Nature Songs ~~~~

OCTOBER, 2001 ~ continued ~

October 23, 2001 - Another day that I missed my morning regime in the water! A very early call this morning from Burke County and I learn that NascarKid is feeling a bit puny. Not wanting to leave him all morning here at home alone, I decided to miss the water classes and go to the eleven o’clock weight management class. Today’s session was with a Personal Trainer. I was interested to see what he had to offer in the way of advice and thoughts on losing weight along with improving one’s physique. Instead of an hour, our session was closer to one and a half hours, and well worth the time. Somewhere in the other room lay my notes on the session. I need to make some notations here in my journal lest I forget and misplace some of his suggestions.

I am a bit depressed by some of the views made by him as well as our leader of the group. They are of the opinion that any and all can do weights and regular movements on the floor. Especially, our regular leader feels that what we do in the water is not as good as what you can do on land and that all people should do floor exercises. I try, I have tried repeatedly. I am left feeling defeated by those statements and with the thoughts that I’m just not doing what I should be doing and that it is my own fault - mentally- for not being able to do so.

I mentioned to them following the lecture - or “mini-workshop” - about my ordeal with attempting the Yoga class, and the knee cramps following when I went into the water as well. I told them what the doctor’s response was when I discussed it with him and that I had sort of hoped he may have felt some therapy may improve my ability. The doctor’s only response was “Well, your legs are the problem.” The two guy’s response today was a look of, “Oh, yeah!!!! I bet!!! You just don’t try enough.” It all leaves me with an empty depressing feeling of complete aloneness and helplessness. I don’t like being like this. It is not a way of life I choose for myself, yet I can’t escape. Getting out of bed each morning is a struggle for me. Those first steps beginning the day are not easy ones to take. No longer can I bound out of bed with renewed strength to tackle a full day with endless strength and energy. It takes a lot of willpower just to begin the walking for another day.

On the plus side of the day’s events. NascarKid was surprised to see I had a new vehicle sitting on the carport. It didn’t take him very long to figure out how to program the buttons on the outside of the driver’s door and he made the combination the same as my house alarm so it will be much easier for me to remember. There will be no more locking my car keys inside the car and having to phone for help to enter the car. I only need the push button locks for my house!!!!!
Wes mentioned that since the truck is gone and I’m down to only one car - which is all I really need - the spa should be moved out under the other carport. It would give more space on the carport connected to the house. I told him that would be an excellent Christmas present for me and I wouldn’t mind if they would like to get together to move the spa. They could even go ahead and do it ahead of Christmas. We shall see...

October 24, 2001 - Haircut day. Perhaps having my hair trimmed this afternoon will remove some of the frizz I’ve had since the new perm. So far, I’ve been using the hair conditioner that is supposed to be left on for three minutes and then rinsed out. I found it works for me if I put it on and leave it. There is no rinsing out and usually, the next day, some more is added to the ends. There is no oily or wet look to my hair either. It only combs better and is less frizzy to work with. Conditioner, styling gel and hair spray and after a while, the hair will once again look unkempt. Maybe I should just fill my head full of the gel and spike my hair. I would be right in style with some of the hair-do’s of today. On the other hand, I could wear a red hat all the time and keep it covered.

Skipping the water for one more day and choosing to do a few things at home is easier to do. I’ve got to get me back into the routine of getting out of the house early each day for the trip into the valley. Getting into the habit and following through on different things is not always easy. Choosing the best habit to keep in step with should be my goal. Right now I am allowing myself to respond in a negative way to several comments - or lack of constructive comments - and only depriving myself of something good for my body and health. I am choosing not to keep a food journal three or four days a week, as well. Excuses come too easily.

Driving down to Hickory this afternoon put me into the thick of traffic. A lot of out of state cars are mixed in with the regular daily flow darting in and out of lanes in search of some magical opening leading to the head of the pack.. Changing of trees into their colorful Fall costumes always brings an abundance of visitors. With the price of gas dropping to the lowest rate it’s been in quite a while, folks are taking advantage of the pretty weather and tracking the changing of the leaves. One of the larger chain of gas stations had gas on sale today for as low as $1.04 a gallon. Pity that I didn’t need any today. Maybe I can take advantage of that rate when I come back to Hickory Sunday.

I went ahead and stopped by to visit with Mother on the way back home. Being such a warm day with the temperature up in the eighties and the sun brightly shining, I brought Mother outside to see my new purchase. We both forgot to get her sunglasses and she is extremely sensitive to light even yet from all her years of having it blocked by the glaucoma and cataracts. She couldn’t open her one good eye to see the vehicle until I got her right up against it and on the shady side. I have to wonder exactly what she did see....

