Tuesday and Hair Day

I slept very badly last night. My right arm ached terribly and I got intermittent sleep. I will pick up Bob in twenty minutes so we can go to Independence and he will visit with his sister, Betty, while I get my hair done. Then we will eat at Big Cheese.

I need to either talk with the appliance repairman again this afternoon or he will need to meet me here at the apartment. The gentle cycle of this washer doesn't work and I am tired of doing my lingerie in the bathroom sink so I called Betty and asked her to have it repaired. The repair man called me last night and I attempted to get the cycle to work from his instructions over the phone.  At first it wouldn't. After I jiggled the dial, it began but it stopped twice and finally stopped altogether after the rinse cycle and would not spin dry.  By then, he had hung up. He is to call me back this morning and we will try to get together after I get back from Independence at 1:00. I left him a telephone message after the cycle finally quit.

Hopefully, he will get back with me.

Missy and I have been outside for over an hour and she is so happy about that. She really missed getting to go outside every morning while I was gone.  Bob did not take her out.

More later..It is time to go....

I got my hair done and cut and then we went to Walmart and bought a couple of things. Later we ate at Big Cheese and then took John's birthday gift out to the house and left it in the rocker on the front porch.

Then I took Bob home and came home myself to meet the washer repair man. He checked out the gentle cycle but it certainly wasn't gentle. I finally had got it to work by jiggling the timer knob. He will talk to Betty to see if she wants him to put a new timer on it.  It will work after a fashion if I jiggle the knob. He tested it and it worked every time.  It never fails, does it?

 More later...

This is the huge stingray Scott brought in after over two hours of hard work.




He was so disappointed that's what it was after all that hard work. . Of course, we had to let it back in the ocean.

More even later....

Betty called me later  to see if I would like her to have the washer Bob had in the apartment he lived in installed. I told her I would just use the one I have until it dies and then she could have the other one installed.

Bob came over and watched the news and one episode of the old "Big Bang Theory" and after that and he left, I took my bath and at 8:30, Missy and I went to bed. I was exhausted.

Sunday and a Trip Home

I had my best night of sleep last night. I discovered that if I kept my right arm up next to my chest instead of stretching it out, it didn't hurt so much. So I only woke up one time to go to the bathroom and slept well. I got up shortly before five this morning completely rested. I'm all packed and I've had my breakfast and my chai and read my favorite blog....Bart Ehrman's blog.  I am ready whenever they are.

John is up and  getting ready to leave. I imagine they will have some cereal first.

More later...

We left on Sunday and drove to Sikeston, Missouri before we pulled into a  Holiday Inn Express for the night. We were all exhausted. There was noise off and on all night in the parking lot behind us and there was nothing they could do about it at the hotel. Some trucker could not get his Semi started and he ground away at it and then when it did finally start, he gunned the motor to keep it going. We got little sleep. I woke up with my right arm aching again. We quickly dressed and went downstairs for a hot breakfast. Then we loaded up and left about 8:00. We got into Coffeyville about 3:30 and the kids went to pick up Mini at Karan's. Then they went home.

I started my laundry and unloaded my suit case before I called Bob and he came over and visited awhile. We went out to see what Jim Taylor had to say about me on a sign out at his business.  He just asked folks to read what I had to say on his web site. I looked up the address but it wasn't this Jim Taylor's website.

More later...

This is the huge stingray my son caught on our fishing trip.

I tried to post the photo here but the blog would not take it. Anyhow,  after Bob left, I took my bath and Missy and I went to bed at 8:30. I was utterly exhausted.

Saturday and the Fishing Trip

I slept terrible last night. I tried to get through the night without Aleve. Big mistake! Finally, at 2:30, after tossing and turning and hurting for hours, I caved in and took two Aleve. Then I discovered if I didn't extend my arm, but just held it next to my chest, the shoulder didn't hurt as badly. I then slept until 5:00.

Today we will take a charter fishing trip. I'm no fisherman but John asked me so I will go.  I hope I don't get seasick. I don't need anything else to deal with.

