Another Saturday

Well, I don't have a plan for today. If it gets nice enough, I will rake and bag leaves. Otherwise, I don't know what I will do. If I do that, I will have to go to the Dollar Store and get some big leaf bags. And I really need to clean the bathrooms and will finally try to get that done. I also want to go see Phyllis and Gerry at Windsor Place.

Slinky spent most of the night outside. I could see he was going to want to go in and out and in and out all night. It was warm enough for him to be outside so I just put him out. He barked a few times and finally settled down on the chaise lounge and slept. He may as well sleep outside if the weather is nice enough.

I will go meet Bob A. for breakfast this morning. We do that nearly every Saturday morning.

More later...

I went to breakfast and then cleaned my bathrooms. Then I went out to see Phyllis. She was sleeping but I woke her. The first thing she said was "Who are you?" I said "I'm Margie, your sister." She said "It's been so long since you've been here that I forgot your name." I was there last Tuesday. But that's the Alzheimers talking.

After I saw Gerry too, I came home and fired up the steamer and really gave both bathrooms an extra cleaning. They really shine now.

I was going to rake leaves but the wind is up and I wouldn't get a lot accomplished, I'm afraid. So now I don't know what I will do with the rest of my day. It is 11:15 now.

I called my brother-in-law and asked him if he wanted to drive down to Owasso with me. He did. So we ate at Olive Garden down there and walked all over the shopping center afterward but didn't buy a thing.

He will pick me up for church in the morning.

Friday at Last!

I will work this morning and then go directly out to the church to help Leslie and Karan take down all the Christmas decorations and put them away. Bob A. will join us after he feeds Phyllis at Windsor Place.

It is always faster to take down the decorations then to put them up. If they are mostly finished when I get there, I will just clean the church. This is my last week to do that. Next month it is another person's responsibility.

If I get home in time and it's still nice out, I will take Slinky for another walk. He enjoyed yesterday's so much!

The weather has been in the 60's...very unseasonal for December but I'm not complaining. I love it.

More later...

Leslie called while I was leaving work and said they had it all finished and would not need Bob and me. So I spent the afternoon reading instead. I went to bed at 8:30..really tired.

Whose Training Who?

Last night Slinky woke me up three or four times before midnight. Then he slept until 3:30 and woke me again. I let him out and then back in. Then I went back to bed. About fifteen minutes later, he began crying and barking. This time I ignored him. He barked off and on for another hour and then I finally got up when it was close to 5:00 AM (my regular time to rise) and made my bed, brushed my teeth, made up my face, and got dressed. Finally after 5:15, I came into the kitchen. I was right. He didn't want out...he wanted his breakfast. But I came in to give it to him on my terms. I must train this old dog before winter gets cold or he will have me up and down all night. He is lying here now on his bed..perfectly content. (He also likes company in the morning).

I just had a piece of my pumpkin pie and went to bed at 8:30. I wanted to watch my favorite program on TV (Harry's Law) but they re-ran one I had already seen. Darn it! TV is terrible any more and definately not worth the money they charge for it. If it weren't for PBS, I'd really be up a tree.

If it's nice enough by 7:30 this morning, I'll let Slinky out. If not...he'll have to go back in the garage. He hates the garage. When I came home yesterday from work, he was delighted to get out in the 60 degree weather.

I am beginning to drink the teas Jeromy and Marlene gave me for Christmas and I am wearing my new "mother's necklace" that my kids gave me every day. It is lovely!

After work, it was a lovely day. I got my class newsletters in the mail and then took Slinky for a walk. He was delighted. But I noticed two things. He seems to limp a little and he has lost weight. I'm glad Scott will be here in January. It just might be his last time to see his dog.

When we got back home, it was still nice. I got a couple of plastic bags and cleaned up the dog doodoo out of my back yard. Then I trimmed back my peonies. If the nice weather lasts through Saturday, I will rake and bag the leaves. Today was just lovely at 60 degrees.

Back to Work on Wednesday

Slinky did beter last night. He woke me at 9:30 and again at 4:00. But at least I got some sleep. I had to put him in the garage this morning since is was only 24 degrees when I left for work. He was very glad to get outside when I got home from work.

After I left work I picked up Juanita and we went to lunch at Eggberts. Then I took her to Wal Mart to get some things she wanted for a New Years Eve get together she is having for her family.

