Shopping

Forrest and I waited until 10:00 AM to head out for shopping so all the stores would be open. We stopped by Walmart to take back a boom box that didn't work for Dad and then we went to H'ville to the Mall. We stopped at two stores and Forrest got 3 pair of shorts and a shirt with a collar, I've forgotten what they are called...I got some costume jewelry and we were very happy! Forrest will look very good when he goes back to school.

I have the cancer meeting tonight and Mary Lou is coming over and we will go in my car. I'm so glad to have a car that I can have someone ride in the front seat. The car drives so smoothly and is quite inside.

Forrest is very strong and he cut some tree limbs that were hanging down yesterday. He's helping Frank put up the bird pellets now and after that he'll do some more pruning. His parents have taught him how to work and he does good at what he does. Frank and I are amazed at his strength, maybe because we are such weaklings!

More House Guests

Mary Kate and children left here at 8:00 AM and on her way to Girls Camp Trudy will drop off Forrest who will spend the night with us until Girl's Camp is over. It will be fun having Forrest with us. We have some chores for him to do. I still have some trees that need pruning and Forrest and I can do that together... he'll do the work and I will supervise! Ha-ha, I'll help too.

I see Dr. Walker today to go over the tests I had done on the MRI. His office called and said that the results were okay but I guess he wants to go over them with me.

My keyboard stopped working so I have this old one from long time ago and I don't like it. I'll get another one sometime soon.

I'm tired from all the shopping I've been doing. My legs hurt last night and I had to take some medicine for them so I could get to sleep. I'll go shopping with Forrest while he's here too. What fun!

House Guests

Thursday, Mary Kate and the children came for a visit. Friday we went to H'ville to shop 'till we dropped. It's fun to get out of the house and run around town. Athens, is too small to run around in but H'ville isn't too far to go so we usually go there to shop.

Saturday, we went to a gun show that my brother had some Japanese rifles in. We didn't stay too long because the children were restless. We ate lunch at Nothing But Noodles or some place like that. Mary Kate treated but I don't really care for noodles but the food was fresh and good. Across the street was a consignment shop where we both got some clothes. We then went by Sam's and bought some veggies. I wanted to get a bank card that Sam's would take. For some reason, they wont take Visa.

Sunday, we went to church and Mary Kate saw some friends she grew up with. We came home, ate and rested. Grampie entertained the children while Mary Kate and I rested. We had made a rotini salad Saturday that lasted until today so that was what we ate for lunch and dinner! Can't say we have too much variety here.

Memories

I just finished reading a story a classmate of '64 wrote of his first grade teacher. I remember who mine was, but that's about all of the 1st grade that I remember. I do remember is wasn't in the best readers group. I think there were the red birds, the blue birds and the yellow birds and that was the way she grouped the children according to their reading ability. All I remember about the 2nd grade was the math I couldn't understand. We had to divide two number into three and on my tests I would just write a number on top and not do the work underneath and of course I got it wrong! My 3rd grade teacher had traveled a lot so she told us stories . I got glasses in the 4th or 5th grade and we had a drawing contest that had something to do about the Governor of the state and one of my drawings won. The 6th grade was a good grade. I remember handing in blank pieces of paper when I didn't do my home work. I bet 40 years ago I could have remembered more.

Mary Kate and the kids are on their way now and should get here about 8-9'oclock.

What Happened to Tuesday?

I don't recall why I didn't blog Tuesday. It may have been because of all the e-mails I've been getting from my high school class mates. It takes a lot to time to read and reply to that many e-mails. It's been fun hearing everyone's recollections of Sheffield.

I went to exercise class and then I wanted to buy a new pair of tennis shoes because mine are dirty, plus I wanted another pair that I could switch with and not have to wear the same pair every day. I found a pair of shoes I can wear on Sunday too, so I bought two pair of shoes. The Shoe Dept. didn't open until 10:00 AM so I went to Walgreens and bought some cosmetics. I got home about 11:00 AM.

Mary Kate, Sophia and Nate are coming tomorrow and will stay 'til Sunday or Monday morning. We'll have a good time.

