October 19th to October 25th 2010

On Health and Healing: what can I do or be for anyone else if I haven’t taken care of me.

I think I have found the perfect new health food, rich in dark chocolate, nuts and cinnamon:

I was never crazy about Goo Goos, made in Nashville but the same company is making this little goodie and it is really delicious.


What's Cooking?

Tuesday: family dinner – we met in Seattle and tried out another BLT

Wednesday: Taco Bean Soup with corn chips

Thursday: Bill’s night out

Friday: date night

Saturday: Todd made awesome Chili and hot wings and Bill made cornbread (Huskies lost)

Sunday: Tuna sandwiches at lunch and awesome dinner at B&P’s including pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes and roasted vegies. 

Monday: Grilled turkey tender for BK and pork chop for me, steamed green beans and Yukon gold potatoes.



On Life and Living:

Sorting and Organizing: Bill and I had cleaned up pretty well around the place for his mother’s visit. Not really ‘for’ her because she thinks everything is lovely anyway, but for us it was a good motivator to get the clutter sorted so now we are trying to keep it that way. I actually made a couple of trips to the attic. It was the first time to do the attic stairs since the shoulder surgery and I was careful but really it was no problem at all.



What's up at the dental office? Bill’s mom needs a crown on a front tooth. She is 93 but she needs this tooth and it has chipped and been filled several times. She has the appointment to get a crown but she is very nervous, she might choke or something. I told her I am sure they will be very careful. She is trying to get out of this but she would be worse missing a front tooth and having to get used to a partial. It is a two hour appointment but I told her there is a lot of resting time in the two hours.

Tuesday October 19th – Bill’s group at work took the two of us to lunch today. It was his first retirement party. Everyone is so nice to him, and me also. We went for Thai food at Bill’s favorite Bellevue restaurant and it was delicious. When I got home I baked a birthday cake for Monica, a co-worker and then walked 2 ½ miles with JoAnn. When Bill got home we drove into Seattle and met Barb and Steve, Amanda, Becky and Ryan for family dinner. We met at the Latona Pub because Steve recommended their BLT and he was right, it was a good one.

Wednesday October 20th – I got my stitches out today and the name of a physical therapist. I read the surgery report and it said that the distal clavicle was completely arthritic. There was no capsular tissue at all so he resected the distal clavicle to get ‘excellent decompression’. I didn’t know I had arthritis in my shoulder but I will tell you my shoulder is doing well and it is much more comfortable than before. I was very nervous that I might be making myself worse but this was a good choice. After the doctor, I mailed a couple of packages and stopped at the yarn shop for a minute and then came home and put together Monica’s birthday cake. Then drove to the office and we all went out to lunch and had cake for dessert. I don’t know what I did this afternoon but the day just flew by.



Thursday October 21st – Knitting all day. I tried on my Sasha skirt for the morning knitting group and we all agreed, I looked like a frump in something that long. Why did I not try this skirt on sooner???? So I took off the grey ruffle which probably will become a shrug. It looked cute when I just tossed it over my neck. Then I attached the last thread of the black skirt to the ball winder and in just minutes all that work was gone and set to redo again. The plan now is to knit about 6 or 7 inches of black in the feather and fan pattern, that was the pattern in the light grey that I took off. So the skirt will not have the grey ruffle at all and it is going to look much nicer on, I hope. At one Patty A came over and we knit together all afternoon. She is trying to get a Baby Surprise Jacket started and I was working on Savanna’s cardigan. When she left I got my act together and drove to Renton to watch Hannah play volleyball. It was her last home game this year and she did awesome. Wow, she can smack that ball.

    Friday October 22nd – The flowers Mom sent are still looking great. It was so fun to come home last Saturday to this beautiful bouquet on the front porch. Bill’s mom was with us and she was so excited that I had a flower delivery. They are still beautiful a week later. Nancy, the lead hygienist came and picked me up today at 9 and we drove to Tacoma. The Tacoma Food and Gift show was on this weekend and we pretty much spent the day there. I had printed a partial Christmas gift list and used that to do some shopping. We had a great time shopping and talking. It was very nice of her to think of me and do the driving. I could barely lift the bags when I got home. I actually had to stand on the curb and wait for her to get the car. I could not walk another step. While I was shopping till I dropped, Bill was chopping till he dropped. He went to the local hardware store and pick out one of the willing workers who gathers there and brought him home. The two of them proceeded to work about 5 hours. Bill with the chain saw and the other guy was hauling wood to the vacant lot where Bill will work on splitting it later. His goal now is to get the back yard cleaned up.

When I got home we got cleaned up and meet the Friday night group and had dinner. Bob and Karen were back from Europe and haven’t left for Colorado yet and Bill and Colleen were both there also. It was nice to see every one but when it came time to leave Bill could hardly move, his muscles had frozen. When we got home we put ice on his back and gave him Advil and I went to sleep. He fell asleep on the couch and came to bed later.