After I took her home, I went to my hair appointment. It looks so much better when Carol does it. Juanita gave me candy for Christmas and I gave her candy so we just traded candy. Juanita is 90 years old but gets around very well for her years. She and I have been friends for over ten years.

I will work again tomorrow. I have no plans for tomorrow after work. Friday we are going to take down the Christmas decorations at church and put them away. I stopped there on the way home from Independence and checked the mousetraps. We had caught another mouse. I left all four traps loaded because who knows how many we may have left.

Some Christmas Photos

Maia is my second little great granddaughter. She calls me gigi for "great grandmother". My daughter, Leslie is her grandmother. I am putting some of my Christmas photos up here. I took fifteen but some were too dark to publish so these are just the cutest ones. My first little great grandchild, Sage, lives in Manhattan, Kansas with her mother.

This child is Maia Skye Brooks, my grandson, Jeromy's daughter with Marlene.

The top photo is my daughter, Leslie, showing Maia the child sized Santa she made for decoration.

The second photo is Leslie showing Maia her Christmas gift from Marlene and Jeromy...a huge electric griddle.

The third photos is Maia opening one of her gifts.

The fourth photo is Maia showing me the gift I bought for her...a tiny stuffed puppy.

I have two greats in Texas and one in Missouri too. Maia's mom is having a sister for her in Febuary. Sara, my granddaughter in Texas, called Christmas Day and her sister, Christina, tried to call me while I was out at Leslie's for Christmas dinner on Christmas Day. She is in Kuwait. I didn't hear from Ashley or Jerod, the other two.

Leslie fixed a wonderful meatless dinner for Christmas. My grandson, Jeromy, his wife, Marlene, and Maia are all vegetarians. She fixed ham for the rest of us. Everything was very tasty. She spent all morning cooking those exotic dishes and I washed dishes for her all while she cooked. She made some bread that had spinich in it that was really wonderful! Everything went off like clockwork. We all had a wonderful time.

I washed Slinky's bedding yesterday. You have to remove the cover, turn it wrong side out and wash it on the gentle cycle then hang it up to dry. It was beginning to get a little pungent. Shar Pei's sweat a lot and have body odor. It was dry at bedtime so I put it back together for him. He is really enjoying his cushioned bedding. It has that egg crate foam as the basis and a "fur" covered case for the foam. At least he is not able to tear this bedding up with his claws like he did the other two foam filled beds I had bought for him last winter.

Happy New Year to all!

Monday

Today Bob A. and I went to Bartlesville and walked around the mall. Afterward we went to Dink's and had the best Bar B Q around here. Then we went to the Bartlesville Wal mart and bought a few groceries. All I needed was oatmeal. It has been around 50 degrees all day.

We stopped by the church on the way home. When the Worship Committee brought in the Christmas decorations from the sheds in December, they also unknowingly brought in mice. I have caught two but twice my traps have been emptied and no mice have been caught. This time we loaded them with peanut butter. I will check back later in the week and see if we caught any more. I want the committee to leave those decorations in the Junior classroom instead of taking them to the sheds. Those that are in plastic covered boxes can be stored in the sheds. What a mess this has been.

I am thinking of taking down my Christmas decorations this afternoon. Christmas is over. I will store them in my banker's boxes so they can be stacked.

I did take down my Christmas decorations and get them put away. Now I am ready for the New Year.

Christmas Morning!

It's Christmas morning and I am waiting for the oven to heat so I can start my pies.

Slinky did pretty good last night. I fed him extra food before bed and he slept better. It could be one cup of dog food is not enough for him at night. I am trying to keep him from getting fat...that would be so unhealthy for him.

He is sitting here beside me on the rug beside the sink. Every once in awhile I reach over and pat him and tell him what a good dog he is. He eats that up. Missy is lying on his bed...but only one corner of it...leaving him room if he should want to lir down.

It's supposed to get up to 50 degrees today. That will make a nice Christmas. Slinky can be outside without freezing. I will give him a special treat for Christmas. Missy has some too...only for cats.

I am to be out to Leslie's by 9:00 so I had better get busy on these pies.

Merry Christmas everyone!

More later....

The dinner was wonderful and afterward I stayed and helped clean up amd also watched a movie. My grandson and his wife gave me a huge box of variety teas. They know I love tea. Keith and Leslie and Scott went together and bought me a mother's necklace with each of their birthstones in it. It is beautiful! I have it on right now. My brother-in-law gave me a mix for a wonderful potato soup. That will be great for lunch on one of these cold winter days.

