Nine days ----

Nine days since my last entry - where to begin.  I have had some typical adventures for Moi.  Had some bites on my arm - no I don't know what bit me and it really doesn't matter because evidently everything LOVES me and my body HATES everything that bites me and the circle continues around and around.  So I tried to get in to see my Dermatologist before the assembly this past weekend and no go there so I went to Urgent Care of Durham and they are so wonderful. I went in on either Tuesday or Wednesday because it got bad and some new bites showed up. Met with a lovely doctor and we had a great time "bonding". She gave me some cream for my arm, some antibiotic cream for my sty (my first sty ever) and sent me on my way.  Well on Thursday the 5th, Rosanne and I went in service in the morning with Eileen. Eileen had to go home so Roseanne and I had lunch at a new place for both of us which was great and caught a movie.  I wore a shirt that had 3/4 length sleeves that hugged my arm and when I got home, I could not believe my arm.  I almost went to the ER but after looking at the directions on the cream (yeah - I'm a ding dong) it said to NOT cover the bites with the medication on it. So I decided to take some Advil for the inflammation and go back to Urgent Care the next day.  So on Friday I met another of their doctors and we bonded also - do you see a pattern developing here - :-).  He told me to keep using the cream but he prescribed some antibiotics just in case infection occurred.  So - I hate antibiotics but felt like he was right so for the most part - I have remembered to take all 4 pills each day - for the most part.  And yes - if you are wondering - I do have the beloved yeast infection that comes with those lovely little miracle pills.  He said if the bites looked good after 5 days on the antibiotics, I could stop but guess what?  Yep - three new bites during the night.  I had the feeling something had gotten me while I was sleeping but I have been sleeping in the back room in a different bed all week while washing all the bedding for my bed.  The only other place I can think of is the chair I sit in.  I have been putting a lap blanket across the arm I put my arm on but still have bites in the same place.  I have used the flea comb on Miya several times and can't find any fleas on her and usually fleas get me on my legs and ankles.  HELP.  Guess I'll be taking all the antibiotics after all.  Fun, fun.  The assembly was wonderful.  Even though there was a last minute change in who rode with me, it worked out okay for everyone.  My sister Rose and her husband were supposed to ride with me, Eileen and Luz.  Thank goodness the car is big enough for five passengers.  It turned out that Wayne wasn't feeling well but Rose got to both days so that was good.  Eileen and I were talking about how Rose and Wayne were so good to us when we were young and especially me when Page was just a baby.  By the time Page was three and a half and Kurt was a baby, it was the three of us until they were both grown and moved out.  I remember when Kurt was a very small baby and we were going to a two day assembly far enough away we had to stay in a hotel.  We were low on funds so I took an ice chest filled with milk, boiled eggs, sandwich fixings, etc and cereal.  The hotel room had a coffee maker in it and I would fix us breakfast, eat lunch at the assembly (that is back when we had full meals) and then we would have a sandwich for dinner.  I pulled my Camaro up to the front of the hotel on Friday night, picked up Kurt and had Page hold onto my skirt while we went in to register.  After that, I pulled one of the luggage racks out to the car, put Kurt and Page back into the car while I loaded up the luggage and ice chest.  Then I got them back out of the car and while I held Kurt and Page held onto to me - I pushed the cart back into the lobby up to the desk and asked them to watch it.  Then it was back to the car so we could park it - then back to get the luggage and on the elevator and boy did those bed look good!  But I was young and Page was such a good little girl.  She always did what I asked her to do.  She just knew to always hold on to me tight and trusted that I would take her the right way. :-)  Of course we were tired of eating out of that ice chest by Sunday morning when we had to repeat the Friday night ritual.  Believe it or not, that is a good memory to me - our little family working together.  I was blessed with great children and even though I know I brag too much - it's true.  I have always been and always will be proud of them. The Circuit Pioneer School was held at our KH on Friday before our assembly and was wonderful.  The whole weekend was refreshing and just what I needed.  I know this isn't that exciting because it doesn't have pictures but since I use this forum for my on-line journal as much as anything else, I decided I wouldn't put any pictures here for this particular entry except for an older picture that is already on here somewhere - it makes me smile......

