June 21st – June 28th

What’s going on around here? June 21st – June 28th

Just for fun: My week with Deborah Kaye was so much fun. Monday I printed a schedule of the week…. We had lunch with Chris and Anne and the grandkids. It was a quick visit but it was good to see them and Debbie was amazed at how grownup they are getting. We left lunch and drove straight to Bellevue to meet up with ‘Dr Endocrinologist’. We discussed medications and the next changes he wanted to make. We discussed that I am now Type II Diabetic, and what I need to do to be healthy and keep that in control. He did say under normal circumstances I probably would not need to be on medication but since we are trying to get me in the very best health before surgery that medication is a better choice for now. Tuesday we rested in the morning and went to lunch in Lake Forest Park at the Honey Bear Bakery. I think I have found the world’s best BLT sandwich. After lunch we went to the yarn shop next door and walked around a bit. Debbie got a couple of projects there, one of them was wrist warmers for me, and I am so excited them. She had one almost finished before she left and they are going to be beautiful. I am going to wear them while I am working on the computer because the fan that my laptop sits on most of the time blows cold air on my wrist and with arthritis in my hands and wrist they get to aching. I have been thinking about doing some for a long time I just had not taken any action. Tuesday afternoon we made a big Costco run to get all the supplies to cook for the teens. When we got home we put together an Asian dinner for Family Dinner including Edemame for an appetizer this was because Deborah had told me the last time she had Edemame she didn’t like it much, it was so chewy. She was trying to eat the pod instead of sucking out the beans from the inside. We all got a good laugh at her expense and she decided she like Edemame much better without the pods.

The City of Redmond has a Teen Center and they provide food for the teens on Wednesday’s. I have volunteered to provide the food once a quarter. I usually do most of the shopping and cooking and two girlfriends split the cost of the groceries, help me deliver and serve the food. Lucky Debbie choose this week to visit. The weather was nice and so I decided to do build-your-own Taco Salad. The teens loved the food but they are not much for lettuce and there was a lot of lettuce left over, which we left there and the supervisor said would get eaten, I hope so. Even the ones who did put lettuce on their plates only picked up a few leaves. I am a big lettuce eater and so I didn’t guess this ahead of time. Bill and Deborah did the cleanup Wednesday night when we got home and I was thrilled. That is the part that I hate the most. I don’t like cleanup to start with and especially not when I am tired.

Thursday we were lazy getting up and around and I still wanted here to visit a couple of other favorite places including a yarn shop in Wallingford where there is a delicious cupcake place next door. The thing to do here is take your knitting and sit and have a cupcake and latte and knit for a while, a very healthy lunch for a diabetic don’t you think? After we knit awhile we headed back to the Eastside for pedicures and Facials, I thought this would relax us both after cooking and cleaning the day before. Friday my bookclub group met at the house at lunch. We all had lunch together and then Deborah did work on the computer while we discussed our book, which I am not liking so much mostly because it is dry as sawdust. Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levine. We did meet up with the whole Friday night group for dinner and a good visit and then got home for Deborah to pack and organize and me to get to bed early because I was scheduled to work the whole day on Saturday.

Healing Process: When I saw the endocrinologist on Monday he changed up my medications again. Now I am down to 10mg of prednisone and I am feeling a lot slower and more tired. I feel like I am standing still and the world is buzzing all around me. If I make a move to do something Deborah would jump up and have it done before I could take a few steps. I am feeling good just not quite as perky as before. I did work all day Saturday and Donna, @ the office said that I didn’t act ‘sick’ or ‘too slow’, I was still interacting with patients and telling stories, so that is good. I appreciate other people’s observations because I don’t always see the whole picture myself. I saw my primary care Internist today and we spent almost an hour going over the big picture and what I am supposed to do between now and surgery: medications, blood tests, talking to the surgeon, talking to the anesthesiologist, diet, exercise and monitoring my glucose levels. I think I am getting ready. Oh and I am trying not to have to order any more ostomy supplies. I counted out how many I have of each of the parts and if I am careful I am going to run out of most of the supplies right on schedule. How funny would that be.

In the news: I think it must be a slow time in the news because the front page of the paper had a large photo of a ‘bluebonnet’ with a story about Lupine: Purple Meadows’ Majesty and my Associate Press app told me that Senator Robert Byrd died today. He is the longest serving senator in history.

What's up at the dental office? I took off last week because Deborah was in town visiting and worked all day Saturday. It is so funny after I have been off a little while and I get back to work, every time I say “this is so much fun.” I still love being a hygienist.

What's Cooking?

Bill’s new snack: He calls it popcorn. He thinks it is delicious and look it is only a little bit of healthy oil and popcorn, “that’s all it is” not like what comes in those bags for the microwave.