I have some photos of the gift opening. I'll publish them tomorrow.

It was a beautful day too.

Saturday Before Christmas

This morning at 7:30 I will meet my brother-in-law for breakfast. We do this most every Saturday morning. Then I don't exactly know what I will do. I may go ahead and bake my pies and get that out of the way.

Slinky did pretty good last night and I got some good sleep. I fed him an extra portion of dog food and he slept better. He woke me up at 11:30 and I let him out to go poo and then again at 4:00 this morning to go pee but it is cold out there this morning so he rushed right back in. He wanted to be fed at 4:00 but after he came back in I ignored his crying and barking and he eventually gave up. I may fed him extra food at night to help him sleep better. I'll give that a try and see.

More later....

What a day!

I had breakfast with my brother-in-law and then spent the rest of the day working on the newsletter.

I went to see my sister at 10:30. After that I finished the newsletter. First I went out to church and picked up the gift Sue and John brought for Gerry and I took it back to Windsor Place.

I got it sent off to those online and then bought the envelopes and got them all addressed this afternoon. I saved the edited newsletter to a CD so I can take it to Service Office and Supply on Monday or Tuesday. They will print off the 105 I need to send off in snail mail. They will also fold them to get them ready to be stuffed. I will need to cash the checks sent to me by the classmates so I can buy the stamps too.

In the morning..early..I will bake my two pies for Christmas lunch. I will bake one pumpkin and one pecan. I will need to be at Leslie's at 9:00 in the morning. I need to find a box to pack my gifts up in.

Merry Christmas to all!

Vacation Friday

I will not work today. I worked Monday so I would not lose a day of work. I'm not sure what I will do. It's very cold and if I go anywhere I will have to put Slinky in the garage. He will hate that. He woke me up every half hour after 2:00 this morning. I don't know what his problem was but if he keeps that up I will be exhausted all the time. I will probably need a nap ths afternoon.

Yesterday after work I went with Leslie to Bartlesville to buy the ingredients for her Christmas dinner on Sunday. Wal Mart did not have all those exotic ingredients she needs. She spent $120.00 and that did not include her ham. Wow! I hope it will be worth the cost.

She also bought my lunch. We stopped at Garfield's and had fish and chips. They have excellent fish and chips. They are not a bit greasy. She has all next week off. She suggests we go back to Bartlesville on Monday to see "Sherlock Holmes". The movie is on there. We may do that if she doesn't change her mind.

As we stopped for gas in Dewey, it began to snow. It snowed harder and harder as we drove home but the ground was too warm for it to stick so we got no snow. That's good because my little car probably couldn't make it out there in the snow. I had met her at Tyro so I drove home after it began to get dark. Slinky heard the car come into the garage and started barking to get in the kitchen.

I had a good time and a good visit with Leslie....some quality time that's hard to come by anymore. Her job is so demanding.

Both Keith and Scott called yesterday too. That was neat! Scott will be coming home on leave in January. He will be in the states from January 23rd until February 3rd. He will be with Becky most of that time but she will bring him to come see the family and me on Sunday for church and dinner afterward.

I may call Bob A. later and see if he would like to go to Cherryvale to Just Us for lunch today.

Updated note:

We did that and had a good lunch and visit. We will meet for breakfast tomorrow and then I will go visit Phyllis.

Friends Again

After Slinky chased Missy off his bed Tuesday, she was afraid of him. She had been just showing herself anyhow. Good natured Slinky had tolerated her crowding him on his own bed but Tuesday was just too much. She hissed and spit at him and he came unglued and growled and barked at her as he chased her off HIS bed.

Today, he is his old good natured self. She very gingerly approached him about space on his bed and he gently moved over a bit to allow her some. No problem. I hope it will be awhile before she gets nasty with him again.

Yesterday after work I went to Independence to get my hair done. Today I will go with Leslie to Bartlesville while she shops for some special groceries for her Christmas dinner. It's always a special treat to get to go with her anywhere...and anymore, with her demanding job, the opportunities are few and far between.