Yep, BigD, Page and Page at one of our favorite places from several years ago. Can't wait until we get back down there. There is a good chance I'll be in EI the first of next month - maybe alone and maybe with someone. Dear Eileen has offered me her lovely home for a week and the first part of the week BigD will be at coast somewhere else. So I may just go alone with Princess Miya....we'll see said the blind man.

Rain - lovely, cool rain....

As some of you know, it has been unseasonably HOT these last few days. Just a few minutes ago we had a downpour - I'm so glad I had my back door open - I felt the air cool down a good 10+ degrees.

I checked on my four new plants and thought to myself - "Ha - now you are watered for the day"! One of the reasons I shouldn't be allowed to own plants - I forget to water them! Gail and Luz decided I needed at least a few flowers on my deck so after service the other day we went to Lowes and they picked a few perennials for me. They picked those so they would come back. When we got home, Luz insisted on putting them in the pots herself so she would know I had them. Yesterday I had a VM from her reminding me to water them last night because it was so hot yesterday. Yep - they are on a mission! The problem is this - I LOVE flowers and plants - I just don't love gardening. Just another example of why I should have been born rich instead of beautiful - to be able to afford the gardener, housekeeper, etc, etc., etc.. When Gail told me I could have a shrub in a pot - it has inspired me to find the right large containers for two shrubs I want - Peony and Hydrangea - I love both of them.  I'm going to look until I find something I really, really like - something like an old wash tub (would put wheels under it so it can be moved).

Anyway - I'm just happy the rain cooled things off but I still hope to get the car cleaned before we leave for Kurt's tomorrow. I think we are going out to eat on Saturday - our treat - so it can be a nice relaxing time for all. Oh - just in case you are wondering Leah - we only put one plant in each pot so they will spread and so they will be more likely to come back next year. We'll see... we'll see.

One of the many results of bad eyesight......

I've known I have bad eyesight for quite awhile but didn't realize just how bad it had gotten until a few moments ago. I use drugstore glasses for everyday reading, bi-focal sunglasses for driving and different bi-focal glasses for computer use.  I just can not adjust to trifocals which is the reason for the different kinds of glasses. Our
doctor told me as long as I use the drugstore reading glasses, there is no need to have my vision checked more than once every two years. We really take things like our hearing and eyesight for granted when we are younger - just like we take our nice firm, non-mottled skin for granted.  I believe I have mentioned how Eileen's Mom always told us to notice our skin every so often - especially after we have children or turn 30 because it would change after that.  From time to time as we would be riding somewhere together, I would notice my reflection in the rear view mirror on the side of the car and would look at my skin - especially the area of my neck.  Oh yeah - she knew exactly what she was talking about.  Now I have brown (and other color) spots all over my arms and legs (too much sun) and a few places that I can only call "crusty".  There are also wrinkles - not only at the base of my neck but also on my chest area where my "cleavage" starts.  So back to one of the many results of bad eyesight. I jumped up from the computer to run (yes - I do have to run these days) with my glasses on to the rest room and while I was washing my hands - I noticed that the sink was really NOT up to par in the being totally clean department. Oh MY!! Now I will have to start

wearing my glasses when I clean the sinks!!! Oh man!!! I wonder how many people have noticed my - "not so clean" sinks?  In the event they did notice and told me about it - don't worry - I didn't even hear them. As bad as my eyesight has become, my hearing is much, much worse.  I'm was thinking about taking a vitamin someone told me about that will help with the very loud tinnitus I endure every day - all day and night.  I asked my doctor about it yesterday and he said he didn't know if it would work or not and that it is up to me.  We both agreed that I need to think about it because there are so many "things" my body just does not like - things that are harmless to most people but for whatever reason, may not be harmless to me.  Ahh - to be unique!

Physical and lunch with old friend.....

