Last Day

Today was my last day leading the exercises. Everyone wished me well. I went to Walmart afterwards and bought some groceries too be ready for when Frankie is here. I had beans cooking in the crock pot. They cooked on high for 3 odd hours and seemed done by noon. I had soaked them overnight so I can cut down on my cooking time by using the crock pot.

I baked an apple pie and have 2 gallons of Blue Bell ice cream in the freezer, plus I bought a chocolate pound cake. I've got the potatoes and eggs ready to make potato salad later and I think that will be enough food fixed. I'm tired now after being up on my feet all day. I have too change the sheets on my bed and bathe in an antibacterial soap tonight and then again tomorrow before I go to the hospital. I have to be there at 11:30 AM. Trudy and Sadie will come over after Seminary so we'll have plenty of time to get to the hospital. Frankie will just come to the hospital and be there while the operation is going on.

Frank felt better today even though it was meds day. He didn't have any fever. He's still felt a bit bad, I think. I'm going to rest now and then change the sheets and make the potato salad.

Usual Monday Things

Did the senior center. There are always more people on Mondays and it was raining, too. Janet was there. She gave me a Christmas present of a pair of reddish earrings that she had made herself. She wanted to know if she should do the exact exercises that I did and I told her, "no", that the ladies would enjoy something new and different. She will sub for me Friday. By then I will have a new hip.

At 11:00 AM, Ann and I VT Mary Lou and saw the new sister, CeCe, who is on our list. Her child had strep throat so we didn't go in. I took her a neck brace that Frank didn't use and she thanked me for it. She has some major problems with her spine.  I look forward to getting to know this sister and see how we can help her.

My hip and leg are bothering me know. It's as medium sized ache that is rather uncomfortable. I will be glad when this pain is gone. I know I'll have other pains to contend with but they will ultimately heal and go away. Just 3 more days now. I still haven't heard from the hospital about when to arrive. If I don't get anything in the mail tomorrow, I will call the hospital. The surgery is at 2 PM Thursday, but I need to know when to get there to get ready.

Frank woke up with fevers again today. It was only 101.9 degrees but it still had him mixed up. Going up on the prednesone didn't help keep the fevers away. We both had blessings Sunday and I wanted the fevers to stay away. Maybe they will be there but will be manageable.

I need to write Frankie and see when he will be coming down.

Just Another Saturday

I had wanted to go to Sear's to return some Land's End stuff, but Frank woke up with fevers and I didn't feel like I could go off and leave him. Plus, my right hip is hurting and I didn't want to do a lot of walking and be tired for Sunday. I won't be in Primary because Sis. Schwindiman is substituting for me in Primary so she will know what the Primary children are doing for Christmas. I will be going into the hospital in 4 more days and won't be able to play for the children.

I can still do the exercises at the senior center for I sit in a chair most of the time and that doesn't hurt.

I cooked a pot of beef goulash and washed two loads of clothes. Frank vacuumed and I helped out some. I really didn't feel like vacuuming but the floors surely look better after it's done.

I got a card from my friend Diane Butler today. She remembered my surgery and wrote a short note. She didn't include her return address but I had her email address and wrote her a thank you and told her to send me her address. Every now and then, I like to send a card to people.

New Toys

They had some new toys at the senior center and one was an air hockey machine. While we were exercising two people tried to play it but we all were hollering for them to wait until exercise was over. They did. I'm glad to see new things at the center. Afterwards, I went shopping at Walmart.

I bought a few things. I got some chicken breasts and broccoli and rice for a new recipe. I fixed it for lunch and I really didn't like the taste very much. I put the rest of it in the freezer for when Frankie is here. I put the rest of the pork chops in the freezer too. I plan to buy a hen to put in the crock pot the day I have to go to the hospital so there will be food in the house for Dad and Frankie. I have to let the Relief Society President know what meals we will need. I'm not good at planning ahead.

The shopping really tired me out. I rested all afternoon. My hip and knee hurt but the time for the Tylenol came and I got some relief then. The hip woke me up at 6 AM this morning.

The hospital has to send me some information on when to arrive for the operation. I have the instructions on bathing and the stuff I have to bathe with and I know not to eat or drink anything after 12:00 AM Thursday morning. The surgery is at 2 PM and I won't get anything to eat after that. I hope I won't  get hungry during that time. I look forward when there won't be any pain in my hip and knee. The hip pain radiates to the knee so when the knee hurts, it's really the hip that's complaining.

Illness

Mary Kate emailed and said Richard has pneumonia. She got Nate well and Richard came down with it. She needs to get the pneumonia vaccine quick! I really don't think it's catching but you can never be too careful.

I stayed home all day. I got up at 6:30 AM because I didn't turn my alarm off and decided to get up and fix some bacon. Frank wanted pancakes but the only baking mix I had was non gluten. The pancakes were okay. I just finished a big box of Aunt Jemima pancake mix and it was excellent. I couldn't find it when I looked for it again. I'll need to get something for pancakes. Bisquick makes heavy pancakes but it makes lots of other stuff too.

I was looking for some chicken strips I thought I had frozen but I thawed two large pork chops so I fixed them for supper. I breaded them with whole wheat flour and fried them and then put some chicken stock in with then and cooked them slowly so they would be tender. They were tender, but didn't have much taste. Frank doesn't want to eat any more pork chops so I have the equivalent of one port chop left which I guess I will eat or else throw away-no, I'll keep it for when Frankie is here

My hip has been hurting in between Tylenol doses. The pain shows up in the knee. It hurts when I lie down. Soon it will be all over.

Day At The Hospital

I went to exercise today. I wasn't in much discomfort since I stopped taking the Arthrotec. I take Tylenol instead and it takes the edge off any pain. Sitting down helps the hip. When the hip gets sore, I  feel it in my knee. I use the hot pad at night sometimes.

I left the house at 11:00 AM today and got to Crestwood at 10:55 AM. Trudy went to the cafeteria instead of coming to the Outpatient part. She phoned me when I was waiting for her and we met at the cafeteria. Sadie had gotten her Pea coat and it looked good. The joint clinic wasn't very helpful and the preregistration took a long time. I got to pee in a cup and get an electrocardiogram and answer lots of health questions, then I was through. I got home at 5:00 PM.

Nate had pneumonia and Mary Kate called and told me how he got it and what they did for him. He's feeling a lot better now and will go back to school Friday.

Frank's right ankle-tendon is swollen up. I think it's the arthritis but we might go in to see Dr. Walker and see what can be done about it, if anything.  Dr. Phillips is gone for a couple of months.

Busy Day

Friday Joyce gave me a gift card to Walmart and today Betty cave me 4 pair of white socks, some pecans and a nice note. We had a good exercise class. I went by Janet's house and gave her the plant I had gotten for her. She loved it. She said that she could sub for me most of January. I hope by then I will be rocking and rolling but I might still need some help. I really appreciate her help. The ladies at the senior center said that they could handle the times neither I or Janet would be there.

I called Trudy to confirm that she would be going with me to the joint clinic Wednesday. We will meet at Crestwood at 12:00 PM and eat lunch at the cafeteria and then attend the class. I want to find out about the rehab that everyone has been asking if I will go. I'd like to go if it's offered and the insurance will pay for it.

Ann and I went VT today. Saw Karen. She and Ken are packing, getting ready to drive 1,900 miles to Utah for a family Christmas. I hope his car will make the trip alright. He knows about the insides of the car and knows if it's trip worthy or not. We may see Mary Lou Friday at 1 PM. We stopped by the address for a sister and a young man came out and told us the sister didn't live there. We'll turn her name in to the Relief Society. Ann found another sister in town we are to visit. Maybe we can count that as a visit for the month. She will see Glenda one day when I can't go. I need to send her a Christmas card.

Attended tithe settlement Sunday and got to declare that we were full tithe payers for the year. What a blessing tithe paying is. The Lord provides for those who keep His commandments.

My hip hasn't bothered me too much today. It hurts mostly in my right knee instead of the hip. The pain must telescope down to the knee. It's 10 days before the surgery.

Game Day

I had my after breakfast nap and then got up and took my pair of bedroom slippers back to The Shoe Dept. and exchanged them for a larger pair. I went to Walmart to get some more Christmas cards and then came home.

I washed 2 loads of clothes and folded them and put them away. Watched the Alabama vs. Georgia football play offs- SEC championship game. Trudy came over for a short visit and brought me a nice stainless steel electric skillet. It was a short visit but a good one. The football game was a great one and Alabama won by 3-4 points in the last minutes of the game. They will get to play in the National Championship game against Notre Dame. It would be great to be National Champions again.

I cooked our supper in the new skillet. I didn't have all the ingredients and added this and that but Frank said it tasted good. It wasn't ready for supper so we'll have it for lunch tomorrow. It had hamburger, tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, tomato soup, which I didn't have so I put tomato sauce and some added sugar, and some pasta and a can of Rotel tomatoes. It made a skillet full so I hope we'll like it.

More Beans

Janet came to the exercise class today. She went through the exercises with us and said she enjoyed them. Joyce gave me a Christmas card with a $20.00 Walmart gift card in it. That was so sweet and unexpected.

I went to Walmart for a few things and then to Lowe's too get a lamp shade and plant. The lamp shade in my room just fell to the ground all by itself yesterday so I had to get a new one. I found a nice plant for Janet for Christmas. Then I went to The Shoe Dept. to get me a new pair of bedroom slippers. Got them home and they were too short. I had tried one one at the store but I didn't stand up in it so I didn't notice that they were too short. I can't find the receipt but I have the tag with the price on it. I'll take them back tomorrow and see if they have a 9 in the style. I can take Janet's plant to her, too. I just don't know how I'm going to feel when I stop the pain meds. The one day that I was late taking them, I had a serious pain in my right hip and if that comes back, I'll be in bad shape. I was walking through Walmart today thinking what if I couldn't go strolling along doing what I needed to do. How would it feel? Not good, I'm sure.

Temple Day

Ann and I went VT to Mary Lou's today. Had a nice visit. Got back home and fixed lunch. I had cooked the 15 Bean Soup in the crock pot on low all night and this morning I turned it up on high. By lunch time the beans were thoroughly cooked. I had put too much water in them and had to dip it out but the beans were done. Now to see if Frank likes the way the beans turned out.