Tuesday: family dinner: salmon, green beans and coleslaw

Wednesday: BBQ chicken, corn (for Bill) broccoli salad

Thursday: Bill’s night out

Friday: date night @ Bill and Colleen’s and I am bringing an appetizer

Saturday:

Sunday: we are going to be on Bill and Priscilla’s boat for part of the day so I will do snacks again.

Monday: Holiday and Bill off work,

What's on my needles: I have made absolutely no progress. Turns out that I spent more time going backwards than forwards when Deborah was here and I am not caught up to where I was before she got here. I also am sure I will NOT be wearing the Sasha skirt to Bob and Karen’s wedding because I took out the entire bottom ruffle and may not even start it again until I am in the hospital with time on my hands. I did have lots of fun getting Deborah going on some projects including her first ever top down sweater for her grandson and then she started my wrist warmers also. The wrist warmers are in a pretty lace pattern and she picked it up really quickly and it was looking beautiful when she left. We also took some photos of a blanket she just finished and put it on Ravelry. She had done a beautiful job.

What's off my needles: Nothing to report at all.

What I am reading: I have a new book on my iphone, A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick. It was recommended by a girlfriend. It is a Christian novel but it is also the story of her family coming west. So I am looking forward to getting into it.

Counting my Blessings: When you have a forever friend like Deborah it is amazing. I can’t remember ever having a ‘falling out.’ Sometimes a year went by when she was raising her kids but each time we get together it was just like old times. Deborah goes all the way back to 7th grade but I have several other friends that are like that and go way back also. I think that is an amazing blessing. It was a very good week.

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.


I have added a column on the right side of the blog that explains the character’s involved to the best of my knowledge.


June 21st – Thursday A message came in this morning that Dan Parshier baby girl had been killed by a truck And Billie Dan had gotten his leg broken by a car running over it a day or two before. They have my sympathy, poor things. They will have the funeral at 3 o’clock this evening at the Christian Church. Mrs. B. brought us a jar of fish. I picked beans this eve. Will can tomorrow. I sent the Bills letters off today to Chy. I feel very well. Dr Pense sure helped me, Dad planted the peas.


June 22nd – Friday Mrs. Smith called for me to come get my peaches and Dad and Mr. B have gone after them. I have my cooker on with 7 quarts of beans in it and cannot go. I made some kraut a while ago. Lovie, Hilly and Nancy came by and ate supper. Lovie brought steak.


June 23rd – Saturday Well just as I was crawling out of bed this morning I heard Dad yelling for me to hurry and come out there and I knew WeWe heifer was having her calf, so I hurried out but he had gotten the calf, a big bull calf. Dad and Frank ran up to Cherokee. I sent 94cents worth of cabbage and carrots. I canned 11 quarts of the peaches I got from Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Bowden came to see me this evening late. Dad turned Puggie out this morning.


June 24th- Sunday Another day gone by, We, Dad and I, spent the day with Lovie and Nancy. Hilly had gone to round up his cattle to sell. Mack Jr. and Mr. Walter found some more of Hilly’s hogs. Mr. and Mrs. Powell came this evening to tell us to go to Llano in the morning and sign up for electricity. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden came to tell us.


June 25th - Monday Well Dad and the Bowdens went to Llano to sign up for the electricity this morning. Hope we get it. I dug the carrots and canned 11 pints of them. Canned 7 pints of peaches and I am tired tonight. Dad ploughed this evening. Had a sweet letter from Bill and Chy.


June 26th - Tuesday Well Lovie, Hilly and Nancy came by for me to go in for Nancy’s tonsil operation, Hilly didn’t go and it was a bloody operation and Nancy didn’t vomit but 3 or 4 times, she came out from under the ether by the time the Dr Pense and the nurse laid her on the bed. Elsie was with us. Birda Lee, Bernie, Gayle D and Miss Katy B, Tom A, and Jymmie all came to see how Nancy was. Lovie and Nancy are here tonite. Hilly went home in the pickup.


June 27th – Wednesday Well the Nancy girl is doing just fine. Lovie ran up to help Hilly in the store this evening. The Bowden’s came to see Nancy tonight. Lovie got an invite to Billie Joe Phillipp’s shower for Friday nite. Lovie brought a big steak for supper. I got a few blisters for roasting ears today the coons are romping on the corn.


June 28th – Thursday The Nancy girl is doing fine. We washed this morning and Dad killed a big 3 foot mama coon in his corn about 2:30 this morning. Fuzz found the old coon and they really had a battle. Hilly and Lovie came and ate supper and brought Nancy new bicycle and she is so proud of it, bless her little heart. Lovie took her home tonite and I miss her so. Dad went to Cherokee and took the old turkey hen off. She brought $3.00. I had a letter from Poll. I canned more peaches this evening, Lovie brought them.

June 15th – June 17th 2010

What’s going on around here? June 15th – June 20th 2010

Happy Father's Day!!!  My post are getting a bit irregular as my schedule gets unpredictable and I probably won't post again this week.  So enjoy life till then....