Went for my physical yesterday and was pleased for the most part.  Their scales weighed me much less than the WW scales (and mine).  My doctor said, "Our scales are calibrated - and - which one do you want to believe?".  We both laughed.  He was very pleased to note that I'm back on WW and trying to get my life back under some semblance of control. I told him how my going down to visit Page for two weeks helped me a lot. Especially the last week when I felt myself finally coming out of the tailspin depression I have been fighting for so long.  Some of my numbers were a little higher than he wanted but he feels strongly they will come down rapidly over the next few months if I stick to my healthy eating.  It is always good to get caught up with him and his staff too.  After that, I met Gerl for lunch at NC BBQ.  As we were walking in, the man who walked in right in front of me turned and said - "Jane?".  I looked at him real hard and knew he had to be from high school days and realized it was James W..  The reason I knew so fast is LS had just emailed all of us to let us know his Dad had died so I knew he was in town for that.  We hugged and talked real fast.  I have his email and we are going to get caught up with that once he goes back to Alabama.  He looked great and we laughed about how it seemed like just yesterday he let us borrow his car for me to go with Deb to get her driving license.  Memories...... Of course Gerl said disgustedly - "nothing has changed and you still know everyone we run into". :)  It was soooooo good

being with Gerl if only for a little while.  She looks so good.  She told me all about what her everyday life is like and how her Mom is working her to the bone! :)  I guess that accounts for her weight loss!  We got caught up and then went for a ride in my new car.  It turns out she doesn't read my blog so she didn't know about it.  We drove out to Rougemont and I let her drive it back.  She agreed that it handles real well and she loved the look of it but we both still miss the total comfort and smooth ride of  my dear old Ava.  I hope her new owner loves her as much as we did. I still feel bad that I didn't think about Kurt and Leah - we could have given Ava to them.  BigD said it probably was for the best because she is expensive to work on and needs a few things done.  I just feel like she would have been good for them though.  Oh well.

Cotton or China --- Happy 2nd Anniversary Belma's Pearls.....

It doesn't show up very well but this is what we have been seeing in yards and fields all day - lovely yellow wildflowers. I thought about getting some clippers to make a bouquet but it got so hot today I let that plan go bye-bye. It is so hard to believe I started my Blog two years ago. So much has happened in such a short period of time. I looked it up and it said it is the cotton or china anniversary. I know that is for a wedding anniversary but I do love cotton. As a matter of fact, I put my embroidered cotton pillowcases on my new pillows this morning. Sleeping on pure cotton pillowcases reminds me of when I was a young girl - especially when the weather gets hot. It reminds me of those nights when we would pull our beds over to the open windows, pray for even a tiny breeze and move on the bed every few minutes to feel the coolness of the sheet; turn our pillow over and over until we would finally go to sleep.

We had a nice day in service today and I got to work with two of my favorite people - Keith and Gail. They went to a trailer while we were out and we had to park beside this older house to get there. I fell in love with this little house and yes - someone seems to be living in it.

It is hard to see Keith and Gail but I couldn't help but laugh. I told them when they got back to the car that they held their heads exactly the same way. When Keith would talk, he would turn his head and Gail standing behind him would turn hers the same way. Mother and Son - I miss going in service with Kurt. I always bought him very cool clothes and one day we were standing in front of a storm door. I was noticing his reflection and how handsome he looked in his trench coat holding his leather briefcase. He was also looking at our reflection and asked me, "Mom, do you think I will grow to be taller than you and Dad?" and I said, "According to Dr. Rice the answer to that is yes." Dr. Rice knew what he was talking about because Kurt is taller than both of us. Memories.....

I feel the dog days of summer right around the corner. It is already in the 90's here this week and isn't cooling off anytime soon. Page got to go swimming a few weeks ago at an inside pool and Leah says she did really good. I'm glad to hear that since I'll have her a lot this summer. Holding out the hope of swimming in a pool may help her get through those long days with me. :)Going for my physical tomorrow - I had the blood work done yesterday. Then I'm going to meet my dear friend for lunch. Can't wait to get caught up. She will be in town for a doctor's appointment too. I need to think of somewhere really good for us to go.

Color me over the moon......

Okay - anyone who knows me is aware of how excited I can get over doing something I really, really love. Thankfully - there is a long list of those things and I am so happy to say that today - my cup was definitely running over!!!!! First - a friend called to say there was a ticket available for me to go see Midsummer Night's Dream by the Carolina Ballet in Raleigh today if I wanted!!! Of course I said YES right away. I used to subscribe to the American Dance Festival and enjoyed taking my kids from time to time and have really missed it. I love theatre on all levels and very seldom have a chance to go so yes - I was excited. We all rode together which gave us a chance to get caught up. Since I drove, Dawn bought me a drink - one of my favorite drinks actually. Vodka and tonic with lots of lime. I haven't had one in a long time and it was as refreshing as I remember them to be.