I'll be ready to go to the temple by 3:00 this afternoon. Karen usually comes by soon after that. Summer-Rae is going too so it should be a good trip. She always has something to talk about where as I'm pretty quiet.

Last night my hip was bothering me and I couldn't get too sleep. I got a heating pad for the hip and turned it on high. It felt good but I fell asleep with it on high and I woke up during the night with my hip itching badly. I got up and put some alcohol on it and fell asleep again. The skin was splotchy this morning. Won't put it on high again.

It's 2 weeks before my surgery and my hip is hurting more. I'm afraid it will hurt a lot after I stop taking the Arthrotec. I still have exercises to lead and hope I'll be able to do it.

I'll get to bed at 12:00 AM tonight but it usually isn't any problem to get up at 7 AM. I might need a nap tomorrow afternoon.

Good Day

Frank had fevers this morning but he wasn't so bad that I couldn't go out. I had to lead the exercises at the senior center and we had a good morning. I got to talk to the ladies and that is always good. Janet is coming Friday to sit in and see what we do. She is thinking of doing some of the classes for me when I'm recovering from my operation. I hope she will fill in the entire time I'm gone. She will have fun with the ladies. Wish I could be there. Who knows, we might incorporate some of the things she does in our routine.

I had a workout with Janet today. I didn't make an appointment for next week because I won't be taking any Arthrotec and might be in pain. I just don't know. I'll contact her one way or the other.

I stopped by the bank and got change for a large bill and wanted to go by Dollar Tree and Goody's but since Frank was in bad shape, I came on home.

Will go VT again tomorrow to see Mary Lou. We'll go at 10:30 AM. I have a temple trip that afternoon.

VT

Went VT today. Saw Karen and found the house of a new sister we have but she wasn't home. We left her a note and an orange and grapefruit that Ann had brought back from Florida.

Moved my room around so I can get into bed on my left side. With my right hip being operated on I couldn't get into bed on that side. Next week I'll have to stop taking the Arthrotec for 10 days before the operation. I'll really get to see what pains me then. I expect my back will hurt and I know my hip will hurt, too. I'm not looking forward to that.

Don't know if I should decorate for Christmas or not. I'll have a week before and two weeks after Christmas to enjoy the decorations, mainly the tree, before they have to be taken down. Will I feel like taking them down? I guess Frank could do it. The tree is a very small one with lights on it. In fact, I leave all the decorations on the tree and just unplug it and put in storage so when I get it out it will be all decorated. My Dad used to do that and I got it from him.

Usual Monday

I had a good exercise class and came home right afterwards. Did my pills and then exercised some downstairs. I was all ready to ride my bike but the resistance wouldn't work. Later, Frank checked it and the batteries were dead. I've had the bike since '09. We replaced the batteries and it worked fine. I didn't exercise on it then. Will have to do it another day. Tomorrow, Ann and I will go VT to see Karen and try to find a new sister who has been put on our route. Wednesday, I see Janet and Thursday Ann is trying to see if we can see Mary Lou Thursday morning. We're going to the temple Thursday afternoon.

Day After

The day after family left has been one of rest. I did go to town to mail a box to Frankie of the things that were left behind and I stopped in at Goody's to take back a coat I had ordered online that was too small, but then I came home. We watched the Auburn-Alabama football game and Alabama  won big time. Will spend the rest of the day getting ready for Sunday.

Shopping Day

We slept in and didn't rush out to shop. I fried a pound of bacon and made regular and non gluten pancakes for everyone. We left the house around 10:00 AM. We stopped at Kohl's first as it was on the way to H'ville. Nate got a jacket and I found a dark red cross over purse that was originally $29.00 but with my $10.00 free Kohl's card and a 25% off card, I only payed about $ 15.00 for a leather purse. I like it but will have to get used to where everything is in it.

We met Sadie and Trudy at Game Stop and Sadie came with us shopping. She bought a set of earphones at Game Stop and then didn't have the money for her shoes she wanted at Dick's. We went to Hancock's fabric for Mary Kate to get some burlap and then Best Buy where Richard bought something for his new camera. We went to Burlington Coat Factory where Sadie looked for a pea coat but she either didn't like the styles or they didn't have her size. They are wool and black and will show every little hair and speck. I'll tell her about that. With two dogs at home, her coat would pick up all the hair of the dogs. We come on home after that. Everyone was hungry and maybe a bit tired.

After lunch, Mary Kate started packing up and getting ready to go home to Trudy's. They are staying 2 nights at their house. Luke left his jacket, and I found a pair of sun glasses that belong to Frankie and I included a small purse for Mariam in the box I packed up to send to Knoxville.

It was a very nice visit for everyone. A true Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day

Frankie and family came for lunch today. Mary Kate and family were already here. The kids played outside and had fun and Mary Kate and I made food to take to Trudy's. We all went to Trudy's at 6 PM and had a great time together as a family. Frankie and family left to go back to their motel when we left. They will travel home tomorrow morning and we will go shopping on Black Friday. The Walmart shopping was full of cars when we drove by tonight. There will be crowds tomorrow when we go out. I'll really too tired to remember much of the day.

Busy Day

Got up at 7 AM and cooked potatoes in the microwave and cooked eggs there too. Made two pans of brownies, one non-gluten and one regular. Made potato salad and went to Janet's at 11:00 AM. I had to do some last minute shopping at Walmart (third time this week), stopped by the pharmacy and then came home.

Frankie called and said they would be in town early and wondered if they should come here for lunch. I didn't have the food to feed them, so I told them to go on to their motel and the kids could swim and they could relax.

Mary Kate just called, 7:30 PM, Central time, and said that they were coming into H'ville and would stop by and get Sadie and then be on over here. Sadie was at the motel with Frankie's kids swimming. The motel has an indoor pool.

Mary Kate didn't bring anything for the children to sleep on and Richard said he would sleep on the floor, but Sadie can sleep with Mary Kate and Richard can sleep on the couch.

After I realized how many people would be here tomorrow, I had to make another pan of brownies tonight. I have clothes in the dryer too.

Relief Society

A lady from CASA came to the Relief Society meeting tonight and told us about the organization and what it's needs were. It was very enlightening. It works entirely on volunteers, and serves the needs of the aged and home bound in Limestone Co.

We tried to get the gas heater lit today but failed and called the gas company. Someone will be out tomorrow to look at it. We may have a part to replace. We've had the stove 22 years. Got it in 1990. It's given us good service.

Frankie called this afternoon and told us of a place, motel, where they would like to stay. It's a suite hotel with an indoor pool and sleeps 6. It $87.00 and night and we are going to pay for an extra night for them. I told them to stay at the suite hotel. They will have more fun there. The plans are that they will come here Thursday for lunch and we will visit until it's time to go over to Trudy's for the Thanksgiving feast. Mary Kate and family will arrive here Wednesday evening and will stay Wed. night and Thurs. night here and spend Friday night with Trudy and family. We will be going shopping Black Friday. I always look forward to shopping on Black Friday and going to Penny's and getting a new purse. I want another cross body purse.

Walmart

After exercise, I went to Walmart to buy the Thanksgiving supplies. I saw Reba there. She hasn't come to exercise for a long time. Seems like she's been sick. She had heard of my surgery so I guess the grape vine is doing well and good. She said she would be back when she could. Janet said she could take over for me some of the time. I see her Wed. at 11 AM and I will ask her then how long she can do it. I told the ladies that they would really like Janet and would have a fun time with her. They were glad to know they would still be able to have the exercise class.

I went into town again to get my bras from Lou's. I only got two instead of three. I'll have to call her tomorrow about it. Each bra cost $41.00. Medicare pays for it. I wonder how much longer we'll have Medicare.

I got some non gluten brownies to make when Mary Kate and Mariam are here for Thanksgiving. I think it's Mariam that's allergic to gluten. I also got some almond milk. Walmart will be open Thanksgiving so if we need something, we can always go there. I got a sliced ham for lunch Wednesday when Frankie's family is here. I got lots of bread for the sandwiches. I know I won't have something someone will want. I got a lettuce for the sandwiches and I already have some dill pickles and mustard. Got two kind of cheeses, too. Got kool-aid for drinks and will have the brownies for desert. I'll make some regular brownies for the gluten people. Then we will go over to Trudy's for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. Frankie and family will leave Friday morning, and we will go Black Friday shopping.

Phone Call

Rachel called about 9 AM and said the she and Frankie and family were coming to Thanksgiving. I didn't know what to tell her because we aren't having Thanksgiving here. She said she would call Mary Kate and talk to her. I really don't know what's happening right now. At first, Rachel said they would stay in a motel and Dad and I could pay for them to stay another day. They would come Wednesday sometime and go back Friday morning. Now, Mary Kate emails me and says that Trudy was feeling left out somehow and emailed Frankie and told them they could stay at her house. We were going to have Thanksgiving Saturday but now it might be Thursday...I don't really now at this point.

I washed three loads of clothes and practiced the piano and vacuumed the floor, mopped in front of the bird cages and put the leaf in the kitchen table. The oval tablecloth I was saving for when I used the leaf was too big so I threw it away. Made in China. Frank mopped his bathroom floor and we vacuumed in his room.

I've had a lot of time extra after doing all my chores. I hate having time on my hands and nothing to do.

No Class

They were having something at the Event Center today and we didn't have exercise at the senior center.  I went over to Wanda's house after lunch to visit her. She is in a large back brace to help stabilize her back after she broke it. One of their grandchildren was there. After I left, I stopped by Goody's and spent some money. I got 2 pull overs and some earrings. I need another box to hold my new jewelry. I've culled some earrings out to give away and I need to cull more. I got a box of 6 small earrings that will be good to wear daily when I'm not going out. I hate to not wear earrings since I have holes in my ears!

I drove Frank's car today. It's never used anymore and it needs driving. I discovered that the air conditioning does work. After the battery went dead, I couldn't get the air to cool, so I figured it was broken. But the air button wasn't pushed in. The radio works too. Seems like it was all static after the battery went dead and we replaced it.

Thursday

Sophrona called at 9 AM to say that they had sickness at their house and didn't want to bring it here so Carrielee wouldn't be coming for her piano lesson. I just went back to bed until 10:00. I got up and got dressed for the funeral that was at the church. Susan Harris' mother had died and the funeral was today. I couldn't stay for the funeral for I had a 2:30 PM appointment, but I wanted to pay my respects to the family.