I did some light cleaning yesterday. I just swept out the garage and the steps through the front shrub garden. I emptied the dishwasher and puttered around some. No real cleaning.

I've just had my breakfast so I will get back to this later.

Today was interesting..if exhausting, First, while we were waiting for Ginger to finish her training with a gun, Leslie and John decided to ask Scott to help hang up the cabinets in the garage. One of Ginger's doctor friends gave them to her when he re-decorated his home. They spent from 9:00 AM until 12:30 or so doing that and did a great job. Scott and Ginger were delighted. The only thing they could not get done in the time they had, was putting the glass doors on some of the cabinets. If we were going to grab some lunch somewhere and get to the island for their charter fishing trip, they were going to have to let that go.

We grabbed a sandwich on the island at a Wendy's and got there with a little time to spare. I had been having a terrible time with my right shoulder all the time we were here and I knew I simply could not manage fishing but I went along because John asked me. All the kids caught some fish and I have some photos I'll add to the blog later when I get home on Monday.  We leave tomorrow.

Anyhow, to continue my story, we (that is the kids) fished from 1:30 to 5:30 and had a great time. Scott wrestled with some huge fish for two hours and when he finally got it in he was exhausted and it turned out to be a huge  (I'll fill this in later when I recall the name of it. It wasn't a jellyfish but something similar) Scott was disappointed. He and the captain thought it was a couple of hundred pound fish of some kind.  It had worn him to a frazzle but he was determined to bring it in.

When we got back to the house, Leslie and John went to eat at a restaurant that specialized in serving fish but Ginger and Scott just came back home and ate leftovers and I had my yogurt. We all took showers (I took a bath) and put our pjs on. When John and Leslie finally got back, Scott and I had been watching a movie. John came in and said he wanted Scott to help him put up the glass doors on the cabinets. Scott was delighted and immediately went out to help. After some time, I went on to bed. It was nearly 9:30 and after a day in the sun, I was wiped out.

So the pool will be completely finished on Tuesday. 

We leave tomorrow at 8:00 or so, I imagine. We will stop somewhere and stay overnight and not get home until Monday.

It's a horrendous drive.

Friday and No Plan So Far

I slept somewhat better last night. I awoke at 3:00 with my right shoulder just throbbing with pain. After trying several positions, I finally must have gotten comfortable enough to fall back asleep. And, what do you know! I slept until 6:00 AM....something I very seldom do.

Scott, my son, posted this photo of the pool. They did not come on Thursday as we expected but will finish up on Tuesday...after we're gone. I must have had a premonition or something. I didn't bring my swim suit.

Here's the photo he posted on facebook.



Isn't it pretty? What an unusual shape.

When we got back from Savannah yesterday, Ginger and Scott fixed dinner. Scott grilled steaks and Ginger fixed some baked zucchini  with cheese and a lot of other stuff on it. Everything was very good. The neighbor-to-be's salad was very good too.

I watched a little TV but took my bath and went to bed at my usual time. 9:00.

Ginger was still here when I got up and she came in and visited some with me before she took off for work.

Leslie went out to the patio when she came in this morning. She had fixed herself a cup of chai. A small  armadillo came along and interested Ginger's dog, Chloe.  She chased it off a couple of times.  I emptied the dishwasher and put away the dishes after I had my bowl of cereal this morning. I have to stay busy.

More later...

I saw this on facebook from a friend of mine and thought it was very appropriate for some I know.




I thought of one of my friends in particular.  She will know who she is.

We went to the market this afternoon and bought snacks for our fishing trip tomorrow. When we got back to the house, they had put the urns on the pool. Here is a photo of it.



This afternoon at 4:40, we are going to see the movie matinee of "Sully".  I  like Tom Hanks. As soon as John gets back from fishing, we will leave. Both Scott and Ginger have had their showers and Leslie is getting ready now. We are waiting for John and he just came in.  Soon we will leave for the movie so I will be back to this later....