I called her yesterday at her lunch time in hopes of getting to have lunch with her but they were swamped and she was eating at her desk. So I went to the Railroad Inn by myself and read my kindle while I ate my lunch. It was a beautiful day. I wonder how many more beautiful days we will have before winter sets in. Yesterday was the first day of winter. Brrr.

By the way, Bob and I set four mouse traps at church. The first day we caught no mice but they got the bait anyhow. We reset them. Yesterday I stopped and we had caught two mice. I left the other traps set. We may have even more. When Karan and Leslie brought in the Christmas decorations from the shed, they also brought in some mice. I hope those two were all but I will continue to set those traps until I'm sure of that. I want them to leave the decorations in the unused classroom this year. Mice are really nasty and we had not had a problem until this year.

My Wonderful Classmates!

I am part of the class of the Field Kindley Memorial High School class of 1953, a most generous group of people. Right after graduation, one of our classmates named Dean started a newsletter and sent it to everyone in the class...at the time 283 of us. He kept it up for ten years and then a woman named Norma took it over from him for several years. Later another woman named Shirley took it over for some years. In the late 1900's, they asked me to take it because I was computer literate. I have done it ever since.

For many years they each sent me a Christmas card with their news. Nowadays the 83 who have computers and are online send me e-mails with their news. Everyone notifies me of changes of address and e-mails and always send me their news. I have one classmate man who watches the obits with me and then I notify the ones online of our losses. Those who are not online will learn of our losses when they get the newsletter. Every Christmastime, right after Christmas, I send out 188 newsletters and this year 105 will go by snail mail and 83 by e-mail. Of the original class, 95 are already deceased.

Where does the money come from? I let the classmates know we need the money and the money rolls in. We have several who are wealthy or well to do and they evidently think nothing of sending the needed money. It was Dean and Donna this time. If they send more then we need, I will give it to the class treasurer for the next class reunion. Every five years anymore we have a reunion. Those of us who live in the hometown (at least a dozen or so of us, at least) plan the reunion, a get together, a banquet and some special events.

This time the treasurer sent me word that we did not have the money for the newsletter. She suggested I send it out by e-mail only. That meant 105 classmates would not get the news. I mentioned that to the classmates and I have $300 coming right away. I will send out 83 by e-mail but the 105 without e-mail will get one too. Thanks to the generousity of those classmates.

Isn't that wonderful?

What a lovely Christmas gift for the class.

Another Wednesday

Back to work today. I didn't sleep well last night at all. Slinky woke me up several times and I could not get back to sleep. So even though I went to bed at 8:30, I did not get much sleep. Maybe I can catch a nap this afternoon after my hair appointment.

If it doesn't warm up today, I will have to put Slinky in the garage. We will see. I don't leave for work until 7:30. If he has to go in the garage, I will come home after noon and let him out to pee before leaving for Independence.

I read yesterday afternoon and worked on my class newsletter while he and Missy were in the kitchen. I have been working on one of my new books. I'm not particularly impressed with it. It's a little raw. The name of the book is "Right as Rain".

I have several others to read so I may just give it up.

More later...

I went to Independence, ate lunch while reading my kindle and went to the beauty shop. Afterward I ran by the Dairy Queen and got a coke and drank it on the way home.

I've been back to working on the class newsletter this afternoon. Three more days and I will start sending it out to those online. I will take it to the printer for the 105 I need done there. Then I'll buy my envelopes and stamps and get it in the mail after it's finished.

Cake Tuesday

Slinky snapped at Missy this morning. He was willing to share his bed with Missy but she spit and hissed at him and he finally just lost it. He growled and barked at her and rushed at her and scared her half to death. She jumped over the barrier and stayed away from him from then on. She got what she had coming to her. She's lucky he didn't hurt her.

We had set mouse traps at church to catch that little mouse that came in with the Christmas decorations. On our way to Independence, we stopped to check the traps. the little fellow had stolen the cheese and peanut butter off the traps without setting the trap off. We reset the traps in hopes that we will get him this time.

Our congregation made cakes today for the dinners being served at the First Christian Church in Independence. Bob A. and I took them to Independence and then we went to Wal Mart and did some shopping before going to Big Cheese and having lunch. Afterward we picked up the Bible that Karen B. left at our church on Sunday. We took it by her house but she wasn't home so we left it at her landlady's home.

Then we came back and I took him home.

I gave him two pieces of my blackberry pie.