I had a good work out with Janet and she said she would substitute some at the senior center for me. I was happy to hear that. She will be a good substitute for me and the things we normally do.

Summer-Rae said she would sub for me in Primary, so that's taken care of. My right hip is hurting more and the pain meds aren't covering it up like they did. It's really time for me to get a hip replacement. Janet was saying that I would be a good patient because I was in good physical health. I plan to be a good patient. Pain makes a difference and if I can get through the pain, I'll have an advantage over the situation. I need to borrow a straight chair with arms to sit in when I get home. Maybe Karen has one I can borrow. Frank said we could buy one, but what would we do with it after I didn't need it? The house is too full of things now as it is.

Frank had fevers again this morning so he's going up on his meds. The fevers leave him very weak and a bit disoriented. It's getting where it's hard for him to walk now. He just lays in bed all day and his leg muscles are very weak. I hope he can get some exercise somehow.

Wednesday Things

I used the new music at the senior center today. "What Cats Like When You're Gone". It is mainly modern piano music with some bird sounds, etc. in it. I liked it and the exercises went along nicely with it. We won't be having exercise Friday. Everyone's invited to the Event Center for something.
Regina asked me what the exercises needed and I told her stretchy bands and some 2-3 lb weights. I'll have to ask Janet about how to use the weights but they will be a good addition to our equipment.

After exercises, I came home and got the grocery list and went back into town and went to Walmart. I bought some Pj's. They're fleece and they are very light and hopefully it'll get cold enough to wear them. I have to take up the length of the pants and the sleeves of the shirt. I bought three powdered milks for we are getting low on our supply of milk. They are about $17.68 a 20 qt. box.

I fixed the succotash recipe this afternoon. It called for two slices of bacon to be cut up and cooked crispy. The bag of corn and the bag of butter beans, the 3/4 c. of half and half and bacon made a large dish of succotash. It was good. I guess I'll cook some broccoli and cauliflower to take along with the succotash for Thanksgiving. We've having the feast on Saturday instead of Turkey day.

I have been wanting a new pair of bedroom slippers and bought a pair at Walmart but would like something more substantial. I ordered a pair online from Kohl's and they came in today. They are the adjustable kind with Velcro on the tops but the inside of the overlap on one of the slippers dug into my toes, so they will go back. I'll just have to keep looking. I got my last slippers at The Shoe Dept.

Day In Hazel Green

I spent the day with Trudy and Sadie. We drove to the bank and store to get food for lunch. I had brought her a lot of genealogy. She knows how to use the church internet to find out who has had their work done. I got to love on Carheartt. Benny and another dog had to stay outside so Carheartt got all the loving. We had a nice visit and I got home about 3:00 PM. Trudy said she wanted to be with me when I went to my joint class at Crestwood Hospital, Dec. 5th. It will be good to have someone with me.

Tonight, I went to the Pink Ribbon Cancer support group at the hospital ed room. There is a new lady who is going to run the meetings and I think she will make a big difference in how the meetings go and I hope she will be able to bring the ladies back who don't come now. Her name is Tammy and she is just finishing up with her cancer treatments. In December of 2012, it will be 10 years since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So far so good in it not coming back.

What A Day

This morning I ate some prepared oatmeal and then went back to bed because it was a holiday and the senior center wasn't open. I realized that Frank hadn't eaten breakfast with me and went in to find that he had a fever. I gave his some Tylenol and went back to bed. He acted okay but then I heard a crash and he called out to me. He had fallen and was lying on the floor of his bedroom. I couldn't get him up so I called our Home Teacher, Bob, and asked him to come over and help me, but Frank was able to get up by himself and get to the bathroom. I called Bob and told him not to come. I then realized that Frank hadn't taken his AM meds so I had to give them to him. He wasn't out of his mind so he took them and slept until 1 o'clock when the TV man came to see about the TV. Frank had to get up to talk to him and later stayed on his living room bed. He had a rough day. Tomorrow should be better, I hope, because I'm going to Trudy's to take her some genealogy she's been wanting. I hope he's better because I really want to get out tomorrow.

I cooked a pot of beef goulash and baked a turkey roast. We were out of cooked food. I microwaved the frozen ground beef and went from there. The turkey roast cooked for 2 1/2 hours. It was a nice meal. We had potatoes and cauliflower and had the roast gravy on the potatoes.

Yesterday, I read a couple of hours in the Calling All Cooks recipe book looking for something I could take to Trudy's for Thanksgiving. A lot of recipes called for cream soups and Mary Kate can't eat anything creamed like that. The recipes took a lot to time to prepare and cook. That was a cookbook that was made when women stayed home and cooked for their families-mostly from scratch, no prepared foods. I plan to make a succotash dish that has half and half in it, but I'll make a plain dish too so Mary Kate can have some.

Craft Fairs

Ruth and I met at the Train Depot in H'ville and went to the craft fair at the Round House (where the trains were turned around). It was full of people. I got a pretty multicolored glass bead necklace and some copper earrings, and a walking stick that had hand painted flowers on it. It only cost $12.00 and is very pretty. I figure I'll be needing a walking stick after my hip replacement. It'll be after I've healed up quite a bit for it doesn't give lots of support.

We had lunch at Rosie's Canteen and it very good. Then we went to Lowe Mills. It is an old Mill that has been turned into an artist's place. I bought a pair of earrings that were made out of rolled paper, sculpted and with a small bead on the end. They are unique. Ruth bought some things there, too. It was a fun day and I got home at 4 PM.

Frank had a bad day but he would have had a bad day even if I had been home.

Alabama lost to Texas A&M today. They were coming back in the last few minutes, but a pass was intercepted and that ended any chance of us winning.

I had my washing to do after supper and have a dryer full and the washer going now. I'll be doing laundry until bedtime.

Whew

I went to H'ville for my prolia shot and then went to Sam's to shop. I was tired when I went to Sam's and after I got home and unloaded the groceries, I was really tired. I got 3-4 cases of corn, green beans and peas. Got some toilet paper and Bounty paper towels.

An old friend, Nick Hobbs, Sr., 98, died today. My childhood friend Nickey Hobbs had already passed away and this was his father. My brother and I were friends of the Hobbs family.

Tomorrow, I'm going to meet Ruth and we're going to craft fairs. It will be a fun day. I'm going to quit now. I'm tired.

Thursday Things

Carrielee came for her piano lesson. They haven't gotten the piano at their new house yet, but we played over some old pieces and learned about flats and sharps and worked in the theory book. She then learned the 1chord in C major and the 5-7 chord in C. I told her that was the most important thing she learned today. She brought me three chocolate chip whole wheat cookies that she had made and they were delicious! Her mother brought me a small Bell pepper and the birds enjoyed eating the seeds.

I had a workout with Janet this afternoon and then I went to Burke's Outlet and bought a griddle for Trudy. Her's wore out and Burke's  advertized a large griddle for $9.99. I was afraid they might be sold out but they had several left. I bought one for Trudy. I'm going over to her house next Tuesday to do genealogy with her and I can take it to her then. I sent her some money for the Court of Honor and for Thanksgiving. We'll all bring things to eat, too.

Same Old Same Old

Obama was re-elected president. Our country is surely on the way out now.

During exercise, the CD messed up. I had another of the University of Mississippi choral singers but that's not a good one to exercise to. I came home and combed through the rest of my CD's and came up with three. One is a New Age CD. The music is mostly from synthesizers and it has no definite rhythm to it. The other two CD's are classical music. One a Bach cello solos and the other Mozart favorites. I don't know how the ladies will like it but I will see. Maybe I can look at a CD store.

Frank had an appointment to see Dr Walker today at 3:30 PM. We waited an hour to see him. They were busy today. Everything is okay with Frank, except for the usual aches and pains.

Thursday, tomorrow, Carrielee will come for her piano lesson and I will exercise with Janet. I have been exercising at home so maybe Janet's work out won't be too hard. Friday, I go to H'ville to get my Prolia shot, then Saturday, I'll drive back to H'ville to meet Ruth at The Train Depot to have lunch and go to two craft fairs. I look forward to the craft fairs, and the lunch and seeing Ruth, too.

Vote

I had to take the car in to get the trunk fixed. The man came out and I opened the trunk and her bent the trunk on both sides with his hands and bingo, it was fixed. No cost. I then drove to the place where I vote and cast by ballot for Mitt Romney. We haven't watched the election results for it's just too nerve wracking.

I found some genealogy material when I was looking for another thing and found the information the Trudy was looking for on Aunt Mary Peg, who passed away several years ago. I called her and we talked for an hour. We'll get together next Tuesday and I'll bring some genealogy material to her and we can sift through the information.

My hip is getting sore and I'm glad I'll be getting it replaced in December. I hate that I might miss Forrest's Court of Honor, but I'll try to get there if there is any way possible to go.

Usual Monday Things

I told the ladies at the senior center about my surgery. I may be out 6 weeks. I can go back for sure when I can drive again.

I came home and worked out downstairs. We're not having scripture study until the 1st of the year so I had lots of time on my hands today.

This Saturday, Ruth and I are going to meet at the Train Depot at 11:00 AM. They are having a craft fair at the Train Depot and then we'll go to Low Mills to see their fair. We'll eat lunch sometime between the two craft fairs.

I'm really enjoying wearing my new blue jeans. I think I was born in blue jeans. I wore my new jacket this morning. It's fleece and light weight and is supposed to be warm. It's a pretty purple color.

I took my car to Bradford's body shop today and they said the springs on the trunk were bad and to bring it back tomorrow for a half of day and they could fix it. Karen said she could follow me in to droop off the car. I ruined the springs when I tried to force the trunk down on a bale of straw that I was carrying home to put on the well top. I didn't know I was strong enough to bend the trunk of my car!

Saturday Is A Special Day

...it's the day we get ready for Sunday...

I left the house this morning near 9:30 to go to the Fitness Park to participate in the 1st annual Sherri Adams Pink Ribbon Run/Walk. The runners were finishing the race and around 10:00 the cancer survivors walked around the fitness park. There were a lot of people there and they cheered the survivors as we walked around the park. Afterwards, I went by the Salvation Army to leave some clothes and a magazine stand. I went to Walmart for a tarp to put in my trunk. While I was getting a bale of straw into my trunk, I slammed the trunk down too hard and now it leaks. I'll take it to the Honda place in H'ville and get it fixed next week.