Saturday October 23rd – Neither one of us could move today. I was just tired but he was really hurting. I gave him Advil every 3 hours and we did ice on and off all day. At four he made cornbread and showered and we went to Tamara and Todd’s to watch the Huskies’ game. Todd had made two big pots of chili and a big pan of hot wing. Their friend Ken had made a big pan of layered bean dip and Tamara had made delicious, gooey candied popcorn with candied corn in it. I was sorry when I started eating it because it was hard to stop. Bill and I left at halftime because he was fading and the Huskies were losing and it was after 9pm.


Sunday October 24th – First thing this morning we voted. I am glad to have that behind us. We get really into the voting thing and read all the paper work we have, look up things on line, make phone calls if we need to. The only thing we didn’t do is look up the judges and see how they have ruled on cases in the past to see if we agreed with their opinions, we did look at the endorsements and decided with that in mind. It looks as though we may have fried another computer. Laptops are known for getting pretty hot and when my previous one died in less than a year my Nashville sister told me to sit my laptop on a fan if I am going to keep it on so much. So I did and I do. We also have a laptop that runs most of the media system in the house and today it ‘went to sleep and didn’t wake up.’ Bill has not had it on a fan and in the middle of streaming a movie it died on him. I think we will get a new laptop for me and put mine in the living room.

Monday October 25th - We did buy a new laptop tonight.  Bill is in the process of setting it up.  We are still PC folks here even thought we are happy iphone users.  It may be that we live in microsoft territory.   All I know is that my 'computer guy, supports PC's so that is what I am going with.    Only 16 days left for BK   





Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me. I would love to hear from you also so drop me a line at : celindakot@yahoo.com or my personal email address if you have it.


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.

This painting is of my Granny's House where            
she lived when she was writing this diary.  


Friday October 19th - Well Dad helped C.Light bale peanut hay. Dad worked 2 days last week and paid him for doing our feed. He worked yesterday evening and today and he will owe us for this. Bill helped Edgar Light today. He and Chy have gone to the football game in San Saba tonight. Ann and I had a good time. She is so sweet and good she is a pleasure. I ironed today and mended some things this evening. Dad will work for Light again tomorrow. Well I wrote old Dr. Connor about my glasses and sent Mrs. Waddel a letter.


Saturday October 20th – Well, Dad worked for Clarence Light today and Bill, Chy and Ann all went to town. I went to Cherokee with Mr. Perry and Annie Lee and Mrs. S were with him. Annie Lee let me ride in the front seat and she got in the back. Lovie, Nan, Emma all came home with Chy and Ann and I. Bill stayed to help Hilly and then they came on about dark. The girls and I did the chores. Dad got in about dark. Bill, Hilly, Emma and Chy have all gone hunting with old Tipper and Lovie and I are going to read. The San Saba boys were beat bad in the football game last night, nineteen to nothing. Llano carried the score.


Sunday October 21st – Well we had a good day, the girls were all here except Elsie and family. Clarence Light combined our maize, about 28 sacks. He ate dinner with us. We had a good dinner. The girls helped fix the food. Bill rode his horse this evening and he sure pitched a good bit. Gee, but an awful sand storm blew up and it is so cold. The boys put up the heater and we have a fire in it tonight. It sure feels good too. Jim ran over to Llano this evening but none of us wanted to go. I would like to see Mary Ann but I hate to face the Cedar Cutters for they are always on the alert for me to say something evil, which I never do, ha, like old man. Better stop, other eyes might see this. Our little Ann is such a pleasure and we love to watch her toddle, and toddle she does. All day, when she isn’t asleep.


Monday October 22nd - Well nothing much today. Chy and Bill ran up to Cherokee and Ann and I had a good time. Edger Light and wife came to get Dad to help him with their peanuts also got Bill Boy. Mr. and Mrs. Bowden got in this evening. Bill and Chy washed this evening.


Tuesday October 23rd - Well the men have gone to help Edgar with his peanuts today. Cecil came along to get the war victory dollar. Bill’s horse is sure a fine one, he rode him a bit this morning. Well Lovie, Hilly, Emma all came down tonight for supper. I cut out Ann’s little coat this evening and sewed some on it, will finish it tomorrow. Had a letter from Dr. Connor telling me to let him know about my specs. The Chipper got another bump.


Wednesday October 24th - Well another cold day, the norther blew up in the night. The Bill and Dad helped Edgar today, makes 3 days Bill has helped him and two days for Dad. I sent Dr Connor a letter about my glasses and made the Chipper a cute little coat, but it is too big in the shoulders for her. The Bill and Chy have gone to the show and Daddy Roy and I had the pleasure of keeping little Ann, she is so sweet. We had a big frost last night, the first of the season.


Thursday October 25th – Gee, it is cold here this morning. The Bill and Dad have gone to help Edgar, will be 3 ½ days for Bill and 2 ½ days for Dad as they will get through at noon, or so they said. Then Bill will go on to Llano to coach the ball game. Chy and I went to Cherokee this morning. It was noon and after before we got home and Willie boy had come in and was getting ready to go to the football game at Llano. A man called me from Rochelle to buy my turkeys at $6. Burt McBride came and brought Mrs. Gay and Mrs. Smith.