Another resident that plays Bingo with her was sitting out in the sun on the porch. Against her comments of not staying outdoors, I rolled her over to the side of the porch and had her back to the sun with her looking toward the building. We sat for a short time and chatted as she was able to soak up a bit of the sun of the back of her head and arms. This little jaunt would be good for her several times a week if only she would allow me to bring her outside of her room. What we did today was a major accomplishment.

My magical Lady came later in the afternoon and worked on the house. She took time today and we visited more than usual. Oreo being friskier than usual demanded some of her time and begged to go outside more than he does generally when she is here. The wind is blowing at a fairly good pace and Oreo doesn’t seem to want to stay out by himself amid the wind and dancing leaves and falling acorns.

October 25, 2001 - Twirling, dancing, flying leaves scampering all along the way with some hitting against the windshield of my new car with such a sound I’m hoping that no damage may happen. In spots, the roadway is covered with colorful leaves. Most of those being carried by the strong steady gale are brightly colored. This is some of the same wind causing problems through the states as it sweeps down from Canada. Our weather is in the seventies today since the cold has not yet reached us. Word is that we may have some snow flurries over the weekend. What a drastic change in the weather in only a few days.

Running about fifteen minutes behind schedule, I did make it to both the water classes this morning. Not many of the others were there and the half dozen or so had plenty of room for moving and stretching. I even got a short stay in the steam room before having to move along for my next engagement.

Allie was watching for me when I drove up in her backyard. She wanted me to take time to come inside and see the hats she won with the bid at E-bay.com. Three of them are already red, but we discussed how the others could be transformed into proper attire for the Red Hat Society if some of the other girls are interested in them. Yes, they were ordered with the others in mind since there are not a lot of hats in our area to choose from. But that is not our only concern for the day.

We are off to Saddlebrook Restaurant out in the boonies of the rugged foothills along Elk Creek. I zizzed out at Boomer instead of zazzing when I turned left off the newly updated highway and we rode out the Boomer Road which led to Kerr Scott Reservoir and my old camping zone. If I had taken another immediate left turn I would have been on the Grandin Road which is a shorter distance to where we were destined. We had the “Scenic Route” and took in more of the watercolor landscape along highway 268 and Wilkes County. I knew where I was and didn’t think much about it since I knew the area, But Allie is sticking to her story that we got lost and that I almost set her out on the side of the road to fend for herself. Not once did we backtrack or have to stop for directions!

We’ve been talking for about a year of going to Saddlebrook for lunch sometimes. I took her out there today for a belated birthday luncheon which we both immensely enjoyed. Only a few others were there, so we had a private table by the windows where we could look out at the bright leaves and watch what little traffic drove by in the off-the-beaten-trail of civilization. It’s almost as if time has stood still here as much of the countryside is untouched and pristine waters flow along the rocks of the broad creekbed.

The country cook came out to wish Allie a happy birthday and chatted with us. She also was indicative of the local countryside as she lived only a short distance from the restaurant. Her native speech belied her North Carolina mountain heritage as she stood there in her blue cotton gingham Capri-type pants and blue shirt covered with a long white apron and one of those flat top caps perched on her head. She beamed as we complimented her on our chosen beef stew, the special of the day and the dessert we choose. We had apple crisp drizzled with caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream beside it. The specks of real vanilla bean flavor buds in the ice cream only added to the delectable delight and Allie had her’s served with one small lit candle!

Our fearless hostess, waitress, entrepreneur was the real treat of the day! She gave us one more idiosyncrasy of speech to add to the long list of “How Do You Recognize a Redneck?.” She also was indigenous to the region and shared with us all through our meal. Near the end of our lunch she shared with us that her husband’s birthday is tomorrow. Unbeknownst to anyone else she has ordered a birthday cake for her husband and a friend of his that also is having a birthday. She said that anymore, all their birthdays are celebrated outdoors around a bonfire because there is less mess and crumbs to be cleaned up afterwards and it doesn’t matter how much cutting up and noise is made.

Her concern was not how cold it may be, but hoping that she could keep the two candles lit until she carried the cake from the back porch out to the bonfire near the barn. She knows a lady that can make any kind of cake and has asked her to make a Dolly Parton Cake for the event with the two “boobs” sticking up. Her plan is to put a candle on each boob, light the candles and tell the two birthday guys there is a boob for each of them. Now that is being a Redneck!! Everything is done by or for good guys with no harm intended...

We were laughing as we left the restaurant and wished her well tomorrow.

Wed drove home driving back on 268 through Patterson and I dropped Allie off at home. I had to travel to Morganton yet. The title came for the Explorer I traded in and I needed to take it to the dealership along with the spare keys that were left at home. My friend who was supposed to stay home for two weeks as his eye healed was back at work after only three days. He wasn’t looking too good and I had to caution him not to overdo himself. His secretary replied, “He will!”