I'm trying to get used to the fact that I'm having my hip replaced December 13th. I'm reading the material the Dr's office gave me. I'm most worried about the hip popping out. I've got to be able to sit in a car. I want to go to Forrest's Court of Honor December 21st but that's only 8 days after the operation and I may not be able to do it.

I had several friends comment on Facebook and give me encouragement. That was nice. I just wrote, "Bad news. I have to have my right hip replaced December 13". I don't usually write anything but I needed to write that.

I got two new pair of jeans I ordered from Kohl's. I went by my measurements  and the size fit. They look and feel good. They are Lee jeans and cost $37.00 a pair. It surely is nice to buy things online and not have the hassle of going to the stores and trying on everything. Don't get me wrong-I still love to shop, but it's nice to get the right size online. I even know what shoe size to order and get the right fit.

My Dr Appointment

Saw Dr. Alexander today and got x-rays of my hip and back. They came with bad news. I have some degeneration in my lower back which doesn't hurt much, but my right hip is bone on bone. Arthrotec must be a powerful drug, for it masked the hip pain I should have been having all along the time my hip was wearing away. I scheduled a hip replacement for Dec. 13, 1012 at 2 PM at Crestwood Hospital. I won't be able to drive for 6 weeks and that will kill me-ha. I can still take the Arthrotec until 10 days prior to the surgery. I was going to feed Karen's cats while she was away in Dec., but I won't be able to do it now. I won't be able to play the Christmas music for the choir. I hope I'll be able to go see Forrest's Court of Honor, December 21st.

I registered for a cancer walk/run tomorrow at 10 AM. I stopped by and got a packet today. I had stopped taking Arthrotec for my Dr. visit but took it when I got home. I don't think my hip will keep me from walking.

I'll have to stop leading the exercise class Dec. 12th. I don't know when I will be able to return.

Travel

Today I took the birds to Hartselle to see Doc Jan. I got there 10 minutes early and had to wait and then was put in a room and had to wait 65 minutes. Doc Jan takes as long as she needs with each patient and she even made a phone call while we were waiting! The bird all got trims. It cost $149.-- It costs more when you have more than one pet. She's worth every cent. I also got some more medicine to put in Rikki's water. Her tumor is slow growing and Rikki seems to be in good spirits and feeling fine. It will take her life, eventually. Gert was 24 years old in 1987 or 1997 so he's well into his 30's. He and Rosko has a wheeze so we need to mist them once a day. I'm to blame for not spraying Gert for I have to do it in his cage and it makes such a mess. Just a light misting each day won't be so bad, so I can do that.

I haven't decided whether to stop taking Arthrotec before I see Dr. Alexander tomorrow. If I do, I'll probably hurt a lot and it would be good for him to see me in pain. I want to see what the x-rays show. It's probably arthritis in the right hip. The Arthrotec has been hiding the hip pain, and a lot of age related pain-haha.

After I got the birds back home and had lunch, I went back out and had the car washed. It was a mess and I don't like driving a really messy car. The price went up from $5.00 to $6.00 for a basic wash.

Farming Days

My farming days are over as of today. Ken will be back home tomorrow and will get to feed his animals himself.

I took Frank into town today. We had to go by the courthouse annex too quality for the homestead exemption and he wanted to vote absentee. There were a lot of people with the same idea and we had to wait in line until it was his turn to vote. I'll be voting by myself November 6th. Next year we won't wait until the last day to absentee vote and it will be better. We didn't know anything about it until we read about it in the paper.

I take the birds to the vet tomorrow and Friday, I'll see Dr. Alexander about my right hip.

I received a package I ordered from Land's End and it was a red coat but it was a size too small. It would have been an excellent addition to my wardrobe if it fit. Maybe I'll keep it to see if Mary Kate can wear it. If not, I can return it to Sear's.

Last Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be the last day that I help feed the animals. Ken is coming home Thursday and will take care of them himself. I got the last bowl out of the dog food bag today. It looked like it was just opened when I started helping with the animals. Karen had to lift 50 lb sacks of feed and put them into the steel garbage cans when they would run out. The weather wasn't much colder today than yesterday but the wind was blowing and make if feel like it was colder.

I ordered two pair of blue jeans from Khol's today. I don't have any jeans from last year and I need some jeans. I don't need any more pants now. Hopefully they will fit. They are Lee jeans.

I ordered a cross body purse from Goody's that was 50% off. It should be larger than the black cross body purse I'm carrying now. It's nice not to have to carry a purse and have one of your hands occupied when you're shopping.

I didn't go to the political meeting tonight. I was tired from shopping and decided I knew who I was going to vote for. I would have gone if I had had someone to go with me.

Sis. Harris fell down the stairs and broke her ankle and one of the bones in her lower leg. It was a compound fracture. She'll be in a cast for 3 months and can't put any weight on her leg for that long. I sent her a get well card and she sent a sweet note back to me.

Monday Things

Went to the senior center and over to feed the animals. Ken is coming home Thursday and he will be feeding them then. I bet he will be glad to get back to feeding and taking care of his "buddies".

The leaves are falling and are filling up the ditch out beside the road. After they all fall off, we will have to have Steve rake them up and get them out of the pipe so it won't be clogged up. The burn pile needs to be taken care of, but I don't think it will. We really have to because the fire will be too big if we let it get larger. It has a large tree stump in it now and that will take a long time to burn. I guess we will have to get Bobby to burn the pile for us. I will get them two steaks for helping us do it.

Tomorrow night at Athens State is  a political discussion about the up coming election and I think I will go. I'll have to go by myself because Karen doesn't care for political things. I don't either, but I want to be informed at election time because there are local people on the ballet and at least three amendments and I want to know how to vote on them.

Thursday, I have to take the birds in for a trim and Friday I go see Dr. Alexander about my right hip. It's a busy week.

I don't think I will see Janet this week until after I see the Dr. I really need to start exercising at home again. It's fun after I get started. Going to Curves was helping keep my muscles in shape and I don't do that anymore. I'll get started again after I see the Dr. 

Two Days

Saturday, we cleaned house and I fed the animals, or I helped feed the animals.

Sunday, the choir sang, "Sweet Hour of Prayer". Sophrona played the flute and I played the piano for the choir. The song's accompaniment had large stretches for the left hand and I missed some of the notes. I don't think it was noticeable sing the choir was singing and the flute was playing. I just have to give up the thought of playing without any mistakes. I can play the pieces at home without any mistakes but that's not the case when I perform. I do have more self-confidence and don't get so nervous when I have to play.

We had a bit of cold weather these past two days. It was 46 degrees when I got up Saturday and it was cool this morning. Surely, warmer weather will still be with us. It usually doesn't get really cold until after Christmas.

Travel

Trudy, Sadie and I went to Sheffield and Tuscumbia and Florence today and I narrated as we went along.
 I got your nice gift today! I love the bag. It is too small to be my Sunday music bag...not really, if I don't try to put the pillow in it. I love it. It looks so good. I can use it when I go to Trudy's to spend the night for black Friday. Thank you so much. You can't get it back now. You'll have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands-hahahaha!  It must have cost a lot because it looks so good.

Trudy, Sadie and I went to Sheffield today. We stopped at Hardies in Rogersville and ate lunch. We had some soft taco wraps. I don't really like to eat something that when I take a bite out of one end, food falls out of the other...but I ate it anyway. It cost me $17.00 plus. I wasn't expecting that much from a burger joint.

We drove over Wheeler dam and on to Sheffield that way. We drove through downtown Sheffield and it is almost a ghost town. We went up to the stand pipe-water tank- and looked at the Tennessee river. I told Sadie that my brother and I would look for arrowheads along the banks of the river when we were younger. We stopped by Granddaddy's old house and Trudy took some pictures of it. It's a wonder that it is still standing. She had Grampie's camera. I had my camera too, but I only took one picture.

We drove over to Tuscumbia and I showed them Deshler High School where Granddaddy went to high school and the house he was born in. Then we drove by the court house and on to the old soda shop that's been renewed. Have we been there? I can't think of the name right now. The bathroom walls are papered in old pink receipts. I got a Pepsi with two scoops of Blue Bell ice cream in it with whip cream and a cherry on top. Trudy and Sadie got waffle cones and ice cream.

Then we drove down into Spring Park. Everything was closed but you could see the merry-go-round and the other rides. We went to the cemetery next. I was amazed at how much I have forgotten about the family that's out there. I guess you loose what you don't loose and I'm not into genealogy anymore.

Next, we drove over the old bridge over the Tenn. river and into Florence. We went to UNA and I showed them the old building where the music dept. was when I went there. Sadie recognized that it was the place where they had youth conference last year. She remembered the lions (real beasts) they have in a cage somewhere on campus. After UNA, we drove on home. Sadie had a trunk-or-treat party to go to tonight. She and Maurine made a round, circular skirt out of red satin-like fabric and had a net slip that hung down from the hem. I told Sadie how in the old days, I would wear a net slip that was supposed to poof your skirt out and that it was like sitting on barbed wire or sand paper.

I've worn myself out writing all of this and reliving the memories. Thanks again for the lovely bag. I will have to re-cover my piano bench pillow in a nice wine color like the color of the scarf you had tied onto the handle and I will have a nice ensemble.

Love,

Grannymom

From an email I sent to Mary Kate telling her about our trip and thanking her for a gift.

Travel

I led the exercises and then came back home and we left at 10:00 AM to go to H'ville for a Dr. appointment. On the way home, we stopped at the Wendy's drive through and got two bowls of chili and some spoons. Last time I ate at Wendy's, they had soup spoons for the chili. Frank broke his favorite plastic soup spoon and we thought we would be able to replace it at Wendy's but no. The chili was excellent and we will be eating there more after trips to the Dr.

I practiced the piano. Sophrona and Carrielee are coming over tomorrow morning. Sophrona is learning the flute part on a song we are singing in choir Sunday morning and she wants to practice with the piano. Then Carrielee will have her piano lesson, and I will go over to feed the animals. We're going to the temple tomorrow afternoon.

Friday, Trudy, Sadie and I are going on a field trip to Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Florence and I will show Sadie where I lived and grew up. It will be a fun day and hopefully it won't turn colder.

Bro. Decker sent me a basket made be the natives from where he is staying. It's made of Palm leaves and other grasses and has little shells lining the edges of the basket. Karen had put some chocolate chip cookies in it. It was because I'm helping feed the animals. The animals will really be spoiled by the time he gets back.