The Day After Yestserday

I've spent a good bit of time writing to some of my former high school friends. It's a strange feeling suddenly connecting to people who are from 1961. I went to college with a couple of friends but the University of Alabama was a large school and I didn't see my friends often, if ever. It's good to get in touch with people I shared my life with so long ago.

I saw Dr. Moore today and set the date for my next knee surgery. It'll be August 11, 2009. He was pleased at how well I healed. I am too for my friend Kathy had a very bad experience when she had her knee done, and she has to have her other knee done too.

Frank's birthday is tomorrow. I got so involved in Father's Day that I almost forgot his birthday came so soon after it. Kathy Best always remembers to send a card and we got it today. Her brain is much more active than mine. I made a chocolate cake with white icing and had a big "6" left over from some grandchild's birthday so I put it on the cake plus three small candles to equal 63. I wish I could have a piece now!

Frank thinks he's coming down with the fevers. We'll know tonight or tomorrow morning if it's so.

Good News and Sad News

I got in touch with an old classmate from high school which was the good news but learned of the death of an old friend at the same time. Nicky Hobbs and I grew up together a play mates. His birthday was January 8th and mine was (and still is!) January 9th. I played with his sisters too, but Nicky was my pal. My older brother would go with Nicky's dad to the river to hunt for arrow heads and I was always on had when Mrs. Hobbs cooked her homemade chili. My brother and I consider the Hobbs family as family. We haven't kept in touch through the years, but we did go visit one time a couple of years ago. I think Nicky died of cancer for the memorials were to be sent to the American Cancer Society. Live on Nicky, live on.

Happy Father's Day

Trudy, Sadie and Forrest came over Thursday and spent the night Thursday and Friday. Saturday before they left, she vacuumed the floors (and did a better job than I would have....). It was a very fun visit.

Dad got one of his Father's Day's gifts before I could wrap it up. It was a large magnifying glass. I bought him another gift, a flashlight on a tripod. I gave it to him tonight because I couldn't have time tomorrow before church. He liked the light. One can never have too many flash lights!

Thank You TJ for a Delicious Father's Day Dinner!

This is all that's left of a delicious Father's Day Dinner -- Trudy's gift to her Dad.
(Crock pot meatloaf, with all the trimmings.) I love you TJ!

PLEASE NOTICE: Table is clean, too (the CLEANING CREW was on the job).

Don't love me because I'm handsome...

Thanks again Trudy, Forrest & Sadie for a FUN weekend, and especially for a Father's Day gift I will never forget.

Love, Dad

Friday the 19th Again

Yesterday, Trudy and Forrest and Sadie came over to visit and spend the night. We went to H'ville and shopped and then came home. All the walking wore me out! I hadn't exercised that much is a while and the walking was good for me. They stayed up late and watched TV and slept in the next morning. I woke up at 4:00 AM and got up and ate two cookies that Trudy had made that night and then I went back to bed. I dozed until 9:00 AM. Then Trudy and I went to Walmart to buy groceries and to Lowe's to return things and to Staples to buy a gas log for the new Honda. It seems to get less gas mileage then the old Honda, but I have been driving it a lot lately.

Trudy has a meatloaf in the crock pot for supper and we have lettuce for salads. They will spend the night another night and will leave by lunch tomorrow. Frank has Forrest helping him in the basement and he had him move his TV on the wall. Trudy and I have hair cuts at 10:00 in the morning and they will leave after that.

Middle...Week Half Gone

The ultrasound didn't show any plaque in my arteries and I'll have to wait two weeks to check back with Dr. Walker about the MRI. I don't remember the MRI being so LOUD! And I even had ear phones with music playing and it was still loud! It sounded like an alien was about to capture me- what noises.

Today I drove to H'ville for my yearly check with Dr. Dang, my Oncologist. I saw his female assistant. She said my chest X-ray was good. She ask if my back hurt because the x-ray showed some deterioration in my spine. I guess it's the osteoporosis. My back doesn't hurt but I do have a fracture in one of the vertebra. Getting old is not for sissies!

Trudy and the kids are coming over tomorrow and will spend the night with us.