Just for fun:  Debbie, my best friend from the 7th grade arrived Friday afternoon, she was flying standby and so we had been hoping for her since Thursday afternoon, but she kept us updated well and we were at the airport when she got here. We came home and unloaded and went off to meet up with friends for an early dinner. Bill and Colleen had been on vacation and we had not seen them for 3 Friday nights. Yikes, I almost forgot what they looked like, but they are both still tall and skinny. One of the things I love most about our Friday night get together is how we discuss the ‘hot topics.’ It is always good discussion time and we sure covered a lot of subjects this week. On Saturday Bill, Debbie and I went walking in Seattle we started in West Seattle and had awesome hamburgers for lunch then we walked on the waterfront in Seattle and I saw one of the biggest cruise ships I have ever seen then we found a free Wooden Boat Show and you could walk through any of the boats you wanted to. They were all so beautiful.   Oh I almost forgot,  I was looking at a log book on one of the boats and it was turned to a page that mentioned an earthquake in 1945 so I took a photo since Granny's diary is from 1945 also.....      (sorry I didn't figure out how to turn it.)

Healing Process: I saw the surgeon Friday after lunch to get a date for surgery….. July 13. That will be 3 months to the day from the first surgery. I was hoping to put it off a little longer so that I wouldn’t miss so much work but that was the date he offered and he was pretty firm about it and who am I to argue with the guy who saved my life.

Sorting and Organizing: Mostly this was all about getting the guest bedroom ready for Debbie and it was really ready anyway, I just picked up a few knitting projects and stored them in the computer room so they would be easy to get to if I needed them.

What's up at the dental office? I did work Tuesday and Wednesday in my Redmond office and Thursday this week that office went to the Dental Convention together. I love going to work. Tuesday I had one patient in the morning that said: “CeLinda you are such a nice lady.” Earlier I had told him how Bill says he married me because it is hard to find a good hygienist, so my reply to this 38 yr old was “ too bad, I am already married.” We both had a good laugh. Tuesday afternoon I had another patient that had a lot of recession and really sensitive teeth and at the end of the appointment he said no one had ever been that gentle, or cleaned his teeth that well. I had an awesome day. The Dental Convention was interesting also. There were not near as many vender's as in past years and they were not giving away as many dental products to try like toothbrushes, toothpaste and bleaching stuff. There were booths for getting your patients credit and insurance and such but not like in the past. I took two different classes on periodontal disease and whole body health and the new science that I picked up is that everyone needs to be using a waterpik. The studies on waterpiks are very positive even if you have 5 or 6 millimeter pockets. The office all went to sushi for lunch and we talked about what we had seen. All of us girls had found something pretty at the jewelry booth.
What's Cooking?
Saturday: (Tamara, Todd, Hannah, Hailie and Amanda) Grilled Salmon, grilled corn, grilled stir-fry veggies and grilled romaine salad. Bill made blueberry pie for dessert.

Sunday: Salmon Patties and Southwest salad
Monday: Smoked Turkey w/ stuffing and peas casserole and salad
Tuesday: family dinner: Edamame, Sesame Soy Chicken, Sesame Noodles, steamed pea pods, Spinach salad w/ peanut ginger dressing
Wednesday: Teen Feed @ the City of Redmond Teen Center – this is something I do once a quarter just for fun. When I started doing the food for this group about 30 kids showed up. Last time I think it was double that, so I am cooking bigger for this event. Build your own Taco Salad and Chocolate Brownies.
Thursday: Bill’s night out
Friday: date night
Saturday: Debbie leaves, and I work all day @ Kirkland office, so dinner ????

What's on my needles: I am still working on the Sasha skirt, and a cute cardigan for Baby Buckspan both of which I am now knitting backwards on. I am almost finished with my red vest maybe I will have photos next week.

What I am reading: I am starting a new book for the book club I am in called Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin. I know it is political, but I know nothing else. We are blessed by not getting cable and listening to all the political programs that I do get really tired of. Maybe I am not very political….?

Have I seen any good movies lately: We saw ‘Fracture’ with Anthony Hopkins this weekend. I was an excellent story of intrigue and I liked it and it was not too scary.

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.


June 15th – Friday Well Dad and Bill ran up to Cherokee after some turkey feed and hen pellets. Mrs. Gay had Bill, Chy, Nancy and I up there for dinner. She had a lovely dinner and we all enjoyed it so much. Bill and Chy went up to Elsie’s this evening and left Chipper with Nancy and I. My last little turkeys hatched last night. The Chip is so bad this evening, but she gets mad at Nancy. Hilly and Lovie came by for supper. Nancy fried some spuds, they were really good. My back hurts me so. I wrote to Sears and told them about my chicks dying as I lost 21.