O.K. Today

My hip was okay today. I still can feel a bit of pain in it but not like yesterday. It's strange for I have missed my PM meds several times before and never had any pain. Maybe my hip has just gotten worse. I'll see Dr. Alexander in two weeks and get x-rays. I thought of not taking my pain meds before I see the Dr. but I'm afraid that the pain might be too bad for me to drive over to Madison, so I don't think I'll skip the medicine.

Slept in and then went to feed the animals. Karen was out with the chickens. She decided to fix some stones that were next to the chicken coop that the birds pooped on and she had to clean up.
She removed the stones so the chickens will poop on the ground. All was well with the other animals. She was to get some hay delivered today sometime. Ken sent me a beautiful hand woven basket and Karen had filled it with chocolate chip cookies. I ate three on the way home.

What's This?

Did the exercises today and learned that two of the ladies that used to come to the class had died. Erma and Virginia. We didn't know that Virginia was that sick.

While I was home getting ready to go feed the animals, I noticed that my right hip was sending pains down to my knee. I was able to do the work at Karen's but it was getting worse. When I got home, I saw that I had not taken my AM meds so took them then at 12:00 PM. The pain got so bad that I had to uses a cane to walk with. I called Dr. Alexander's office and got an appointment in two weeks. I lay down for an hour and when I got up, I could walk okay. My hip is still a bit sore but I don't have the pain I had. I think the pain medicine that's always in my system ran out and then I felt what I would feel if I weren't taking the medicine. It's time I found out what is going on with my hip.

Work Day

Got up again at 10:00 AM and went to feed the animals at 10:45 AM. Got home at 12:00 PM and fixed lunch. Afterwards, I cooked a pot of goulash. Frank vacuumed and I damp mopped the floors. There was a lot of dust on everything. Frank does a better job of vacuuming than I do. He's more thorough. Watched some football this afternoon. BYU vs. Notre Dame. BYU lost. Alabama is playing Tennessee now. Think I will read instead of watching the game.

Mary Kate has a 31 or 61 party tonight. She emailed me the catalog but they'd have to see it in person to decide if it were large enough for everything to fit. The one I'm using now is rather garish-it has purple and white stripes on it. I'd like something in black.

They're having a indexing party at the church tonight where people who are indexers are bringing their laptops and are working on indexing.   Since I didn't like indexing and am not doing it, I wasn't interested in going. I hope everyone has lots of fun.

Our Primary Program is coming up soon. Hopefully, Bro. Newell is aware of it and will start practicing the songs again. The kids know the songs but we still need to run through them. We'll have one practice in the chapel before the program.       





 

Not Much Today

I had exercise and a piano lesson and feeding the animals but after lunch, I've not done much. I need to go down and practice the piano but I don't want to. Maybe because it's cool in the basement, who knows...(the Shadow knows...).


I have a lot of non-gluten flour and cook books that I'm going to try to sell to Mary Kate. We're back to eating wheat and it doesn't bother us. It was fun while it lasted.

Open House

The open house was very nice. The Primary Choir sang enthusiastically and the choir sang well. Dr. Holzapfel gave a good talk and the church was decorated very nicely. I left after the meeting was over. I brought some refreshments home to Frank. Tomorrow I have exercises, then Carrielee comes for her lesson and then I go to help feed the animals and by 12:00 PM, I'll be through, whew!

I wrote Amazon about 4 books I had ordered and hadn't gotten and they wrote back that they sent me a John Grishom book and another one of his books hadn't come out yet. The other two books they couldn't find on my account. So I found out what happened to the ones that I hadn't gotten. I won't have time to read tonight.

Usual

Did the usual Wednesday things. Exercise class and feeding the animals. Practiced the piano. Tomorrow night is the open house. It starts at 6:30 PM and goes to 8:30 PM. I have to play the piano for the Primary choir and the adult choir. They are singing one song apiece.  We're still enjoying cool Fall weather but I heard that a cold front is coming and we will probably get some rain with it. The trees turn pretty colors and then the wind and rain come and strip the leaves from the trees.

I was letting a Privet plant grow into a tree in the front yard, but realized that if it got as big as the one in the lower orchard that it would grow too large and might block the road, so I'm having Mr. Sims cut it down. He trimmed it last time and it looks better but it will still grow to a large size and I think it's better that it be cut down.

Complete

Frank got my computer all fixed and now everything works.

I went to Karen's to help feed the animals. The goats and ducks had gotten out sometime and she woke up to the animals wandering around the property. She had to coral everyone and get them back inside the fence. The young chickens are growing fast. They are of various colors and there is one black chicken. She got a duck egg today. Bro. Decker sent me an email and said she really appreciated my help. I love doing it. I like to interact with the animals. We get the work done in an hour and then I come home.

Tonight is homemaking meeting at church. Everyone is bringing a book to share and I am bringing several Walmart bags full of books. I have a good selection of church books and National Geographic books. I read on my Kindle now so I don't need any books. I used to love books, but since I can't read them anymore, I don't need to keep them.

I've practiced the piano a couple of times today. The open house is two days away and the choir is singing one song and the Primary is singing one song. Hopefully enough children will show up to have a choir.

My friend Wanda fell and broke her back. She called the other day and told me about it. I called her today but she was asleep. She has to wear a back brace and take pills for the pain. Sometime this week I will try to go and see her.

At Last

My last entry was after the Fiddler's Convention and then the hard drive on my computer died. I had to take the computer to the Apple store in H'ville and they told me the hard drive was bad. It's 5 years old and time for a new hard drive. Frank ordered one online and got it the next day and he installed it and spent the next 2 days formatting the new hard drive. It's working now and I hope it will continue to work right.

When I was over at Karen's helping feed the animals, she found a dead goat. The goat had tried to eat some hay that was high up and somehow hung herself. She had a baby that refused to leave the body of the mother. The baby is old enough to be without the mother. I wanted to stay with Karen until the man came too bury the goat, but I had to get back home to help Frank and couldn't stay. I really enjoy helping feed the various animals. Ken will still be gone about 3 weeks. They haven't launched the rocket yet and it will be a while after that that he will be able to come home.

Talked to Mary Kate tonight. They had been in Atlanta today with Sophia trying out for a state choir. There were only 55 slots and kids from all over Georgia were trying out. It was good for her to try out whether she gets it or not. I'm proud of her. Trudy and Sadie are coming over Tuesday morning after Seminary to look at some books I'm getting rid of. I have lots of books I'm deleting. I can't read fine print anymore and Frank won't read them, so why keep them?

Fiddler's Convention

I had done the exercises at the senior center and had stopped by the bank and Walmart and was checking out at Goody's when Ruth called me. They were at the same shopping center as I was. I saw them but I had to come home and but the groceries in the house and tell Frank I was going. We ate lunch at Hardy's and then got into their 2011 Toyota van. Boy, is it nice.

We parked over by the Baptist church and walked over to the Athens State campus. Bubba sat and read a book while Ruth and I walked around the different booths. I bought an owl necklace and two pair of earrings. We got some Kettle Korn and ate some of it while we listened to the Riders in the Sky sing. We were sitting several feet from two big speakers and it was very loud. We left at 4:45 PM. It was a fun day. It was good to see family. At one booth where I got my necklace, the lady told us of a place to go in H'ville to a craft fair. Ruth and I will go sometime next month.

My new florescent light I ordered from Amazon came today. I have the Prime Advantage and things ship within two days and there's not shipping cost. Of course, I pay $79.00 and year for this good service. We order from Amazon a lot.

Lesson

Carrielee came for her piano lesson today. She hadn't practiced, but we worked on some music anyway. They will be moving into another house in a week or two and after they get settled maybe she'll be able to practice more. I enjoy having her as a student.

There was a new feeding arrangement with the goats today. They were eating with the horses and were eating the horses food too, so Karen put up a goat feeder rack on the fence. It is about 6' long and has little places where the goats can fit their mouths and get the food which has been placed in the bottom of the feeder. It keeps the horses from eating the goats food and keeps the goats out of the horse food. The horses eat slower than the goats. The little chickens that we moved to a larger pen discovered that they could go outside in the run. Soon, they will be spending most of their time outside.

I'll not be able to help with the animals tomorrow. Bubba and Ruth are coming up to the Fiddler's Convention and we are going to have lunch together. I have the senior center tomorrow and then need to run by the bank and maybe to Walmart for some groceries. It should be a fun day.

Wednesday

Led the exercises, went home, then to Karen's to help feed the animals. We moved the small chickens to an adjacent pen which was larger and they have an access to the outside. They weren't sure of going outside but maybe by tomorrow they will be used to it. I had to leave at 12:00 PM because Frank had had a bad morning and I wanted to be home to get him lunch.

My legs felt like they were feeling the weight I've gained. I lay down to read for a little while but my florescent light over the bed went out. I ordered a new light and fixture from Amazon and it will be here in 2 days. I had had the light for several years and wasn't surprised that it went out. I looked on Lowes and Mews sights on the computer, but they didn't have anything and Amazon did. In fact, after I typed in what I wanted, it went right to the light I wanted. I love Amazon. 

Practice

I practiced the piano this morning for about an hour. We sang last week and will have to sing in another two week for the open house. I'm practicing on the number we will so at Thanksgiving and I have two Christmas pieces that I'm working on. I hope the choir director chooses easier music the next time she gets music!

The sky was overcast all day, but we didn't get any more rain. We fed the animals and all was well with them. Ken will be an extra 5 days from coming home. They don't even have return flight tickets. He thought it would only be 6 weeks but I was thinking 2 months. I have no idea about how long he will be gone. Karen seems to be taking it in stride. I know she must be getting a little lonely by now.

It's getting pretty closes to the national election. About a month away. Mitt Romney must beat Obama or we are really in for a terrible time with our country. He's really just a figurehead and not a good one at that. Hopefully, people will see a clear choice between the two candidates.

Rain

The car was looking a little dusty so I wanted it to rain. It rained over night and rained today while we were feeding the animals. I had taken my raincoat with me and Karen had given me a visor to wear to keep any rain out and I surely needed it. I had to empty the feed containers before I could put the feed into them. It started raining while we were out in the open. We finished up and went inside the building to do the chickens and dogs. The goats get into the pens in the building when it rains and make a mess to be cleaned up. The horses get under the trees and the loose chickens cuddle up to the building where the roof over-hang protects them from the rain.