Monday 6-16-09

Actually, it's Tuesday, but I'm catching up on Monday. I saw Dr. Walker and told him about 2 Dr-type people asking if I had had a stroke. He checked me over and decided to send me to Valley Imaging (my choice) to get an MRI and an ultrasound. I'll leave here about 45 minutes from now. I've never had an MRI on my brain before. The ultrasound will be on my carotid arteries in my neck. I hope it's all negative. I'm taking a baby aspirin daily now. It's always something. This appointment canceled our trip to the Coon Dog Cemetery. I just worked in the house and cooked lunch. It was hamburger plus chopped tomatoes and spaghetti sauce and rotini for the noodles. It tasted pretty good. I have enough for several meals and that's good!

Family Visited

About 2:30 PM my brother Ruth, Bill and Will came for a visit. They had been in town to visit some Indian pottery at Athens State. I gave Bill Granddaddy's journals. He said he would scan them. Will is a nice young man, maybe 6-7 yrs of age. Bubba told me about the old home place. The people next door have bought the house and plan to bulldoze the house into the basement and maybe build a garage there. They are keeping the grass mowed front and back. Karen and I will drive by the place on our way to the Coon Dog Cemetery.

Church was good today. We had a youth speaker and the High Counselor took up the rest of the time.

Saturday Night #2

Had a good after breakfast nap and then Dad had to go to the P.O. to over-night a letter for the lawyer in Florida who is handling Nannie Layton's estate. Afterwards, I came home and took a shower and washed my hair so I can look beautimus for Sunday. Ruth, my sister-in-law called and said they were in the neighborhood and would come to visit after I get home from church.

Talked to Trudy. My cell phone rang and it was a young man who had found Trudy's cell phone in the Ross store parking lot! He looked in it and called "mom". I told him I would call Trudy's cell phone to see if it was hers and the phone he was holding rang! He said he would leave if at the Ross store. I called Trudy and she and George had just returned from the Temple and she said she would go right then and get the phone. Thank goodness for the nice young man how just wanted to return the phone to its rightful owner.

Richard and Mary Kate and family will be coming home tomorrow or maybe they left today sometime. They will be home Monday. I'll be glad when they get home.

Day of Errands

I had to go to Walmart to get some mats for the car, some tire stem covers, and a small purse. There have been many times when I just needed a small purse and I didn't have one so I found one for $5.00 that fit my needs. Driving the new car is a dream. Dad's been putting the ozone machine in it to clear out the chemical smell of the cleaner they used and it's working. I also went to Lowe's to get Dad two more lift belts. He's going to rig up a belt that will keep him from moving so much when he is riding in the car. I also bought him a present for Father's Day. I already got him one present, but he found it before I could wrap it up. It was a large magnifying glass. He loves it!

The car mats looked good but they smelled bad so they are going back. I'll have to pay more for some if I can find some that don't smell. The inside of the car is medium beige and will get dirty fast if we don't protect the carpet.

A Real Good Day!

I went to get Karen Decker at 1:00 PM and we drove to H'ville to Jerry Damson Honda place to pick up the car we bought the day before. Karen was kind enough to drive the old car home for me. I was nervous for the first few miles but I relaxed as I got used to the new car. We got home and visited for a short while and then I took her home in the new Honda. I think I need one more pillow to sit on. This car is bigger than the old Accord. It really drives nicely and the gears shift smoothly. It's really wonderful having a newer car. Unless there's a wreck, this will be the last car we buy.

We had Relief Society tonight and I went. Karen picked me up. There were two classes, one on coupons and one on places to go for entertainment. We'll go out next Tuesday and go to Sheffield and I'll go by the old home place and then to Tuscumbia. Then we are going to go to the Coon Dog Cemetery. It's a ways outside of Tuscumbia and I have never been. Dad talked about it but I never went to see it. Only coon dogs can be buried there. A coon dog is not a breed of dogs, but any dog that will tree a coon (raccoon). To be buried there the owner of the dog must swear his dog is a coon dog and he has to have another person swear to it too! It should be an interesting place to visit.