June 16th – Saturday Well the Chipper is a bad girl, sure does fuss at Nancy. I washed some clothes for Chip this morning. The Bill and Chy got back on time about 2:30 and Chipper was so glad to see them she wasn’t bad anymore but she tried to make faces at Nancy. Bill and Chy had a round because the Chip turned some nail polish over on her dress and Chy got on Nancy because she had left it in the window and Chip got it, so Bill got on to Chy for scolding Nancy and they haven’t spoken to one another the whole evening. Do hope the make up tonight as they have gone with Hilly and Lovie to Llano. Nancy and Chip are with me. Dad dug the potatoes and onions today. I sent Sears Roebuck a letter about the sick chicks. Elsie had a party for Bill and Chy, Doug Mc and Willene Perry got married. Hilly, Lovie ate supper with us. Lovie got Dad a nice pair of trousers for a Father’s Day gift.


June 17th – Sunday Father’s Day. Tom, Elsie, Jymmie, Tom A, Hilly, Lovie, Nancy, Bill, Chy and Ann were all with us and we had a chicken dinner on the creek. Bill had such a good time as did all the rest of us. Hilly fried the chicken to a turn and I baked a pineapple cake and other things, Lovie brought 3 chickens and I fixed 3. So you see we did have a chicken dinner. Gee it was great to have Bill and his family with us. Ann just sat in her little swing and enjoyed herself. It is going to rain tonite, hope so. Cecie has been down with a (note: she just didn’t finish this page)


June 18th – Monday Well we had a good day, a good dinner, and Bill enjoyed it so much. Bill, Chy, Dad and Chip went to Llano after a case of beer but didn’t get but 3 bottles. The Smiths, Marnie Lee, Mr. and Mrs. Bowden all came tonite, and Lovie, Hilly and Nancy were here for supper and they Bill and Ch y wanted to go to see Jr. and Margie but could not leave the Chip. Gee, but they were mad, Chy said she hated every one of them. The Chipper was a very sweet girl all day. Bill and the Mr. Smith, Mr. Bowden all killed the armadillo in the yard tonite. Sure glad. My back hurts me so very much. I cleaned up the kitchen, it now 1 o’clock tonite. I got 15 pounds of sugar this evening.


June 19th – Tuesday Well, Bill, Chy and Ann all left today as they did one year ago today only little Ann was not born but she is a big girl now. We enjoyed them so very much while they were here. Lovie and Nancy met us at Mr. Gays cattle guard, good thing as we were going to eat dinner with Bonnie, and Lovie said she had sold all of her dinner so we all came on back home and I fixed dinner, had hot rolls. Lovie said I had a good dinner, I fixed up a box of vegetables for Chy as she loved them so. Dad sent 6 cabbage heads with Lovie to sell. What we sold yesterday brought 60 cents. Gee, I am almost past going with my old back. Gee, I thank the good old Monster that Bill Boy is back. I am pretty sick with my back tonight. Guess I will go out with no one to care for me.


June 20th – Wednesday Well I was all in this morning when I waked so Dad made me get up and dress so he could take me to the Dr but when we got to Cherokee Lovie took me and Dad helped Hilly. Dr Pense fixed me two kinds of medicine. Cost $2.50. Dr Pense charged me $2 dollars, he said my back ache was caused from overwork or an old hurt but I am able to get around some tonite. I cooked Dad some supper. Hilly, Lovie, and Nancy came by and brought us some steak and a squirrel. Mr. Mitchel brought them 2 squirrels. We saw Elsie and Jymmie at the laundry after we came from the Dr’s office. Lovie had Dr. Pense fix Nancy’s sulfur drugs to start taking Friday so she can have her tonsils out next Tuesday. Had a letter from Gordie today and Chy got 10 letters back that she had sent to Bill overseas. I must send them to her.

June 11th - June 14th 2010 Roadtrip

What’s going on around here? June 11th - June 14th 2010

Just for fun: I have been really busy, having fun and starting to feel like I have my life back again, a little bit. It is actually bedtime and I am typing madly because I have been more busy having fun than sitting around. Friday I left with two girlfriends on a road trip to Vancouver, Washington to a friend’s birthday party. (It was way too close to my niece to not get to see her, in Portland, but I wasn’t driving and it was a short trip.) We left in the early afternoon and got to Vancouver and checked into the hotel, then we chatted and laughed until late. The party on Saturday started at noon so we lounged around and had coffee and a great breakfast and all got ready. It was fun to watch three women with curly hair all talk about hair product. When we got to the party it was so much fun to see friends I had not seen in years and also to meet some new amazing women who love my friend and appreciate her like I do.  Can you tell how many scarfs she is wearing?  They were all gifts and she is holding a beautiful pair of socks that her granddaughter hand knitted.   My 'roadmates' and I left the party about 3pm and it usually is a 3 and a half hour drive. We got home at 11:15 pm. The delay was due to: garage sales, antique malls, lattes, other snacks, dinner, more shopping and a really bad traffic delay not necessarily in that order.

