves to their house hidden in the woods. Miss Giggles ran out to meet me dressed in her shocking pink glittery Halloween outfit. She had to change from it to another outfit. When all were ready to leave, we piled into Tbird’s car and lit out for Hickory.
The Science Museum was first on the agenda where we would spend several hours. The new Mars exhibit was open with all its experiments and sights. There is an area on Mars comparable to our Grand Canyon except much larger. It is longer than the width of the mainland of the USA. The outside science room was open and the boys spent time with the water and boats, sound tubes, phones, echoes, digging, and climbing the wall. With so much to explore and work with, time to leave came much too quickly.
From Hickory we drove to Valdese for DynoKid to have his Soccer practice. NascarKid played around with other brothers waiting while DynoKid practiced, Mom sat on the bleachers visiting with other parents, and I sat in the car with Giggles while she slept. By now it’s midafternoon and we have pizza for a late lunch or early supper.... whichever ...
We drove by a car lot near I-40, but didn’t see anything likable for me. Then it’s off for Morganton to see what is on the car lot where I intend to buy a new toy for myself. My dealer is not working today so I’ll be back next week, however that doesn’t hinder us from searching through the lots and see what is available. I found a beautiful shiny vehicle for $51,000, but that has to be on a wish list. No way can I afford something in that price range. I’ve about ruled out considering a Windstar. Instead, I found an Escape which is smaller than the Explorer. It is a beauty! Florescent chrome yellow!!! Great lines! Seats five with a small area behind the seats. There is a white one like it there, but someone already owns it. I’ll have to call Monday morning and find out more about it. All those with me are in agreement - that’s the car for me.
Back to the log house in the woods and Tbird drives around to the back so I can come in and see the new room being fixed for NascarKid. He no longer wants to share a room with his brother. This is a section of the basement designed for an area where I could live if ever I should have to leave my home. Allan says I should buy a lot close to him and build a smaller house, so he can look after me. Cotton says she has plenty of room that I could live with her! Maybe I should plan to spend so many months a year with each of my offspring.
Day is turning into Evening as I drive back to Caldwell County and stop off to see Mother for a spell. From there, a stop has to be made at the grocery store and finally, I return back home. It has been a full day. It has been an enjoyable day. I know the neighbor was peeking out to see if I drove in with a new vehicle ...
October 21, 2001 - First came church. Arriving early, I was surprised to see my cousin driving up right behind me. This is the first time I’ve seen him at church since his mother died this summer. He was up to visit with Mother yesterday and left a small intricate box for her to give me. It had an inlaid design on the top and inside he had placed one of his Mom’s necklaces for me to keep. I got to thank him for bringing it to me to keep. We sat together in church and he gave me a kiss on the cheek before leaving at the end of the service. He plans to be in North Carolina another week or so before returning to Louisiana. Guess that means we are true “kissing cousins.”
I missed the first of the series of today’s sermon because I failed to attend church last Sunday. The topic being on parents and children, today’s Sermon concerned discipline and bringing up children in the ways of the Lord. I have to agree that many of the children of today are allowed too much freedom and lack the ability to honor their parents and elders. With the freedom afforded them along with the lack of supervision many wrong decisions are made and they travel on a road that leads to much misery and problems.
Having remembered to take my camera with me today, after church I drove by the cemetery and took some pictures of the graves of my father and two aunts so Mother can see how the new headstone for my aunt looks. While the headstone for Dad’s site is of white marble, the new one is black marble and is in contrast to dad’s and my other aunt’s. I really should send a picture to my other aunt in Alabama since she is unable to travel this far to see for herself in person.
Guess this is my day for getting some things done. I chose to ride on down to the other side of town and shop at Michael’s since my brother had given me a gift certificate to use there for my birthday present. So many crafts and things to choose from, it took a while for me to make up my mind how to spend my plastic money. I found some baskets of silk greenery on sale - half price - and finally choose two of them to place on top of the china cabinet. This is something I’ve been meaning to do for quite a while. I got some rub-on designs to use on the small rocker I bought unfinished to replace the little red one that was broken. Then there were some assorted babbles and stones to use to make the glittery bead design that has been lingering in the back of my mind for a hanging light for my room. I even found some ready-made tiny beads to use as a fringe around the bottom that match the small one on the window treatment that I have up now. The next assignment is for me to complete the task and bring my idea into reality.
Rest time ! It took awhile for me to recoup once I got back home. Darkness had already set in before I visited at the nursing center. I had taken time to check out two car dealerships on the way home from Hickory. In Hudson I got a good look at several Escapes on the lot and talked with another lady and her son who were also interested in them and had test driven one of those we looked at.
October 22, 2001 - Last week, it was Burke County Schools that was having teacher conference days for conferring with parents about student grades and today it is Caldwell County’s turn. BingoKid called yesterday and asked if he could spend the night and today with me. I chose to skip my Q4L session and decided to car shop instead. BingoKid and I set out for Morganton to see what we could work out with the car dealership there. It was midmorning till I had double checked some facts on Internet and was ready to begin my search for that perfect new possession.
Once in the Ford showroom, I learned that my friend had major eye surgery last week and would be out of work two weeks if he should listen to his doctor’s orders. Not wanting to wait that long for his return, I chose to work with one of the regular salesmen and we proceeded out to view my options. I ruled out the Escape before we left the showroom. Having BingoKid there beside me and taking another look from afar, the Escape looked too small to suit my needs. I opted to stay with the Explorer since it works well for me. My only change was to have a two wheel drive instead of a 4X4 again. I don’t drive in bad weather, ergo, I have no need for the added expense of that luxury.
Not long after arriving, the two of us were seated inside a very pretty blue 2002 upgrade version of my 1994 darker blue Explorer. I drove over to Hudson for Allan to take a look at what I was considering purchasing. He was working at the EMS Hudson Base today and before long there were five of them exploring the new vehicle from bumper to bumper. They all gave their approval and BingoKid and I were off to wheel-and-deal on the purchase of our choice. When I drove off the lot there was only 18 miles showing on the odometer. Midafternoon I was driving off the lot again and had added protection for seven years or 60,000 miles. Everyone is in agreement that seven years will probably roll around before I put that many miles on my new mode of transportation.
This is the first time - EVER - I’ve had a new car that is THIS NEW!!! 2002 model in 2001! Of course, I had asked if they had any 2001 models left and they did not.... Before dark, I’ve been reminded to keep away from errant mailboxes that attack me on occasion. (As if anyone really believed my explanation of the deep scratch on the front fender of the other one.) Wes offers to drive me to New Jersey to visit Cotton now that I have a safer car to travel in. I only hope and pray that I made the right choice of attempting to pay for it in 36 months with 0% interest. The payments are a bit steep by my standards. I could have gone longer, but the interest past three years would have been 4.7% which would still have been a bargain by today’s regular percentage rates. I like the thoughts of no interest.... I’ll try to think of this as a belated birthday present ...
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©2001 by Stormy Jeanne
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