Then I came home and ate a piece myself. I spent the afternoon with Slinky in the kitchen. He likes the Christmas music and generally sleeps through it. It's getting cold now and he will be sleeping in the kitchen.

Ruminating About Health Matters

I have been working on my class newsletter this last week or two...in my spare time. We have 83 class members online and 105 that are not. I have the local office supply store print the newsletter off each year and fold it for mailing then I stuff the envelopes, put stamps on them, sort them and get them mailed. I do this right after Christmas and have for fifteen years. Before I took it over, three other classmates in order had the job.

Last night I heard from the wife of a classmate whose husband has had a horrendous experience with the medical community. I wish I had the space to share their experience here but I don't. Every time I hear of one of these medical catastrophe experiences, I am grateful for my good health and hope when my time comes, I just die quietly in my sleep. My experiences with doctors and hospitals has not been good. In the past year two of my friends have lost their husbands from infections they picked up in the hospital. And there is my own experience in trying to get Bob's problem diagnosed over a six month period, only to finally discover his cancer after it had spread over his entire lymph system. The worst part of that experience was just trying to get it biopsied. The surgeon we went to declined to do the biopsy because of Bob's diabetes...he said. Then he told our family physician that we had declined to have it done....an out and out lie.

Right now, at least by next week, I am without a physician. My doctor is giving up her practice to work at the Cherokee Clinic thirty miles south of here. I really want a woman doctor but there aren't many around here. Luckily, at this time at least, I am pretty healthy....but at 76 that can't last forever.

I stayed with the doctor that delivered my last two children for forty years until he retired. Then I changed to the doctor I have had now for the past ten years. I only see her at her practice once or twice a year but that's because I have been healthy and my philosophy about doctors and hospitals is we are healthier if we stay away from them as much as possible.

And I never...repeat...never..want anyone to put me in a nursing home. I told my daughter that and she said, "sometimes there are extenuating circumstances, Mom." That's scarey! My Great Aunt Margie lived to be 104 and finally died in a nursing home. My family usually is long lived. And mostly they have lived in their own homes. My mother was the exception. She was a heavy smoker and died of COPD at 68 in a hospital. And, of course, my only sister is suffering from Altzheimers Disease and lives in a nursing home in a special unit for dementia patients.

But the situation is a concern. If I should really need a doctor, I have no idea where I would go.

A Working Monday

I will work today because we will not be working on Friday. I will bake my two cakes this afternoon or tomorrow morning and take them to Independence later in the morning tomorrow. Bob A. will help me and then we will eat lunch at Big Cheese.

This will be a big day at work. After I finish filing, I will go back to working across the hall and moving the 2000 LM files into boxes for shredding and moving all the 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 files forward on the shelves. That will take some time. Then, I will move 2006 across the hall where these older files are. Then finally, I will move 2007, 2008 and 2009 forward in the files on the office side of the office in their proper order. The last file clerk has them all out of order. It's a huge job. I am usually exhausted after all that. This will take a couple of weeks...maybe longer.

Wednesday is my hair appointment in Independence. I will go up right after work and pick up Juanita for lunch. We will go to Pizza Hut. That's near her home and my hair appointment is at 1:30. So we will only have an hour. I am taking her Christmas gift to her too.

Then I will work Thursday and be off on Friday. I will clean house on Friday. I will bake my pies on Saturday. I have kept this week fairly free until Christmas on Sunday.

If we are off on the following Friday for New Year's Day, I will work next Tuesday. I have to make up my time lost or lose the money and I need the money.

More later in the day...

After I filed for an hour and a half, I began moving files from one six shelf unit to another. I packed up all 2000 files for destruction. Then I moved each year (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) each one shelf unit west so I can bring the 2006 files over from the office to the storage area on the other side of the courtroom. I got it all done today except for moving the 2006 files across the courthouse to the storage room. I'll do that Thursday morning...or at least begin it. I'll have to pack them into file boxes and then take them over one by one on a moving truck. That kind of exercise should be good for me at 76.

Then I will move the 2007 files to the unit that had formerly held the 2006 files, the 2008 files will be moved to the former 2007 area and the 2009 files will go into the unit where the 2008 files had been. That ought to keep me busy for awhile.

When I got home I baked my two cakes and when they cooled I iced them. I picked up Bob A. and we went out to church to set some mouse traps. Evidently when Leslie and Karan brought the Christmas decorations in from the shed, they also brought in at least one mouse. I set four traps and hope to eliminate the little fellow this week.