Sunday I slept till about 11am and then dressed for working in the yard. I would pull a few weeds and then sit and knit and rest and then pull a few more weeds and rest a bit more for most of the afternoon. Today I was up early, ‘caffeined’ up, had a good visit with Mom on the phone, did some work @ the desk, lunch w/ a couple of girlfriends that I try to see once a month, walked 3 miles with my walking partner and off to Costco for a load of groceries. When I got home one of the women who has been helping me in the yard was still working so I invited her to stay for dinner. So here I am and it is bedtime and I have a full week ahead. Yea!


What's Cooking?
Monday: roast chicken, green salad, steamed sugar pea pods and stuffing

Tuesday: family dinner : turkey meatballs and gravy, BBQ shrimp, steamed asparagus, green bean salad w/ feta and pecans and roasted Yukon gold potatoes.

Wednesday: vegi burger patties w/ pasta sauce and Whole Wheat penne, green salad and steamed broccoli

Thursday: Bill’s night out

Friday: date night (B&C are home!!! )


What's on my needles: this week it is all about baby girl Buckspan who is due in September. I don’t have any photos yet but soon. It is so funny when you are knitting something for someone special like this you think of them all the time, pray for them, wish them a wonderful life, wonder what the 'Mom and Dad' are doing now.... all that stuff.  This little great niece will live in Maine and that is just a long way off....


Counting my Blessings: It was just great to get my suitcase out again.

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.


June 11th – Monday Well Dad and Frank took 86 hens of Lovie’s to Cherokee this morning. She got $88 out of them. I canned 7 quarts more of shelled pinto beans today. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden came by and brought me a mess of fish tonight. Well what do you know the Bill, Chy and our sweet little Chipper got in. They slipped up on old Lovie and Hilly. Lovie and Nancy came on down here with them. Nancy stayed with us and Hilly and Lovie came on back after the store closed and I had a good supper, and we just talked and ate. Gee but it is great to have the Bill, Chy and Chipper back with us. Nancy is with us tonight. Flora let us have Mrs. McLerran’s bed for Chipper. I had a letter from Gordie and she said they would not be home until August. The Bowden’s all came to see Bill.


June 12th – Tuesday Well Elsie, Jymmie, Lovie and Nancy were all here today to help enjoy Bill, Chy and Ann and we had a good day, a good dinner. The kids and Dad all went to Cherokee this evening. Dad got his check for the two calves we sent off last Thursday. $99.75. They did pretty good to be starved 3 days before selling that’s the last stock we will send old Nored and Hutchin’s. Gee but we had a good rain last night and it rained some this evening. I have lost 18 of my fine Sears and Roebuck chickens. I wrote Son and the girls tonite. Bill sure got all over me tonite, said I spoiled Chipper. Well let them keep Chipper in New Mexico like he said he was going to. Pop still may cripple him in his other foot. The little Chy put him up to get me told, I don’t spoil Ann. I just love her a bit now and then.


June 13th – Wednesday I got my conialol chicks today. Dad, Bill, and Chy all went to town in Bill and Chy’s car. Dad paid Sam the $5.50 I owed him only he paid him $6.50. I’ll see what the extra dollar was for tomorrow when I go in to the parade. Bill, Chy and Chipper all run over to Llano to get a case of beer. Bill took the beer bottles from here that he gathered up several years ago at Lovie’s. Hilly, Lovie and Nancy all ate supper here tonight. Lovie brought me a half bushel of peaches that Mrs. Whitt gave her so I will preserve them tomorrow when I get thru washing. The Chipper and I had a good time while the rest were in town, only Chip slept most of the time. Frank came and stayed until Bill, Chy, and Dad got back from town. Lovie said Cecil was in town for treatment for a boil on his leg. He came by this morning for Bill to go sorting.


June 14th – Thursday Well Bill, Chy, Dad and I all ran in to see the parade. Jymmie was riding by the side of her grasshopper. Tom said it was the last time he was going to haul a horse for her to ride in the parade. Saw Elsie, Tom A, Tom and a lot of others I knew. Hilly and Lovie came by for us to go, but only Bill and Chy went. Dad and I kept Chipper and she was so good and dad a good time and went to sleep on Dad’s bed. Frank came late and he took Chip walking while I gathered the eggs and dad cut the cow feed. She ate supper with dad, ate a cookie and drank water and just talked. Oh but she is sweet. Dad got on a stub and said he was going to quit me. Will be a good deed when he does. I made him some shorts and he cusses them, so I’ll just give them to Hilly, that’s what the quarrel started over, but he want a young woman he’s tired of me, the brute.

June 8th – June 10th

What’s going on around here? June 8th – June 10th

So the midweek post is usually boring because I just go to work and come home and do chores. Okay so the weekend post is boring too.