At first I was a little confused and then a light-bulb went off - there was a short program before the main event - I kept trying to figure out how they were interpreting the story line. Yep - I'm losing it.

During the intermission, Dawn and I moved down to where Mich and Karen were sitting. The two people who were sitting there came in and said they didn't mind taking our seats so we could all sit together. As I was talking to them, I said to the woman - "you look a lot like Margaret Maron" and she said, "I am". I said "you mean other people have told you that?" and she said - "no - I AM Margaret Maron". I was so excited - I stood up and shook her hand while telling her how she is one of my favorite authors of all time and how much I love her books. No - really - I was acting like a silly teenager at her first Elvis concert.

I used my little phone to take this picture of her with her husband. I even turned to him and said, "and you are her husband who is an artist and you used to live in NY and why can't I find any of the Sigrid Harald books you wrote while you were in NY" all at the same time. Yeah - I was over the moon. I don't get to read often which in the past was probably good because I would get so into the book, I would stay up half the night and had a hard time putting one down. I like to think I'm more mature now :) so I went to the library and checked out three of her books about a week ago. I am re-reading the last one I read to get caught up for the next two.

Karen was excited for me because I have talked to her about Margaret's books... Yeah - I'm calling her Margaret now. I told Karen to be sure and start with The Bootlegger's Daughter - it is the first in her Deborah Knott series. "Margaret" invited me to look at her website which is set up like a blog so I have added it my blog list. If she has a local book signing, I will know it and am determined I will be there for it.

We decided to get something to eat and finally decided on a place I have never been - P.F Changs.  Everything I tried was delicious (except the all but raw salmon one of us got).  Each of us ordered different things and then shared with each other.  On top of that, on the way home I got a text message from Page saying they should be getting home around 9pm tonight and their trip was wonderful.  Now for a very busy week - blood work for physical Tuesday morning, physical Thursday morning and then one of my favorite people in the world is meeting me for lunch and then coming home to visit so we can get caught up. I was hoping to squeeze an overnight stay with Kurt, Leah and Page2 in before school gets out but I'm not sure when that will be.  I just know I love when my day ends with me smiling..........
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Productive....

I have been quite productive (for me) this week. I haven't been as busy physically today but have still been productive. I have quite a bit more paperwork, research, and organizing calendar types of things to do but it has been a good day. BigD got home earlier from the coast and had a wonderful trip. Great weather, good food, on the water and fishing, - what more can you ask for? I am now keeping three - yes - three calendars. One in my phone, one on my computer and the other in my lovely bird book Page bought me from Geninne's site as mentioned in a previous entry. The problem is -which calendar has everything? Hmmm - I think my phone is probably the best place since I have it with me all the time but I still try to keep the other two up to date also. I was organizing a few things in the kitchen yesterday and ran across my sweet measuring spoons I purchased at Anthropolgie in Atlanta a few years ago. I thought to myself - "why am I keeping these little lovelies in a drawer - I need to hang them beside the kitchen window so I can see them".

ALAS - it is not to be! The chain broke!!!  Color me sad but not surprised. I'm such a KLUTZ! And before you ask Katarina - I have put the broken ones in a Ziploc bag for you to use if you want them! I am keeping the two small ones that survived but safely in the drawer. :( Took a long break to eat some delicious grilled chicken breast and a huge salad and then watched the movie Unstoppable with Denzel Washington.  I may have to downsize my cable and will sure miss being able to watch a good movie anytime I want to.  Actually it was very good - suspenseful but not over the top, no bad language, no sex, no nudity which only proves it can still be done.

Been meaning to put this picture up of Page's view from her vacation in Florida a few weeks ago. I think I could put up with that view anytime. She had a wonderful time and felt like she finally attained a relaxed state. Sometimes it takes a few days into a vacation to really feel like you are on vacation - especially when you have a high pressure job.

These are the bruises on my wrist where my book bag pressed against my watch. It is funny because I went without wearing a watch since I broke my arm a few years ago but have really missed it these last two weeks.

Love these flowers I took at GG's house a few weeks ago. One of mine and my Mom's favorite flower. Looking forward to a busy day tomorrow - meeting and then a few calls with Bobbi. Can't wait.

Where to begin...