Frank woke up with a fever this morning. I wasn't sure if I was going to get to go to exercise, but I got his breakfast and Rx in him and got him back to bed. Afterwards, I had some feelings of anxiety that I couldn't place until I remembered he was sick.

I've got beans cooking and chicken legs in the crock pot. The chicken has been sitting in the refrigerator for a while and I was afraid it night be bad but it wasn't. I got all 6 legs in the crock pot and put it on "high" and hopefully it will be ready for supper.

The Fiddler's Convention is coming up this Friday and week-end. My brother and sister-in-law will be coming up and we will eat lunch together and then go walking around the Fiddler's Convention. They have craft booths and it is a lot of fun to walk around and possibly find things to buy. The music starts Friday evening at 4:00 PM. We usually stay for an hour and then leave. It makes for a good visit and choice afternoon.

Relief Society General Conference

Karen, Summer and I went to the Stake presentation of the RS General Conference. The Madison Stake had a nice dinner prepared and program and then we went into the chapel and watched the conference. The Relief Society General Presidency spoke plus President Irying. It was a very spiritual meeting. There were about 120 plus sisters there.

Summer had called Karen for a ride earlier in the day. I tried to call her, but got a busy signal, but we stopped by her house since it's on the way and picked her up. It was nice for all three of us to be together again.

The choir sings tomorrow. It'll be my first time to play for the choir in a church meeting. I know the music but I get very nervous at the thought of playing. I've lost my self-confidence and hope it will come back the more I play and practice.

Thursday

Carrielee was 30 minutes late for her piano lesson and we didn't have time for it since I had to leave the house at 10:45 AM to get to Karen's at 11:00. It takes us about an hour to feed and water all the animals. We had a temple trip that afternoon and Summer was able to go. We had a great trip and a nice evening in the temple. Got home at 12:05 AM and got up at 6:30 AM too feed Danny Boy and the cat one last time. Then over to feed Ken's animals.

Now, it's Friday. I got up at 6:45 and fed the horse and cat, then got ready to go to the senior center. I helped Karen feed the animals and got home in time for lunch. I took a short nap after lunch and didn't do anything much after that. I should have practiced the piano. I will get up tomorrow and practice in the morning. There is a General Relief Society meeting broadcast tomorrow evening at the Madison Ward building. I think there is a dinner too. Will be going to that.

Wednesday

Led the exercises at the senior center and then stopped by the pharmacy to pick up an Rx and went to the Fitness park and walked three times around the track or trail. Sometime, I will increase it to four times around. Right now, three times around is enough.

Saw Janet today and she had a young woman with her that was going to be a personal trainer and she watched my work-out. I went on to Walmart afterwards. It wasn't too busy but I still like to go in the mornings.

We watched a Glen Beck program called The Project tonight. It was all about Muslim infiltration of our government. I wasn't surprised because I've felt something was going on, but couldn't put my finger on it. They are trying to destroy the United States from within. It's the secrete combinations mentioned in the Book of Mormon. It will destroy our nation if it is not stopped. Glen Beck is doing a good job of warning people of what's going on in our society.

Beautiful Fall Weather

The weather is so nice. It's not too hot and just cool enough in the morning to need a wrap but warming up by mid morning where the wrap is not needed.

Went to feed the animals and we cleaned out the pen where the 2 month old chickens are kept. I got the food ready and Karen got the water. She caught each chicken and put them in a pen before she cleaned out the pen. We put fresh shavings in and hooked the light in another place and they were set. It's fun to watch the horses and goats and ducks and chickens eat the feed. We get through in an hour.

I'll go food shopping tomorrow after exercise. We need some meat to eat. I thought about getting some chicken and maybe pork chops. This NG diet without wheat bread, leaves one hungry and wanting for something else. But it'll keep me from eating cakes and cookies, etc. We do still have some ice cream in the freezer and it is chock full of calories but it is so good! That's one of the reasons I've gained weight. That and pancakes I ate at when the neighbors got together and all ate out together. Mary Kate said she might buy the non gluten flour I bought but haven't used.

The Usual

I did the usual Monday things plus helping Karen with the animals. I enjoy feeding them. The miniature horses and goats are hungry and crowd around me as I walk to the different bowls to put feed in. Two of the goats are friendly and will come up to you and let you pet them. The ducks are brown colored for they swim in muddy water. Ken is too kind- hearted to kill any of the ducks or chickens to eat. He needs to get someone else to do it so he can have lots of meat in the freezer. Maybe they are all pets to him.

The weather is really nice now. It's in the 80's and not too hot. The grass will stop growing in a while and we won't have to worry about that.

I ordered three pull overs from Land's End but they were too long for me. They fit otherwise but I didn't like the way they looked on me. I'll take them back to Sears tomorrow when I go to town to get some groceries. I ordered a white shirt from them and it was okay. A bit thin but acceptable.

Feed Day

I fed Danny Boy and the cat and went to Karen's at 11:00AM. It just took us 30 minutes today. It's fun to feed the animals. We took two goats  to be staked out and to feed on the green grass.

Today was Stake Conference but I didn't go. I had no one to ride with or ride with me. Karen's cold is better. Now, Frank has the sniffles and says I brought the cold home to him. I hope not. I hope he won't get as sick as she was.

Feed Day

I got up at 6:30 AM to feed the horse and got back home in about 20 minutes. I got ready too go to the senior center and got there and no one was there except two of the regulars. The center was having a picnic for the seniors at the park and I guess that's why there were no one there for the exercise. I left at 9:00 AM. I went to Karen's at 11:00 AM to help her with feeding their animals. She was still suffering with a cough and cold. We feed and watered the animals in about an hour. She said it took her two hours the day before. I killed a rat where the chickens were. It was the size of a tennis ball and was caught in a trap. It had it's front paw caught and I killed it with the broom handle and Karen finished it off with a shovel. I came home and started cooking.

We were out of beans and goulash and I ate a rice cake with peanut butter for my lunch. I cooked beans and goulash so now we are set for the next few days. Frank wants something solid to help him not be hungry so I'm going to get some chicken and pork chops. We don't eat much meat and meat would be good once in a while.

Tomorrow is the adult session of Stake conference. I hope Karen will feel like going. If she doesn't, I probably won't go. They said to be sure and car pool since there aren't enough parking spaces for everybody.

Appointment

We had a dental appointment at 2 PM in H'ville. We had missed an earlier  appointment because we forgot to medicate. Since we both have had joint replacements, we have to take an antibiotic before we get our teeth cleaned. We were sure to take our pills before we went today.

Tomorrow, I start feeding Maryleen's horse, Danny Boy. She and John and family are going to the beach-Gulf Shores, I think. I will get up at 6:30 AM and go down and feed the horse and cat and then come home and get ready to go to the senior center. I told Karen I would come over tomorrow and help her feed Ken's animals. I'll go at 11:00 AM. I don't know how long it takes to feed everyone but with both of us doing it, it shouldn't take too long.

I started writing down the things I eat during the day and adding the calories up. 1/2 cup of ice cream is 240 calories. This past month I have eaten ice cream several times and I'm sure it was more than 1/2 cup. No wonder I'm gaining weight. I have to figure out how many calories the goulash has because I eat it every day. 4 oz of hamburger is 300-something calories plus the beans and tomatoes that's in it. I will have to make an educated guess on the goulash.

I will try to walk after the senior center, but tomorrow or as long as I'm helping feed the animals, I don't guess I'll be able to do it.  

Cool Weather

A cold front that brought us all that rain, over 2", settled in today. I wore a jacket to exercise but didn't wear it again. After exercise, I stopped by the park by the Wellness Center and walked for 15-20 minutes. It was 9:30 AM. It was fun and different. I'll try to walk after each exercise class to make up from not going to Curves anymore.

Since we go to the dentist tomorrow, I had my workout with Janet today. Next week is the temple trip and I'll have to see her on Wednesday again.

Ken left town today and I told Karen I would help her with the animals while he was gone. She's had a cold but she should not be contagious by Friday. I have to start feeding Danny Boy Friday. I'll have to get up at 6:30 AM to feed the horse and get back home to get ready to go into town. Then, I can go over to her house and help feed the animals.

I got a hair cut today. It was starting to grow out, and probably looked good, but I knew I would have the shears out soon cutting away and decided to let Kari cut it. It's short, but it'll grow.

Shopping

I went out today shopping. I first went to Goody's. I found a black sweater-like wrap that is light weight and has long sleeves and will be good to wear to church when the weather gets cooler. I also found a pretty aqua pull- over that was on sale for $9.60 and I got it too. I got the old timers 20% discount and was pleased with the cost of my purchases.

I went to Walmart for groceries and on to CVS pharmacy to get a new product for cuts and scrapes but they had sold out of it. I went to Publix to get some 15 bean soup. I got 9 packages of it. We're getting low on our milk supply but Walmart only had one package and I didn't think about the milk when I was in Publix.

We had Relief Society tonight and I went. It was about preparing for conference. Stake conference is this Sunday and General Conference is October 6-7th. There weren't many sisters there but I was glad I went. I got something out of the meeting. I will look for a theme in the conference messages now. In General Conference, none of the talks have been assigned. Each speaker prays and is inspired on what to talk about. Sometimes I forget about that. We are actually hearing the mind and will of the Lord during conference. Sometimes I take notes, but I can listen better if I'm not trying to take notes.

Rainy Day

I went out to the senior center and then came home. I rode the bike for 20 minutes and worked out with weights and tubes. Even got the ball out and used it. I then practiced the piano for about an hour. I need to practice more today but I don't think I will.

It started raining about 3:00 PM and has been raining almost 2 hours. We've looked a the several streams that flow on our property when it really rains hard. The woods will be a marsh by now.

I'll go out tomorrow grocery shopping and may go to Goody's to look around. I ordered 3 pull overs from Land's End today for I've gotten too big for my old ones. I hope the regular L's will be big enough.

Karen called this morning and said not to come over today for she was sick with a cold. She was fine yesterday at church. Ken is going out of town Wed for 2 months and I told her I could help her with the animals if she wanted me too.

Another Friday

Led the exercises and then went to Curves and resigned my membership. I hadn't been in two or three weeks and I didn't look forward to going back, so I resigned. I dropped some things by the Salvation Army and then went home. After I got home, I realized I needed to go back to Walmart and get a wedding card for Kirsten Hughes. I got a card and a desk file to put my receipts in when I order things online and a matching cup holder. My computer desk looks pretty organized since we got the old PC off of it.