Healing Process: Last night, Wednesday the 9th, I spent the night at a sleep disorder clinic, I was attached at 25 different points to evaluate the quality of rest I am getting. I took a photo but I am certainly not going to post it. The doctors explained to me that healing from surgery and now being Type 2 diabetic and whatever else… that the quality of sleep I get is important. I slept. I will go back in 2 to 3 weeks for them to tell me the results. I will tell you, where I once thought I would live to be old, like 80’s and 90’s, I’m not so sure any more. I think the prednisone has done a lot of damage. So my new policy is to not waste a minute, enjoy and value each moment. Spend time with those you love and that love you and don’t waste a lot of energy on trying to please those that don’t love you, don’t care or that you can never make happy no matter what you do anyway. I think that is a good life policy.

Just for fun: Today is Thursday and it is my knitting day. At noon I usually meet up with a ‘grandma’ group at the mall and my latest favorite lunch is the barbeque place. They have a slider special: three little sandwiches, one with pork, one with beef and one with chicken and a side of coleslaw which I add to each of the sandwiches. Those buns are probably more carbs than I should have so I may rethink what I get. That’s another thing. My cholesterol is high and I am eating more meat than usual because I am cutting back on the carbs. After lunch I have a couple of errands to run and then I will go to my Seattle Yarn Shop to meet up with some more knitting friends. The shop has gone to summer hours, which means they close at 6 instead of 7 and so I should be home early and get packed for tomorrow.

What's up at the dental office? One of my patients this week had a really funny story and she told me I could share it. It all started because we were eves dropping on the conversation in the next chair. The Dr and patient were discussing a dental problem and the patient said, “should I get ‘proactive’ about this…..” and my mind went to the yogurt called proactive and I wondered what the yogurt would do for her teeth. (We do recommend it often when people have to take antibiotics for infection.) In her case she was asking how soon some dental work needed to be done. My patient and I had overheard this and I mentioned that I thought about the yogurt. She laughed and said that is how rumors go and that they had a situation at work just the day before that almost got out of hand because of misunderstandings. She works for a water treatment company in the area and this is what happened. Her company was digging up someone’s front yard to lay pipe, they were contracted by another company and in all there was another company involved in the process also because they were going to be putting something in the ‘ditch’ as well. So the person whose front lawn now had a big trench in it was very unhappy that he had not been informed that this was going to happen and he came out to the crew and was telling them just what he thought about it. So the crew chief (person #1) called in (person #2) and said: we have a home owner out here who is hotter than a pistol about the trench in his yard. Person #2 called the company he reported to (person #3) and said there is a home owner out there mad at the crew that is digging and he has a pistol. Person #3 called the company that he reported to (person #4) and said there is a home owner out there and he is waving a gun at the crew and telling them off. Person #4 called the company that was digging the trench, my patients boss, and said; Call the police we have an enraged home owner that is holding a crew at gun point. That is when my patients boss said: what on earth I was just out there talking to him and he was asking why he had not been informed about the trench ahead of time. I called the ‘communication’ company that had contracted the trench and said we have a home owner that is hotter than a pistol…… My patient said this whole thing went full circle in less than half an hour. How funny.

What I am reading: I am still working on The Orchid Thief and it is really interesting. There are so many details about orchids. I wish there were photos to go with all the species I am reading about. I can see a library trip coming. Oh what am I thinking, there is the internet now.

My thoughts for the day: The news every day is so depressing about the oil spill in the gulf.   When man thinks he is smarter than God something like this is bound to happen.

In the news: I started thinking about Grannies Diary and how she mentions the world news as she knew it from time to time. All we have been hearing for weeks now is about the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven men died from the explosion and oil has been pouring into the ocean ever since. I listen to talk radio some in the car and those guys seem to have all the answers and the ‘government’ is certainly not doing anything right. I don’t know if anyone really does have the answer. Do you remember when the Russians let those men in the submarine die because they would not allow any help from outside governments? Some how this event in the Gulf makes me think of that situation again.

I also listen to country radio some and the channel I listen to is talking about the flooding of Nashville and what it is taking to rebuild Nashville. I have family that lives in Nashville so my ears perk up when I hear this discussion. This local channel is raising money to send to Nashville and giving away tickets to a concert in Nashville called ‘Nashville Rising’. Many country stars are participating to help raise money for the victims of the damaging floods there. Today at the yarn shop I was talking about the damage in Nashville and another knitter said this is happening in Poland also. An area there the size of Washington State has been badly flooded 3 times now and whole neighborhoods have washed away and many have sunk into holes, thousands are without homes, water and food. It is also very hot after the floods there also and toxic molds are growing everywhere. I had not heard about Poland. Bill and I heard a television program the other night predicting a level 9 earthquake for our area. I don’t think anywhere is safe.

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.