Big Sunday!

I will bake my beans this morning and put them in an insulated bag so they will stay warm for today's dinner at church. I baked my pie yesterday morning.

We have our Christmas service this morning and a dinner afterward. We have invited guests to the dinner. In the afternoon, after I get my letters done, I will attend Jerry's retirement party and then this evening will go to Bredesen's for the Living the Questions group.

It will be a big day.

More later...

I got my beans baked and also wrapped the gift for Sage and got it ready for mailing tomorrow. I also addressed the special Christmas cards I got for my children and got them out on the mailbox for mailing too.

Slinky is out on the patio. It's been in and out...in and out all morning. He is out now for good.

I will have a lot of stuff to put in Bob's car when he comes. There's my beans, the candy and the pie. Then I will also take my purse, of course.

Later...

We had a nice crowd and most stayed for the dinner afterward. Most also brought food so we had plenty. I came home with two thirds of my blackberry pie and most of my peanut clusters and some of my baked beans.

I will take the peanut clusters and pie to Bredesen's tonight. Maybe they can eat it up.

I did get over to Jerry's retirement party and there were many people there. I stayed about 40 minutes said my farewell's to Jerry and left. I did get a short letter out to those members online. I still have to print off those that go in the snail mail.

Saturday Again

I had breakfast this morning with my brother-in-law again. It's becoming a Saturday tradition. As soon as I get my pie out of the oven I will go visit my sister. The pie is for our holiday dinner at church tomorrow.

My brother-in-law has gone to a neighborhood open house at Jack and Marilyn's. He is to call when he gets back from that and we will go to Joplin to look for an appropriate book for my great granddaughter and a gift for my sister. That's all I need to complete my Christmas shopping.

I went to see Phyllis but she was sleeping and did not wake up. Then I went to see Gerry. I visited with her about 20 minutes.

More later...

Around mid day, Bob A. came by and we went to Joplin to try to find a book for my great granddaughter, Sage. We shopped a huge bookstore just outside the mall area. I found just waht I was looking for and bought two. I will get them in the mail tomorrow. Leslie found the address I needed.

Bob and I then went over to the mall where he found a sweater and bought it and I got three special Christmas cards for my kids. I will get them in the mail too. Later we stopped mid afternoon and ate at the Olive Garden. It was a pretty day and we enjoyed getting out of town. We got home after 5:00 and he dropped me off so I could feed my animals, take a hot bath and watch TV. I kept falling asleep in the recliner so finally just went on to bed.

Friday At Last

I'm so glad it's Friday. This cold has worn me out. The Benadryle has helped me to sleep well and to get back to sleep after Slinky has woke me up. But I don't believe I can take it indefinatly. I'll have to get the bottle and read it. Not supposed to take more then six doses in 24 hours. I don't believe I have taken six in 24 hours.

I am to stay for a lunch at work today. I will take my peanut clusters.

Saturday is clear so far. Bob and I will have breakfast and then I will go see Phyllis and perhaps Gerry. The rest of the day is free. That will be good for a change because Sunday is going to be a zoo. After church we will have our holiday dinner and after that there is the Open House retirement party for Jerry Adinolfi who is retiring as the vector of our Episcopal Church here. That same evening, I have Living the Questions group at Bredesens. So Sunday will be a huge day.

I will need to work on Monday to make up for the loss of next Friday for the Christmas holiday. Tuesday I will be taking the cakes to Independence to the Christian Church. My life just gets busier and busier.

Busy Thursday

This will be a fairly busy day. I will work this morning and then go to Independence to get my hair done at 3:00. Later I will come home and make baked beans for the CMA dinner tonight at Trinity United Methodist Church.

My cold seems to have broken after two days. I am a firm believer in Coldese. The lozenges seem to work for me.

I went to PINCH last night. There were about ten there. Marilyn and Jack had a prior committment. They are planning the Martin Luther King service for January 14th. I have stepped back from too much involvment. This was Bob's organization and I just stepped into his place after he died. I really have no passion for the organization. I will probably drop out eventually. I am way too busy as it is.

I noticed this morning that the motor seems to have died on my garbage disposer. The blades broke off last year so it's nothing lost. It must be an antique.

More later...

Well, the cold is better I am sure. I still have it but it's nothing like yesterday and Monday.