Car Day

I can't believe I had another title, "Car Day". Anyway, we drove into Huntsville today for Frank's Dr. appointment and afterwards bought a car! I didn't know that we were going to buy today; just thought we were going to look. We stopped by the dealer Jerry Damson, and looked at the used car and bingo, found one. It's a 2006 Honda Accord. Beige in color. No leather, but only 160,000 miles on it. It's a 4 cylinder and should get 30 mph or more on the highway. I take the money up tomorrow and get the car! Karen Decker is going up with me and drive the old car home. It should be a fun day. We will keep the old Accord as a Dr car since it has the body board in the front seat.

Tuesday, Tuesday

I went out to get my chest x-ray and take some things back to Walmart and stop at Lowe's and get two lift belts. I was back by 1:30 PM so I wasn't gone long. I walked out to the mail box a couple of times and later my legs were tired.

The steak burgers came today and as I was putting them in the big freezer, I saw this sack of blueberries. I had bought them at Walmart some time ago but had forgotten them, so I brought them up. I made a blueberry pie using the impossible cheese burger pie recipe from the Bisquick box. I sprinkled a little sugar plus Splenda on it and poured the Bisquick mixture over it. It turned out good. I have two gallon Ziplock bags of our blueberries from last summer still in the freezer so I'll have to make some more impossible pies with them.

We didn't want to watch the news tonight so we started off watching Cops and the that turned into a Repo program. We watched 1 1/2 hours of it! Are we sinking low or what!!

Tomorrow we go to H'ville to a Drs appointment and that will take up most of the day.

Gosh, It's Monday Again!

I have trouble keeping the days of the week straight. Usually, if it's Monday, I'll think about having gone to church the day before. Today in exercise class, I lost what day of the week it was and I saw a guitar case on stage (they have the Golden Age band after the exercise class) and finally figured out that it was Monday. I went to Walmart for groceries afterwards. I had a cart full and expected a bill of $260.00 but I didn't buy any meat and it was only $196.00. I'll probably have to go back to get some meat. Frank ordered some Omaha steak burgers which should be coming in soon so maybe I won't have to go back for any more meat.

I finally got up the courage to tell Mary Regar, my Stamping Up! representative that I would not be coming to any more parties. I've lost interest in making cards, plus I have boxes of cards I can use anytime I need one.

I've got to get a chest x-ray for my oncologist visit next week. I guess I can go tomorrow. Seems like I have several Dr appointments this month. When I see Dr Moore, it would be nice to set the date to get my other knee done. I have to get with Trudy to see when school starts. She wants me to wait until school starts so that she can help me with the hospital and nursing home. I'll see if I can go to the same nursing home because I was pleased with the service I got there. I'll have to take with her soon because I see Dr Moore next week. It would be so nice to get it scheduled ahead of time and have everything planned out.

Mary Kate and Richard and the kids are coming home this week-end, I think. I thought it was the 15th they were coming home and Dad had this Sat that they were coming home. I'll be glad to have them back in this country safe and sound. I know Richard has really enjoyed being with his family and Mary Kate and the kids have had a great time.

Sometime soon, Frankie has to spent some days in Atlanta for his residency for his Phd. He will bring the kids and Rachel and they will stay in a motel, and will have fun while Dad is slaving away at his studies.

Nice Sunday #2

I enjoyed church today. It was Fast and Testimony day and I always enjoy bearing my testimony. Primary went well and we got home a little after 1:00 PM. Took a small nap and watched TV, or channel surfed for about an hour. There was just nothing on that I wanted to watch.


After exercise class tomorrow, I will probably go buy groceries. I'm gradually gaining back the weight I lost at the nursing home. I haven't been eating bad food just more food.

Lifting Me Up Higher

I have this wedge that I put in my left shoe and it compensates for the right leg being longer than the left. It makes quite a difference and I don't like to go with out the wedge. I guess I won't be wearing sandals this summer because of the wedge, unless I can find some that have an enclosed heel.

Both knees were hurting today. I know when I exercise the right knee with the ankle weights, it feels better but I can't really get the left leg stronger for it hurts when I do some of the exercises on it. I see Dr Moore again next and maybe I can schedule my next operation at that time. I must have the operation before Obama screws up our health care services and I have heard he wants to convene his health plan for August.