This has actually been a very good week.  We have had great weather for the most part, good calls in service - especially yesterday and today, and I actually feel good!!!  I have been sleeping in the back room on the old Somma mattress for several weeks and it has been good.  Not sure if it is the mattress, the smaller windows that make the room darker, being so far from the light of the TV and "snoring" or it being a little quieter back there.  I've decided to just keep sleeping back there since the kids will be coming down the end of next month.  My bed has all clean linens, quilts, blankets and even mattress cover on it.  BigD has been down at Oak Island since Tuesday with Steve.  They have been fishing every day and the weather has been great. They plan to come back tomorrow but we'll see.

I wanted to share an older picture a friend put on FB. The woman in the middle laughing lived here for a short period of time many years ago but she has always had a very special in my heart. She is not only beautiful physically but in every aspect of her life. The beautiful woman behind her in the white sweater and peach colored dress is Pansy - a wonderful woman who had 2 sons and 5 beautiful girls.  I have always felt close to one of her sons and all of her daughters.  As a matter of fact, the gorgeous woman to the side in the multicolored dress is her oldest daughter. I never got to know her as well as I did the others but have always felt a kinship with all of them.  My mother was also a beautiful strong woman who gave birth to 5 strong women who watched her live

with a man who could be ---- hmmm  -- what word am I looking for?  A man who could be "difficult" and a challenge to live with at times.  Sadly, we have lost both Mama and Pansy. They live on not only in our memories and our hearts but in the people we have become.  I hope they would both be proud of us. This is another picture of her when she was a little younger. She lives in Atlanta now and is just as lovely as when she was younger. I also had the treat of being with Ruth several times this past week. She was here for the week with her Mom and had dinner with me and BigD one night and then with me alone another. It was great getting caught up and sharing a laugh or too. I've been planning to get down there for years now and it is crazy. Page and Bentley are on Peaks Island off the coast of Maine. I know they are having a good time. Can't wait to see the pictures. Leah and I have been talking a lot about what we are going to do this summer regarding Page2. She will be with me quite a bit (Whoo Hoo) and we are coming up with plans to make sure she not only has fun but keeps up with her guitar lesson, reading, and getting back home several times to be with her Mom and Dad. She will be going to Washington, DC and New York with her Gma and Papa as soon as she gets out of school and very soon after that will be here for the family reunion after which she may be staying. Since Roseanne and I are going to their DC as well as ours, she will be there for that. Yep - it's going to be a very busy summer!

Since this picture Kurt sent me is proof that she is working around the house with them gives me some ideas for things to keep her busy. LOLOL Just kidding guys.

Sundry....

Have collected sundry pictures which I will post off and on in days ahead including this Impala Rie and I took pictures of with our phones while out in service in the country today.

This picture doesn't do it justice and even though I knew it was from the 60's, BigD knew the exact year when I showed it to him. He is sleeping now so can't ask him but how does he do that?

This picture of our sweet Page sent to us via text message from her Dad. I wonder how many pictures we all have of her sleeping between us?

This picture I "snatched" from one of my favorite magazines of days gone by. Every one of these clothes were made by the Mom in the picture out of sugar sacks. Their picture was used as an advertisement of the quality of fabric used for their sugar. It made me remember the shorts and dresses Mama made us out of the fabric our chicken feed came in. I think she made dish cloths out of the sacks flour came in. Great day in service today. Luz had me over for a wonderful Spanish lunch of chicken, rice, black beans and strawberries with whipped cream. Yum. Ruth rode up with me to drop my car off to have the headlight replaced. It holds moisture all the time. Turns out my car is still under the original warranty which covers this - boy - that felt good. Got another new Impala to drive tomorrow and boy - it's nice but no where near as nice as my car. Ta-ta

Catch up.....

Been a little strange for service this week.  Not only did I miss Wednesday but Roseanne and I didn't go out Thursday.  Today was a good day - still didn't go in service but got some things done I've been hoping to get done for long time. Rie's dear hubby came over this morning and got busy on my yard and carted away two truckloads of "stuff".  BigD started out with him by doing a few things but thank goodness he got a call and had to go do a job.  When he got back, he said something that gives me hope he will be more open to this in the future.  It is very hard for him to let someone do something for him - even if we are paying them. Bry will never know how much I appreciate all his hard work today. He is such a sweetheart as is his entire family.