A Privet plant that I was pruning to be a tree in the front yard will need to be cut down. I have one the the lower orchard that I groomed like that and it is a very large and tall "tree". I need to do some pruning on it because some of the branches are hanging down too far. Maybe when the cool weather comes in. If I don't cut the one in the front yard down now, it will outgrow it's place and probably take over the road. It seemed like a good thing to do at the time...

Mr. Sims is here cutting the yard. After the tree leaves fall, we'll have to get him to come rake them up by the road and clean out the drain pipe that runs under our drive way. I didn't rake them up last year and they have almost clogged up the pipe. It's bad to get old. It's hard to admit that there are many things that one can't do anymore. Yard work is on my list. 

Work Out

I got up early to see if my piano student was coming. She didn't come but I practiced the choir music during that time. Then I cooked a large pot of goulash. I waited around until it was time to go to Janet's to work out. I enjoy working out with her.

I called a tree service that said they trimmed shrubs, too. I have some big evergreen shrubs that I think need trimming. Frank likes the way they look but I'm afraid they will overgrow where they are planted. They've already overgrown the Rose of Sharon that I planted near them. I've seen some plants in a field off of Hy 72 that look like them and they are huge! They might be like the arborvitae plant that grew into a tree that ate the south side of the house. We had it cut down.

Don't Know What Happened

Yep, just don't know why I didn't write for two days. Being Wednesday, I led the exercises at the senior center and then came home and met Ann to go VT. We saw Mary Lou and Karen. Ann said she would go see Glenda and then we will have to see Joy. Being the Relief Society, she really needs her VT. We have to see her in the evening.

Linda Harris called today to say that Becky Harris had died. She had Alzheimer's disease. It was a shock to hear. She was just 65 years old.

I finally took the dead Zinnias to the burn pile. I still have Marigolds blooming and another plant clinging to life. I think I'll transplant the butterfly bush that's growing in the big pot with the Maple trees to the place out front where the other butterfly plant died. Maybe I'll wait until everything goes dormant so I won't have to water it so much. I don't really have any desire to do yard work. I guess I've just gotten too fat and lazy! Hardy-har-har as Mary Kate would say. 

Baptism

We had a baptism at the church today. A lady who had been coming to church with the missionaries was baptized. It was a sweet service. Her husband is a Buddhist and he was happy she had found what she was looking for. He dressed like everyone else so he didn't stand out being a Buddhist. There was a nice crowd there and refreshments were served. I'm glad I went. It's good to mingle with the members.

After I got home from church, I started the laundry and practiced the piano while the clothes were washing and drying. Frank did his weekly pills and I started vacuuming the floors. We had to vacuum the air filters too. It had been about two weeks since we had done them. It's good to have clean floors. I didn't mop.

I was looking out the window of my bedroom while I was closing the blinds and saw a Privet plant that I'm trying to train up to be a tree. I pruned it in the Spring but it needs pruning again and I thought how I didn't want to do any yard work. Maybe as the weather cools off, I'll have the desire to do the pruning. I guess my days of yard work are over. After the leaves fall out by the road, we'll have to pay someone to rake them up so the drain that runs under the road won't get clogged up like it did last year.

New People

A couple from the church came to exercise today. Annie and Buford came and joined in. They are moving into town and said that they would coming to exercise regularly. They did live on Shaw Rd out here. It was good too get some new people in to exercise. They are also Ward missionaries.

There's a baptism tomorrow at 10:00 AM. An adult lady the missionaries have been bringing to church is being baptized. I will go. I hate to miss my Saturday sleep in, but it's for a good cause. I'll still have my Saturday laundry to do when I get home plus my piano practice.

Trudy and Sadie came over for lunch. I made the chicken salad with the grapes and pineapple chunks mixed with vanilla yogurt, plus fresh broccoli and cauliflower. I had some Ritz crackers for them to eat the chicken salad chunks with. They didn't stay long for Sadie and her Dad had a father/daughter camp out at the church campgrounds tonight.

No Curves

I drove Frank to H'ville for a Dr appointment in the morning and had a workout with Janet at 2:30 PM.

My Zinnias are dead and their pots got blown over in the wind storm we had last night. I need to take the pots to the burn pile and pull the plants out of the pots and then clean them up for next year. I don't know if I'll have any outside plants next year or not. They were pretty, but I didn't enjoy caring for them.

The Dr poked around on Frank's hip joints today and made them more sore. This was supposed to be a "good" day but he's ached a lot in his hips and legs.

Things

Went to exercise but didn't go to Curves. I had some cooking to do and got that done by lunch time. I didn't have much to do today. I did practice the piano for an hour. If I can keep this up, I'll be able to play all of the choir music when it comes time.

Mr. Sims is here cutting the grass. We had the old Honda's battery on charge all day. Seems like the dome light was on and drained the battery again. When it gets charged enough to start, I'll go straight to Walmart and get a new battery.

It was hot and humid today with temps in the 90's, but the weather is getting somewhat cooler. I have some dead flowers I need to clean up and put on the burn pile. They're almost all dead now and it's a chore I need to do.

Tuesday

I went to town to the bank and by Walmart for some groceries then came home. I stopped by Lou's place with one of my new bra's that was coming unraveled. This is the second bra that has done this. They cost about $40.00 each and should be good enough to not unravel.

I cooked a pot of beans and a cabbage. I usually cook the cabbage in the pot that I had the beans in but this time I cooked the cabbage in the microwave. It didn't get cooked enough the first time I cooked it, so I had to cook it again. I won't use the microwave again for cabbage. Broccoli cooks just fine and so does cauliflower. I guess the cabbage is too tough and needs a longer cooking time.

I've given up on being an indexer. It must be my fear of the computer that puts me off on doing it. I really don't have a good feeling about doing it.

Labor Day

We didn't do anything for Labor Day. I had scripture study with Karen and I practiced the piano for an hour. We were to vacuum the filters today and dust Frank's room but we haven't done that yet. I worked out downstairs. Did 20 minutes on the bike and lifted some weights and used the bands. It would be nice if I did this every day but I am lazy. The thing I like best is to lie in my bed and read. Not much effort exerted that way.

What happened to Thursday?

Thursday I went to the temple and didn't have time to write.

Today I woke up at 7 AM when Rosko spoke cherry greetings to the world. I was in the middle of a dream and woke up groggy. I was tired from not getting enough sleep but I had to get up and go lead the exercises at the senior center. When I came back, I went back to bed and sleep until lunch. After lunch, I went back to bed and read and snoozed some more, so my day was pretty much spent in the bed.

This week-end is Labor Day week-end so I won't have to lead the exercises Monday.

I don't like indexing. I'm going to give it one more try before I give up on it.

Usual Wednesday

Not really "usual" Wednesday, I just lead the exercises and then came home. Frank had a Dr appointment in H'ville at 11:00 AM. He had asked me to check on the old Honda the night before and I found that the battery was dead! I had just driven it the week before. There was some switch that broke and let the lights bleed the battery dead. We drove up in my car and after the Dr, went to the Honda dealership and bought the part and Frank put it in today while I was at Janet's. I guess we will use the car until the air conditioner dies. The hood is really getting a rusty look now. No telling how much longer we'll be driving it. It's got 240,000 miles or more on it. It's a 1990 model.

Yes

That's right, I did the usual Monday things. Frank wanted some gluten-free cereal with fiber but there was none. I got some milled golden flaxseed and some Ruffels and come corn chips. I got some Quinoa rotelli for the next time we want some pasta. Walmart has a small selection of gluten-free products. I talked to a woman whose daughter had to start eating gluten-free. Seems like they ate out a lot and would have to stop that.

After Scripture study, I came home and made a big pot of what we call goulash.
I asked Karen about some indexing stuff and she got her laptop out and showed me how to find a typed record to do. I wrote some things down that will help me do the records.

I got an invitation to Kirsten Hughes shower and she said she wanted me to be at the temple with them when they got married. That's the first time I've ever been invited to the temple wedding. I'll ask around and see if I can get a ride or someone could ride with me who knows the way to the Nashville temple.

Visit

Mary Kate and kids came up to visit Trudy and Mary Kate and Nate came over and ate lunch with us and stayed until 5 PM. We had a nice visit. Sophia and Sadie went to a youth activity.

I washed clothes but haven't had any time to do any indexing today. Maybe some tonight or tomorrow for sure.

Indexing

Did the usual Friday stuff. This afternoon Russ and Ann came over and showed me how to index. I did a batch of 25 WW1 cards and probably made a bunch of mistakes on them. I tried my best to do a good job with what I know (which is very little at this point). I am tired now and want to go to bed and read. Take me away, reading!

Wednesday Things

Exercise and Curves and at 2:30 Pm Janet's for work-out. Friday, Frank and I will get trained in the LDS indexing program. Bishop Black set our ward goal at 500,000 names to be indexed. I'm looking forward to learning how to do it. Frank will be involved too and that will help.

Last night Ann, Glenda and I went to Homemaking meeting at Mary Lou's house.  She was showing us how to can chicken. She said she cans all year. I'm not up to doing that. It was interesting and I got to socialize with some sisters that I don't see on Sunday. I think I'll try to go to more of the homemaking meetings whether I like the subject or not.

Been practicing the choir music daily. My right hand hurt today. Maybe it's rebelling against all the work I'm making it do. As I get older, I know my body will refuse to do things that my mind wants it to do, but I'm not ready for that now.

Monday Things

I did the usual Monday morning things then went to Walmart. I bought some spices for baking and some butter. I got a gluten free brownie mix and made them this afternoon. The flour was brown rice flour and they made up fine. They tasted like brownies and we couldn't tell they didn't have white flour in them, and the mix wasn't that expensive. I still waiting on my almond flour to arrive and then I can make up a baking mix. I bought some rice checks and corn checks cereal, which is naturally gluten free. I think I'll eat some for breakfast tomorrow. Rice cakes and peanut butter are good, but I get tired of the same thing all the time.

Tomorrow night is the homemaking meeting at Mary Lou's house. She's teaching how to can meat. Ann is picking up Glenda and then me and we're all going together. Hopefully, we'll get to know Glenda better and help her get to know some of the sisters in the Ward. It should be a fun time.