We were out of 2% milk and I ran to the Dollar General and got a gallon of milk and a container of washing machine liquid. It's neat to have the store just a mile away from home. They sell eggs too. I need to walk through and see what all they sell.

Good Day In June

I got to bed about 12:45 AM after the Temple trip. My knees were burning inside most of the time we were there and on the way home. I kept moving my right leg around until I found a comfortable spot where the knee wouldn't hurt. I and Terry Shelby sat on the middle seats so we could hear the conversations of the driver and then the conversations of the back row. It got a bit confusing at times!


I didn't do much today but I was happy. I changed my sheets and then washed them. I won't fold them today but will put it off until tomorrow when I do the regular wash.Friday or Saturday seems to be wash day for me. I'll run the vacuum too so the floors will be clean for Sunday. Who knows (but the Shadow...), I may even clean the floors, too. It's easy too plan work for the next day for I don't have to do it now! I got my exercise in by doing my knee exercises with the weights on my ankles and walking to the mail box twice. When my legs don't feel to good, I drive out to get the mail.

Air Conditioning Day

David Boston brought a new fan motor over this morning and fixed the air conditioner. We had a fan running in the living room and the lights off and I didn't use the stove for lunch. If you didn't move, you didn't get too hot! It's 2:45 PM and it's cooling but it's still hot in the house. It's started raining outside and we're supposed to have thunder storms tonight. I hope it doesn't rain all the way to the Temple.

I got a new skirt at Walmart. It's one of those that after you wash it, you tie it in knots to let it dry. I'll wear it this afternoon. It comes down to my ankles so I won't have to wear knee highs. We'll get back about 12:00 AM tonight. It's a fun trip and I will be glad to get out and have others to talk to.

Summer Already?

The high today was 96 degrees and our air conditioner fan motor broke! David Boston, the husband of a young friend of mine, came over and looked at it. It's cooler outside now and not too hot in the house. David will try to get us a new fan motor. We've had the unit for 15 yrs.

I went to exercise class today and enjoyed it. Then went by the pharmacy and then home. I thawed two pork chops to cook for supper and made some potato salad, with eggs, this time. Some activity made me tired so I took a little nap. Got up and fixed supper. Had to use the stove and the temperature in the kitchen was 80 degrees which is a bit warm...a whole lot warm!

Dad's been busy with trying to put my TV on the wall and then taking it down when it didn't work. Next he's going to put his TV on the wall. He's looking forward to the nice HD picture it will have.

Tomorrow is Temple night and I look forward to going.

Tire Day

We paid bills today and I waited until it was time to go to Big 10 Tire to get the new tire put on the car. We thought it was the day to vote so we went out but no one was there so I guess it wasn't the day to vote! The little spare tire that was on the car made a strange noise and I was afraid it might go flat! About 3:45 PM, Dad called the tire store and the tire was there so I drove 50 mph, because of the tiny spare, but finally got there. The tire was put on and off I drove home. It was such a good feeling to hear normal tire noises coming from the road.

Dad spent a lot of time tonight trying to put my TV on the wall. Something didn't work, so it's back on it's stand on top of my dresser. It's such a nice TV.

Excitement!

I saw Dr. Sharp at 2:20 PM today. I reported that I was happy and I am. I stopped by Books A Million and got Dad a magnifying glass for Father's Day. Out side of Madison somewhere I realized that I might have a flat tire! There was no place to turn in until I got to East Limestone Rd. I got out and sure enough, the right front tire was flat. I opened the trunk but couldn't figure out how to get the jack out. I wasn't there long until a nice young man stopped and offered to help. He couldn't figure out how to get the jack out either, so he got his jack and jacked up the car. It was very hot and the car was in the sun. The tiny spare tire was flat so he had to take it up the road and put some air in it. Then he put the tire on. I gave him $20.00 and thanked him profusely. I then drove to Big 10 Tires, where we bought the tires to get the flat tire fixed. They didn't have any of those tires anymore but said he would order one and to come back about 4:00 PM. It would be the same size tire but it would be a different tire than the tires that are on the car. So long as it is safe, I don't care if it's purple!