I did quite a bit of work this morning then stopped by Bob's before I came home. He had baked banana nut bread and gave me half the loaf. I was tickled. Then I took off for Independence and ate lunch at Big Cheese while I read my book. I got the ingredients for my chocolate peanut clusters at Wal Mart there and stopped at their Orchelon's store and bought dog food again and then went on to the beauty shop where she washed my oily hair and made me look almost presentable. When I got home I put away the groceries and started the peanut clusters. I intend to take them to the office party tomorrow if they set up.

Both boys called me at work today. Keith had seen the obit of one of his Caney friends and Scott wanted to tell me he had broken up with his girlfriend again. I'm not holding my breath. They have broken up numerous times.

Back to Work

It's back to work today. I have done about all the damage I can do to my week. And on top of everything else, I have developed a cold....one of the first in recent history.

I will meet Bob A. this morning before work and have breakfast at Eggberts. All I had last night was a small carton of yogurt and that and a few small cookies was all I had all day.

Slinky has been in all night...woke me up a few times but the Benedril saved me. I went back to sleep. It kept my nose from running. I am out of Coldease and will try to find some at the dollar store. I usually start taking it right away. I only had six left in the package and I took those yesterday. After his breakfast, Slinky wanted to be outside. So he is out there on the chaise lounge now. It is time for me to leave for breakfast so I will add to this later in the day. I have nothing else to do today.

More later...

I met Bob for breakfast this morning and then went on to work. I have a terrible cold and I fought my nose all morning. When I got home and ate a sandwich, I went out to Wal Mart to get some more cold ease. That stuff really helps me. I will also take another benedril.

When I got out to Wal Mart, I ran onto Bob. He was looking for the children's liquid benedril. He had to settle for something else.

Tonight I will watch Harry's Law at 8:00. My PINCH meeting is at 5:30 at the Presbyterian Church. I should be back well before then.

O.K. It's Tuesday

Today should be very busy. Bob A. will do his stress test this morning..complete with treadmill. That will take three hours they say. He's to be there at 6:30. If they get to him at 7:00, he should be finished by 10:00. We'll see. Hospitals and doctors are notoriously slow. They think the patient has all the time in the world.

This morning I will go to the bank to get some cash, run by the doctor's office lab for my blood work, and take these dolls by Karans for delivery to Salvation Army on Thursday. If I have time I will go by the dollar store and pick up a few things and also by Brahm's for milk. He is to come by at noon and pick me up for our trip to Bartlesville. I am taking my kindle so I can read while he is in there.

I hope this all goes like clockwork. It all depends on our hospital getting him out by noon.

More later...

He got out in plenty of time. He came by here to pick me up about noon and we went ahead and went down to Bartlesville, hoping he could get in early. That didn't happen however. They were an hour late taking him in and another hour before they got to him. Evidently they were swamped trying to get everyone done before the holiday. After they were finished, the doctor came in and talked to me. he had talked to Bob before they put him under. Dr. Vasadavin does NOT believe surgery is the answer. For one thing, he does not believe the drainage is coming from his stomach. He believes it is from his sinus. He had done those surgeries himself for years and decided they were causing more problems they they solved. He stopped doing them six years ago. Now he treats the problem with drugs. There is a new drug that works well that comes out of Canada. He gave Bob a prescription for it and said he would have to order it either by telephone or on the internet. He also wants him to lose some weight and take Benadril before bed.

That will be difficult at his age. He is 77. He has a rather large stomach but is otherwise a smaller person...5 foot 7 or so.

He stayed here for an hour or so for the effects of the anesthetic to wear off but then wanted to drive on home and he did. When he got there he called to tell me he had arrived there just fine.

Monday At Last

I finally will see Dr. Eslicker today and get this basal cell off my chin. Not that I'm worried about it but I just want to get it over with. I have nothing planned for this afternoon so I'm just going to clean house. Lord only knows it needs it. I am doing a load of laundry right now and that's all the laundry I have.

But the house is truly dirty. The kitchen floor is a real mess. Slinky makes such a mess dragging in leaves and dirt from the yard. I will wash and wax it. It won't do any good because he will track it up again but at least I'll get one layer off. Then the carpets need to be vacuumed all over the house. Let's face it...it's dirty.