The movie was excellent. If it doesn't get an academy award. it  will be a miracle.

We watched some TV and then I went on to bed at 9:00.

Savannah on Thursday

Today we will go to Savannah. We want to see my granddaughter, Ashley. She will be in school this morning... if I understood correctly. So I'm not sure when we will leave since I am on a "need to know" only basis.

I didn't sleep well again last night. My right shoulder ached and the right thumb also throbbed.  I had taken two Aleve before bedtime but they didn't help much. But I finally just got up for good at 5:00 AM while Scott was still here.  I had been up three times in the night to check on the progress of the pool filling. It finally finished filling at 4:00 AM this morning and Scott turned off the water. We visited awhile until he left for work.

I have some photos of yesterday on my camera but don't want to download them yet. I charged the camera battery last night.

More later...

Wednesday and Amelia Island

We left Coffeyvile at 7:00 AM on Monday and traveled all day Monday and stayed overnight in Birmingham Alabama. Tuesday we got up and went to a McDonald's and had breakfast.That was my first time to eat at a McDonald's. Then we took off for Florida. We got in about 4:00. I was utterly exhausted but not as tired as Monday. I did not sleep well. Between my sore arm and my sore right thumb, everything hurt.

Today, we took off at 8:00 and went to Amelia Island. We walked all about Amelia Island and eventually ate at a great restaurant called Brett's. Then my kids walked around some more and I sat on the porch of the restaurant and watched the boats come in.

When we got back to Yulee, Scott was there and soon so was Ginger. The pool guys were still there too. They were putting the acid on the newly painted pool prior to filling it.

We watched a 2016 movie called "The Revenant" . It was quite good although gory.

More later.....

The pool guys finally came and finished the pool. Now it's ready to be filled. It will take all night with two garden hoses but should be ready to use by the weekend. They are to put the finishing touches on it when it's filled. 



The people who are building a home next door came over to meet John and Leslie and me and stayed and visited awhile. They seem very nice.

John and Leslie and Ginger went fishing this evening. Scott and I stayed home and visited, 

At 9:00 I took my bath and went to bed.

Sunday At Last

When I get through this day, I will be ready for the trip to Florida. I got up at 4:45 (thanks to Missy) and have made up my meatloaf and done part of my packing. I also took Missy out on the carport for a little while after we both ate our breakfasts. She knows something is up. I have the dreaded suitcases out. When I get those out and begin packing, she knows she will be alone for a week.  That seems to make her nervous.

In a little while I will pick up Bob and then we will go get Phyllis for church. We are having a surprise birthday party for Sue but of course when she gets there and sees the food, she will know what is up.  Sue always brings lots of food but since the party is for her, she won't be bringing anything. I just hope we have enough food. I just made a meatloaf and Karan is making a potato casserole. Leslie bringing a salad. She worked last night and when I contacted her last night she was still at work. Melissa is bringing a salad and a veggie. I might take my bag of chopped broccoli too....just in case. Johnna is bringing her mother's birthday cake. I don't know what any others are bringing. I know Cyndi won't be there because she has out of town company. And not all of our congregation has e-mail. I don't even know if Mike and Laura will be there. Mike works several weeks on and several weeks off in town. When he works, he stays at Burlington where the plant is. He has an apartment there. Laura is not a member so she doesn't come without Mike. She is still recovering from bypass surgery too.

It's a worry. I didn't want to fix too much food because I will be gone a week starting tomorrow.

Then I have my sermon and then the newsletter to do after the dinner. I will finish packing all but just the last minute things this afternoon after I finish the newsletter.  This evening at 6:40, I will pick up Gary for the Living the Questions group meeting at Marilyn's. I hope to get home shortly after 9:00. I don't know how early the kids will want to leave in the morning. I'm not in the loop.

More later...

This is a photo of Ronnie Graham and I doing the dishes at the birthday party following church. Karan had to have this photo because she never thought Ronnie would do the dishes. 



He was washing and I was drying.  I've known Ronnie for years.