June 8th - Friday No letters today. Lovie, Hilly and Nancy all came by and ate supper, brought my bile salts medicine by that I called and told Sam to send this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden came by this eve. I was picking beans and had to stop. Dad ploughed the maize out here.


June 9th – Saturday Well Dad didn’t get the money for his two calves. Had a letter from Nored and Hutchin that they would hold them over and sell them on Monday’s market. Made me so d--- mad, the blamed crooks. Gay’s got the check for 3 head $139.20. I’ll bet we don’t get $100 for ours. I’ll sure write the devils a goodun. I didn’t go to the shower for Billie D and Yvonne. I must get them something. Mrs. Gay asked me to go with her but I canned 7 quarts of beans, 2 of beets and 1 pint of plum preserves.


June 10th – Sunday Well nothing doing today. We ran up to see Mr. and Mrs. Lewis and Mr. Lewis looks real well. Nelda was there, said she won the rodeo queen. We stopped to see Mr. and Mrs. Gay. Lovie and Hilly came over tonite and ate supper with us.

June 4th – June 7th

What’s going on around here? June 4th – June 7th


Happy Anniversary Suzanne and Glenn

Happy Anniversary Mark & Donna

Happy Birthday Savanna

We had not caught any mice for a while and we got three this weekend so Bill started working on closing the ‘gateway’, a big gapping space under the back door that goes right into the crawl space of the garage.

I am into the birds that come to our feeders. We are getting lots of birds and they are so fun to watch. They splash in the birdbath and play with each other. This weekend I put up the feeder in the back yard because we are spending more time in the back now also. I cannot begin to tell you how much the birds keep down the bugs especially the mosquitos.





Healing Process: Monday, June 7th is my post surgery colonoscopy to check for healing. Then the Dr. can decide when the reversal surgery will be. The surgeon did the colonoscopy and said all is looking good, I should see him in two weeks in the office again and we will start planning the next surgery. My blood draw from last week showed that my potassium is really really low and so we are upping the prescription meds for that. My liver is back to normal but cholesterol is out of sight because I haven’t taken any of those meds since before surgery, because they can irritate the liver so tomorrow I start my Lipitor again and we are decreasing the prednisone by 1mg. The blood sugar numbers are still not good so we are going to add a drug called metformin. I haven’t read up on it yet but it is something to try before insulin.

Sorting and Organizing: The yarn room is calling. I have 3-ring binders that I keep my knitting patterns in and they are full and I am running out of space for more. I have almost every project I have ever done on paper and in a plastic page protector many of them with a swatch of the yarn I did the project in. I do occasionally go back and look at them for information. But they are really taking up more valuable real estate than they are worth. So as I am thinking this through I have decided to move those notebooks to the attic with my very organized stash. That is a good place for them and it will open up some room on my shelves in the yarn room.

Just for fun: Friday Night/Date Night: We went over to B&K’s house. They had picked up Chinese food, that was awesome. I can’t remember the last time I had egg foo yung but it was delicious and I will be getting it again soon. We also had cashew chicken and some amazing green beans. These are the friends that are getting married in July and so we were looking at the wedding and reception plans. They are going to have a house full of company for the whole event, so they are getting creative in finding places for people to sleep also.

What's Cooking?
Sunday: clear liquids for me…..
Monday: tuna casserole and salad
Tuesday: family dinner: grilled steak and chicken, baked potatoes with all the fixings’ and steamed broccoli.
Wednesday: Stuffed peppers and cabbage salad
Thursday: Bill’s night out
Friday: I will be traveling with girlfriends to a special friend’s birthday party.
Saturday: getting home late this evening

What's off my needles: The Second Ruffle on that skirt. I finished the last bind off stitch just as the Dr walked in to do my ‘procedure’ this morning. (no photos yet)

What I am reading: I am just starting The Orchid Thief. Someone told me to read it because I have an interest in orchids. I wish I had more space for them, if I did I would really go crazy I think. Right now I only have one, my family sent it to me in the hospital and it is taking up all the available space. This is like a fake novel around fascinating information about orchids. If you are into orchids at all it is really interesting.

Have I seen any good movies lately: While I was homebound, cleaning my colon, I watched two Netflix’s; one was a documentary on Abraham Lincoln. It was very interesting, I have forgotten so much that I once learned in history classes. The other was a ‘comedy’ and pretty foul so I am not repeating the title. You know when a movie is going to be bad when the previews of other movies are gross, disgusting or otherwise offensive and that was true for this one. Bill and I discussed this as we kept fast forwarding through the previews. Okay, okay, so you will know what not to watch it was ‘Good Luck Chuck’.

My thoughts for the day: I am starting an online book discussion with a few friends. The book is: Respectable Sins, Confronting the Sins We Tolerate by Jerry Bridges . There is lots of information online if you are curious. We are going to do it through another private blog and if you are interested in participating just send me an email and I will add you to that list.

celindakot@gmail.com

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.