Friday

Led the exercises today and then came home. Frank had wanted some potato salad for breakfast and we had eaten it all last night. He got 7 potatoes out of the sack and puts them in the microwave! I thought he might not have done it right and they would explode in my clean microwave. They cooked all right and they were cool when I came home. I hard cooked 4 eggs and used some onion flakes and relish and Miracle Whip and mixed them up and they were pretty good. I like the yellow potatoes. I'm waiting on the almond flour to get here. All my other flowers came in yesterday. I need a zucchini squash so I can make zucchini muffins.

We are reading Isiah in the Bible. I read but don't understand. I'll get the Institute manual out and see what it has to say.

Frank's working on a problem with his computer. He's been at it all day. He talked to Apple on the phone and now is working on his own. Hope he gets it fixed. 

Piano Lesson

I was practicing the piano when Sophrona called to say she didn' have the money for the lesson and wondered if I wanted to wait 'til next week for it. I told her I didn't worry about the money and to come on and we would have the lesson. Carrielee needs to practice more and her mom said when school started, she would have an assigned time to practice. I had some pieces she could play easily so we got some playing in. She has a few pages to go in the beginning book before she can get into book 1 and she'll have a theory page to do each piece. I don't think she likes theory much, but it will be so good for her and her mother, too.

I had a good workout with Janet today. I had had some caffeine early in the day and was a chatterbox, I think. I loaned her a Weekly Weeder I thought she might enjoy since she's a Master Gardiner, too.

Most all of my non-gluten flour came in today. I ordered the almond flour 1st but it will take longer to come. The packages I got today were done on Amazon Prime and came within 2 days with no shipping. It's $79.00 a year. I buy a lot from Amazon. Actually, most of it is books and with the Prime membership, I can borrow up to one book a month with no due dates.

Eagle Ceremony

Tonight I went to Chris Garbett's  Eagle Scout ceremony. It was very impressive and I can't wait until Forrest has his. I'm going to mail Trudy Chris's program and his invitation to give her some ideas about how to do Forrest's ceremony.

I led the exercises and went to Curves and to Walmart. I feel I live at Walmart. I had to get some potatoes and eggs and grapes. They had no Maalox so I went to K-Mart but they didn't have any either. They said something about a Maalox recall. I got Frank some Gaviscon for his stomach acid problem but he said it didn't taste too good. But it will do the trick.

Tomorrow, I won't go back to bed. That way I can practice the piano plus be ready when Carrielee comes for her lesson. I have a workout with Janet tomorrow, too.

Gluten Free

Frank bought me two books about eating gluten free and they came in today. One is a gluten free book for dummies and the other is a cookbook. Both have recipes. The cookbook gave the formula for baking gluten free. I ordered white rice flour, sorghum, tapioca, and cornstarch flours. I'll combine all of these flours and will have something suitable to bake with. We had some chicken nuggets for lunch but they didn't have any breading on them. It was just pure chicken nuggets. With the four combination, I'll be able to batter and fry the nuggets- see other post. I lost this one by fault of the computer and started over on the blog.

Gluten Free

I had already written quite a bit on this subject and the computer asked me if I wanted to log on to something I was already logged on to and when I said, "Yes", it sent me back to log on to my blog and what I had previously written was gone! Don't you just hate when that happens?

Anyway, I got two books from Amazon today that tells me more about eating gluten free. One is a cookbook and I've ordered 4 flours that I can combine and bake with. I don't bake that much, so the flours should last a long time. I need to check in H'ville to see what the health food stores carry. Maybe I can get them cheaper locally.

Monday Things

Led the exercises and went to Curves and to Walmart. I got some more cheddar cheese and some more rice cakes and a couple jars of unsalted dry roasted peanuts. I checked out and then had to go back and get a cheese slicer and a dough mixer. When I was at Trudy's, Sadie was using her fingers to work the flour into the butter for an apple pie. I'll get it to her when Mary Kate comes for a visit while she and the kids are staying at Trudy's. She can take it back to her and tell her how to use it. My mother got me a Betty Crocker cookbook when I was single and the cookbook told how to use two knife blades and work the butter into the flour for a pie crust. Maybe I need to get Sadie a beginning cookbook.

As I was going to leave for scripture study, there was a thunder storm and this time it had rain. It came down in buckets. I had to drive about 40 mph on the highway it was raining so hard. We got about 2" of rain today. We really needed it. The grass will need mowing again by the week-end.

I figured out how much money I had spent on myself and on groceries to date. I was amazed at how much money I had spent. Janet was $200 and the new Kindle was $145 plus tithing and many other things which I bought. I have spent the months money in two weeks! Whoa, Nellie! I have got to stop spending, period. I can only buy groceries from now to September. I get sucked into looking at the sales at Goody's and Land's End. Amazon is bad, too, with buying books. A debit card is a convenient thing as is online buying. Guilty say guilty, and I am.

Saturday Things

Today was the neighborhood breakfast at Shoney's. I didn't go last month and wanted to be there this month. I had two fried eggs over easy and a dish of apples and a glass of milk. That was $9.04. I could have bought two dozen eggs and a jar of applesauce for that price. It's just getting more and more expensive to live now days. The Sweenys and Adams and Tim and Eva and Sandra and I were there, 8 in all. All the girls hug and that's nice. Eva made me a potato cooker to use in the microwave. It's cloth with batting inside and you put the potatoes inside it and fold the top over and cook them in the microwave. You don't have to prick the potatoes or anything. I cooked a sweet potato in it tonight and it cooked just right! She had made the others one of them and just got around to me, I guess. It was a very nice gift.

I cooked and washed clothes and practiced the piano today. I even washed my temple clothes. I got them all packed up and ready to go in a couple of weeks. It was a little cooler today for a cold front came in yesterday. It didn't bring us any rain, though.

Thrusday and Friday

Thursday morning I went back to bed and Sophrona called me 15 minutes before Carrielee was to arrive for her piano lesson, to say they were running late. I jumped out of bed and got dressed before they got here. I've got to remember I can't sleep in on Thursdays! I didn't do much of anything else but go to Janet's for a workout.

Friday I lead the exercises and then went to Walmart. I took back a cactus plant that was dying and got my money back and then went shopping for the gluten diet. I bought lots of fruits and veggies and meat for the goulash and lots of canned beans at 69 cents a can. I spent a lot but we have to have something to eat when we can't eat bread. We really didn't eat much bread to begin with but the thought of eating good and loosing weight was a big attraction. If we don't loose weight, we'll still be eating good this week or so.

I came home and made a big batch of goulash and washed the strawberries and grapes. I had veggies and two pieces of cheese tonight for supper and so far I'm not hungry. Frank's had an apple and a rice cake. I took a dress back to Goody's that I had bought online. It was too short and too small plus the colors were too bright for me. I didn't get the receipt so I'll have to trust Goody's to take it off my charge card.

I bought a lot of Stephanie Plum books tonight. My reading hasn't been satisfying lately and I love her books.  

Granny's Maid Service

Trudy left a voice mail this morning asking me to come at 12:00 PM instead of earlier. I came home from exercise at the senior center and rode my bike for 20 minutes and lifted weights and exercised with the tubes. I left home at 11:15 AM and got to Trudy's a little after 12:00. I gave Sadie her sewing stuff and we all talked a while and I treated them to a Sub Way sandwich. I then swept the living room and kitchen floors, mopped the kitchen floors and filled the dishwasher and began washing the large pots and pans. I don't know where Trudy got such large pots and pans but I got them all washed up and the kitchen spick and span. As I was leaving, Sadie was making an apple pie. I told Trudy to tell Sadie to be sure to clean the kitchen after she got through!

I had a nice visit and had stopped by the orchard and bought two baskets of apples. One for us and one for the Walker's.

Forrest's Board of Review for his Eagle Scout project is tomorrow night. If he passes it, he will get his Eagle Scout award! He turned 18 today and just barely made it. Frankie did the same thing. It's very trying on the mother when they wait until the very last minute like that.

The Kindle Arrived

My 2nd Kindle arrived today. The 1st Kindle developed a flaw in the screen and I couldn't read the words that were under this smudge. The new Kindle arrived and I transferred my old books onto the 2nd Kindle. I have a new book, Wheat Belly, to read. It's about a gluten free diet. I also had to get a new version of the LDS scriptures because the 1st Kindle lost the other scriptures I had.

I'm going over to Trudy's tomorrow to help her clean her house. I've got some sewing stuff for Sadie and it is Forrest's 18th birthday. I have a cake mix and some frosting if anyone wants to make it.

H'ville

I lead the exercises and then came home. I left at 10:00 AM for  an appointment with Dr. Sharp. I got there 15 min. early. I got my prescriptions and he wants me to cut down on some of my medicines. I don't want to fool with my Abilify or Effexor and the only other meds is Desiprimine. I've cut it down to 25 mg. instead of 50 mg. and will see if I have any reaction. I could maybe do away with the Ativan at night. We'll just have to see what works.

I went by Hancock's Fabrics and bought a beginning sewing book for Sadie. I'll be going over to her house Wednesday and Trudy wanted me to help Sadie with her sewing. I found the book quite helpful to me but I already know something about sewing. It did have the definition of selvage in it. When I was learning how to sew I saw that word, and said, "What's a selvage?". I hope Mary Kate will have time to help Sadie make a skirt from a pattern we bought her.

When Karen goes on a trip, she usually brings me a rock from the place where she went. Today, She gave me some rocks from San Francisco. They looked like granite rocks but turned out to be chocolate on the inside of a candy shell. They fooled Frank, but I had to tell him the truth!

Saturday

I did some chores and fixed meals and watched some TV and that's about it. I had a lot of time on my hands and not enough to do. I did practice the piano. There's lots of things to do if I wanted something to do, but they're not things that have to be done like the laundry or cooking. When we have to unload the kitchen cabinets, they'll be lots of things to do. I hope it will spur me on to a major clean up and throw or give away. My house is stuffed to over flowing and it needs a good clean out.

Tuesday, I'll go over to Trudy's to help her clean house. She wants me to show Sadie how to use her sewing machine. I've forgotten how to use a pattern and I'm afraid it'll be the blind leading the blind! I do have a skirt pattern for her that only has 3 pieces to it.  I may not be the person to show her how to sew. Mary Kate is the one but she lives in Georgia.