This is a picture of Bry after he made a "ski mask" out of an old pillowcase and put his goggles on for while he was weed eating in the back yard (it was a jungle back there). I had told him I had some poison oak and poison ivy I wanted to get rid of but I don't think he realized how much that would be. I had purchased some Round Up about a year ago but he had a pump that he could pour it in. I rode with him to the County Dump with the first load. Since he didn't have a sticker on his truck, he was hoping my "winning" personality would get us in. He was almost upset about how easy it was for us to get in because evidently he had tried to bring something before and they wouldn't let him. I had brought my wallet with my ID in case we had a problem but I leaned across Bry and told the guy that my hubby had the truck with the sticker we got on it and could we dump my stuff anyway and he just waved us on. I'm sorry - it's funny. After he loaded up a second full load of "stuff", he insisted that he is coming back Sunday afternoon with his lawnmower. He thinks he can make the back look a lot better. See - such a sweetie.

I may have mentioned me and Gail having lunch with our dear friends recently but didn't share the picture. Love these two women. Their Dad has been a very good friend to me for many years - he was there for me during my kids growing up years and was always available to about any fears I might have. He and IT kind of adopted me while I was working because they knew how much I wanted to be at home. They both helped me until enough years passed for me to realize I was getting something I had been craving for so long - peace. Rose came over for a bit for me to scan and print her a copy of the May KM. For some reason they didn't get one. Still not sure if I'm going to Sbury to meet Kurt, Leah and Page at their CA and have lunch with them. Waiting to hear if Roseanne can get away. Just had a really nice thunderstorm. Great way to end a lovely day....

Art in one of its purest forms....

Just have to share some artwork given to me by two of my favorite little people.  These pictures do not show just how talented both of them are.  The are both in the lower grades of elementary school and can draw anything they look at.

This one belongs to JoJo. She had a cute little notebook she was taking notes in at the meeting. She was also drawing a picture of a Zebra from memory and I was amazed at the detail of her drawing.

I commented on how cute the little notebook was - it had a picture of a Lion on the front. She wrote me this note along with a picture of the Lion on the front of the notebook. Read the note very carefully and you will be able to understand exactly what she was saying.

This is a picture Rie's youngest son drew me. He is also an exceptional artist.

The thing I loved about this one the most was how he calls me by my last name. We have so many wonderful children in our midst and I enjoy watching them interact every chance I get. 

Special Talk and Congregation Gathering......

We had a full house for our Special Talk today and Ira did a wonderful job on his delivery. Woods pulled everyone together for a congregation gathering out at Rolling View. We had enough food to feed an army and an abundance of helping hands getting everyone taken care of.

Rie, Lin and I were in charge of receiving the food, making sure what needed to be heated was heated and refrigerated was refrigerated. There was too much food for the table so we had it lined up behind the servers and by the time the serving was going full force, some of us had to stand between the servers and the galley behind them to serve everything we had available.

Finally, our wonderful COBE put himself right in the middle and "coordinated" what needed to be put out and when.  We wanted everyone to have their food they had prepared offered. In the first picture of everyone being served you can see Ruby in her cute hat.  She is cancer free!  We are all happy.

She showed me a picture of her beautiful new grandson who was born Friday in California. I told her I would share it with my kids - they grew up with her children. He is a cutie isn't he? This gives her two grandsons and one step-grandson. I was so hoping this one would be a girl for her. She is happy he is healthy and I'm sure she will be seeing him sooner than later.

Some people were enjoying the lovely weather outside, either near the facility we rented or down on the little beach putting their feet in the water.

Ira played some really good music throughout our getting everything ready and the meal and then after sitting down and drinking a really big, icy coke, I joined a group that was line dancing. It was fun.

James and his oldest helped me get some of the desserts I brought home to the car. I ate some turkey breast in a salad but couldn't even finish that. It reminded me of when I used to work the kitchen for big parties and weddings - by the time I was finished handling all the food, I didn't want any of it.

Our very talented Jamie was doing some face-painting when I left. She is so smart and I wish I had a tiny bit of her boundless energy. She is such a generous young woman - I'm proud to call her friend. So I picked BigD up something and we split the desserts. Page should be at the coast with her pals by now. It has been a great week and today was a nice ending to it. We are now in MAY! When did that happen?