October 26, 2001 - Friday .... Already? But, it was only Sunday yesterday, or so it seems. At least I got in more of my working out in the water this week. So far, no one at Q4L has noticed that my car is a shade lighter, shinier and larger. I like having those buttons on the outside of the driver’s door to push when I need to lock or unlock the car. Thinking back about the cars I’ve driven or owned throughout the many years of my life, I thought of writing a poem to list all the cars. My thoughts were to maybe do about twenty lines or so. That was not the case! Once the words and make of vehicles began the flood through my mind there seemed to be a multitude of words.

A Lifetime of Cars

The first car I remember was shiny black, as all were back then
A Ford it was and few were seen in our small town of Hickory
The first attempt to drive when I was only eleven or so
Was in a green sedan which ended up in a ditch

Customary and legal driving lessons were in Dad’s blue Studebaker
Huge lemons painted on the doors to denote all its problems
Two weeks later I aced the road test and had license in hand
My driving days officially began the array of cars to follow

A fifty-two 2-door Chevy took me through college days
My delights were the special opportunities I drove Dad’s Pontiac
Which he had graduated up to from the ill-fated Studebaker
Every two years he traded for the new one on the market

My true love drove a shiny red and white Olds eighty-eight
Which took us on our honeymoon to Cherokee and the Smoky Mountains
Several years later we traded to a more affordable basic family type car
A black Chevrolet, followed by yet another classic family status symbol

The Chevy station wagon served us well with trips to doctors and such
Then came another shiny red and white, a bit larger than all the others
A GMC Jimmy to use when camping to pull our pop-up Nimrod camper
It hauled loads of kids to practices, ballgames and scouting events

Time came to trade once again and buy a custom 70’s Ford van
We also added the second car - a nifty, speedy, red Nash Rambler
One of the loves of my life to drive, but a tad small for children and friends
A brand spanking new Ford Torino I chose to take its place in line

This Torino served us well indeed and the miles amassed all too soon
Time came to replace it with a brand new car of the future, the Ford Fiesta
Smaller in size, it served the high school drivers around town and to work
Even on through college years - over 200,000 miles before we sold it

The classy black Chevrolet Impala, a Christmas present from Hubby
Carted me back to teaching before being traded for a Ford Station wagon
Which used less gas as the gas prices soared and lines formed all around
In search of a few gallons here and there because of the rationing

Four active teenagers, throughout the next few years, acquired with my help
A Jeep, Volkswagen, one’s brand new GMC Jimmy (he wrecked)
The new Dodge Custom Cab truck which took five of us to Denver one Fall
And still more mosey through the gates at home as the children grew

My love for speed and style led me to buy a red Mustang which I drove
Long and hard as I steered it through parking lots and down highways
It served me well until one rainy Sunday on the way home from church
It ended up in the rear end of an older car at a stoplight, to say the least

I chose a Dodge Dynasty to call my very own and loved its many features
However, with both my knees bearing problems from injuries of the past
Time arrived to ease the constant pain and trouble climbing in and out
It was traded for a brand new black beauty 95 Ford F150 fully loaded

A second vehicle for me to drive was chosen, an 89 Chevrolet Blazer
It served me well and was a true joy to drive as it whipped around town
My truck I saved for special occasions and dared a soul to scratch it
Grandchildren now arriving; four doors are needed for convenience

My friendly Ford advisor, a friend for many a year, was queried for help
Found a 4x4 dark blue 94 Ford Explorer to meet my every need
It had plenty of room to haul Grandkids as once my kids were done
That shiny black pickup sat gathering dust as I spent more time with children

After six years, I sold my truck; less than 17,000 miles on the odometer
Not a scratch nor a nick was there on the body of the idol of my love
The money, along with trading in the Explorer, used on a brand new machine
A newest of new editions - a very first experience for me - was the choice

A 2002 Explorer XLT bought in 2001 for me to proudly chauffeur
Through the remaining years of my life with a twinge of delight
It has some special features and one pleases my son all too well
No longer will I have to call him when my keys are locked inside

So much for twenty lines! On the other hand, I may attempt to whittle it down just to see what I would end up with. I like a near impossible challenge. Then too, there is a flip-side that could be recorded - all those oddities, wrecks or special occasions that took place with many of the vehicles! My lifetime has not been a dull event.

Challenge? I’ve allotted myself one for tonight. Wes has made arrangements with me to keep his two boys tonight when he takes Mom out for her birthday. It was actually yesterday, but she was in Concord doing one of her Internships at the hospital. We are not sure how BusyKid will do. Up to now he has never stayed away from home without Mom or Dad. When his other grandparents keep him they end up having to take him home to sleep in his own bed.

Being one of those grandparents that find it difficult to turn down a request of the little ones, I was left with four spending the night with me. Tbird called to say that her two didn’t want to go to the ballgame tonight. Instead they wanted to spend the night here. Not only did I agree to keep them, I met them in Rutherford College in order to save her some time. Ground rules were set by Wes with the three older ones before he left for the evening.

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