June 4th – Monday We had 2 letters from Bill and one from the Son. First we have had from Son in over a month. Dad was planting Maize out here and he called me to come and look at a thing floating in the air. It was an awful looking thing shaped like a shark and was shiny like tin. Kinda have a bit of the tummy ache. I ate okra, mustard greens, and preserves for dinner. My baby chicks are supposed to come in tomorrow. Doris told Mrs. Gay to tell us that they were having the recital at the Methodist Church tonite.


June 5th – Tuesday We had a letter each from Son, Bill, Chy and we were glad to hear from them. I called Lovie and had them bring me ice, bread and turkey meal. Dad is planting the west field in Maize. Lovie said that Mrs. Burke had carried Billie Louise to the Dr Pense and he sent Billie L. to the hospital. He said if she wasn’t better by morning they would take her to the Temple hospital. Sue hope she is better. Bill said his foot was doing okay.


June 6th – Wednesday Well I don’t know how Billie Louise is as I called Mrs. Brown and she said no call had come in how she was. I had a sweet letter from the Bill and he is fine so he says. Mrs. Gay came this evening with Lester as Lester wanted to ride old Charley to get his Dads ? out of Esteps so Mr. Gay could ship some to Ft. Worth. Mrs. Barber called me and said for Dad to have his up tomorrow eve. Mrs. Gay had me cut Lester a shirt out. I got my baby chicks from Sears today and was supposed to get 50 from colonial Farm. I bathed the dogs and cats this eve for fleas. I built fences this morning. I am sure tired tonite.




June 7th – Thursday Well Dad sent two steer calves to Ft Worth this eve. Mr Gay sent 3 head. Lovie, Hilly and Nan all came by and ate supper tonite. I have lost 2 of my baby chicks all ready. Dad is building the fence up at the east field so my turks will have a place to run. Billie Louise is some better so Mr. Burke told Nancy. I am having so trouble with my old tummy but I am out of medicine.

June 1st – June 3rd

What’s going on around here? June 1st – June 3rd



Healing Process: I am feeling fine and pretty much back to my normal schedule except that in my spare time I am sleeping a lot. Usually I can’t even think of sleeping in the day time but lately instead of sitting around and knitting I have actually be laying down and going fast to sleep. I worked Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday I had lunch with the ‘knitting grandma’s’ and then came home and slept the afternoon away so there is just not much to report this time.

What's up at the dental office? Xylitol: look it up in Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/      Xylitol this is good, accurate information. It is getting easier to find Xylitol in stores but often it isn’t in the quantity that impedes the bacteria. There is a good website to purchase Xylitol products from. I have purchased hard candy, and the chocolate caramels and the chocolate covered coconut (yumm) and even the vanilla sweetener to add to coffee. If you want to check it out go to:

http://www.drjohns.com/       If you do decide to purchase anything use my promotion code: PIPK34M68 to save 7.5% on; your purchase.    

I have eaten lots of the candy with no problems but when we made kool-aid and sweetened it with straight Xylitol it did affect my gastrointestinal system. So be warned, don’t overdo it, unless you are interested in doing a colon cleanse as well.

Grannies’ Diary: Bobbie Ann Maxwell 1945: For a few years now my grandmother’s (my mom’s mother) diaries have been sitting on a bookshelf above my desk. Now that others are reading this, I think I will take things from her diary and tell you what was happening at her farmhouse also. I have started with the first complete looking diary and the year is 1945. I am telling her story, in her words as best I can.

June 1st – Friday Well it tried to rain this morning. I repacked Chy’s things Bill sent her also put in her boots and the knife and fork Nancy gave Ann some time ago. Lovie came with Nancy this evening. She asked me to go over and milk Bright Eyes as they were going to a big to do at Tom’s Cabin. Nancy is with us tonight. Didn’t hear from any of the children today. I wish Son would write. I sat down on the floor yesterday and my tail is almost broken. I thought I was going to sit down on a chair but missed it.


June 2nd – Saturday Well Nancy and I cooked dinner; had snap beans, potatoes. Lovie called and said she had a letter from Bill from El Paso. Dad and I and Nancy and Frank all went to Cherokee. I paid my phone bill for May. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden came for more beans and I gave her a mess of carrots and a cabbage head. Saw Tom A, Sloan Pool and Jymmie’s grasshopper in Cherokee this evening. Tom A came and spoke to me. He is so sweet. I shipped Chy’s box of things Bill sent her off this evening, it cost $1.07. Sure hope she gets it pretty soon. Saw and talked to Mrs. Groves Kurkendall this evening and she is so sad over not hearing from her son Jim who is missing in action over Yugoslavia. I pray God she hears something. How my heart aches for her.


June 3rd – Sunday I cooked a pot of snap beans, potatoes, cabbage, beets and carried them over and ate dinner with Lovie and Hilly, Nancy, Cecil and Flora came while we were there, Dad and I left pretty soon.