I need to renew my thyroid med today and make an appointment to get my blood work done tomorrow morning. That's one thing Melissa wants me to get done before I lose her as a doctor. I still haven't decided who I will go to when I need a doctor. No doctor will make much money off me. I only go about once a year... if then.

I was queesey last night and also in the night when I got up to let Slinky out. I ate too many rich cookies at the cookie exchange last night. I took two tums before I went to bed and two more in the middle of the night. I'm fine now.

More later after I get home from Bartlesville.

Well he got that basal cell removed from my chin and wants to see me in three months to check it out.

After I finished there I went downtown and checked out the gift shops. Then I went to the mall and bought some PJ's and some socks. Then I came on back home. I forgot to pick up my prescription so will have to get it in the morning. Luckily I still have one pill.

I cleaned house when I got home. I did the kitchen floor, washed it and waxed it and blew off the patio and the porch too so Slinky would not drag those leaves into the kitchen. It looks so much better. I vacuumed all the rooms and will do the bathrooms tomorrow and dust. It's supposed to rain tonight.

I tried to call Bob A. several times this afternoon and there was no answer. I even tried his cell this evening and it went straight to voice mail. I hope everything is all right.

Apdate:

He had spent the afternoon at the hospital having tests and didn't get away until 5:00. I was up to the pharmacy getting my prescription picked up when he called me and I ran by his house so he could tell me all about it.

He will have his stress test today and after that he will come by and we will go to Bartlesville for his EGD test for his esophagus. I will drive him to my home and he will stay here until the effects of the IV wear off and can drive himself on home safely. He only lives about a mile from me. It will be a busy day for both is us.

Strange Sunday

I went up to the hospital at 7:00 and Dr. Balson was ready to release Bob but his Dr., Dr. Allen, wanted to wait and do it himself. Dr. Allen got there about 10:15 and Bob called me at Sunday School and asked me to come get him. They were doing his paperwork. I got there about 10:30 and he was all dressed except for his shirts. They still had the EKG hooked up and the IV still in. I waited another 20 miniutes and then went to the desk and asked them if there was someone who could get those off him so he could finish dressing. Soon they sent a nurse down and she did it. He finished dressing and we waited...and waited...and waited. Finally at 11:15 I went back to the desk and asked if there was some paperwork he needed to sign to get out. They agreed he did and said the nurse was getting it ready at that time. About 11:36 she finally showed up with the paperwork. I got him home about 11:45, We met the kids and Phyllis F. for lunch at an Italian restaurant. I had figured they were going to hold Bob at the hospital until noon and then charge Medicare for another day.

I came home and got my letters done and then went to Windsor Place for the support group meeting. We arrived at 2:30 and we left about 3:45 and Bob picked me up at home before leaving for the cookie exchange. We had a good time and got a lot of different cookies to bring home. I put mine in the cookie jar.

Then I let Slinky in the house and fed him and Missy. He is asleep now. I took my bath and put my PJ's on and I have my laptop computer on my lap (along with Missy) and am watching 60 Minutes.

What a day!

Tomorrow I am going to go alone to Bartlesville to get this basal cell carcinoma taken off. Bob A. is to get an appointment with the heart doctor for tomorrow. Then Tuesday morning he is to have a stress test and that afternoon his BGD test. I will take him for that test and bring him home here until his head clears. If all that gets done by 5:00, I will go to the library board meeting. If not, I have already told Jennifer I may not be there.

Changed Saturday

Everything changed at 7:10 this morning. My brother-in-law called then and said, "Margie, can you come over?" I said I'd be right over and put Slinky in the garage and went over to his house.

He was sitting in his recliner looking kind of wane. He had been having chest pains for an hour and now his chin and jaw were hurting. I suggested we go to the emergency room and he didn't argue with me. I dropped him off at the door there and parked the car.

I got him checked in while they started an IV treatment. He immediately brighten up. His heart rate was 120 and he was having atrial fibulation. His body corrected that right away. They entered him into the hospital for an overnight stay. I stayed all day and came home about 5:30. I will go back in the morning at 7:00 so I can be there when the doctor makes rounds. If he doesn't have another episode tonight, they will release him in the morning. They will give him a different blood pressure med with an ingredient to prevent the fibulation.

I came home, took a bath and am watching TV. My daughter just called and checked on him. I brought her up to date.

I will bake my cookies in the morning before I go to the hospital.

Busy Saturday

Today I will go eat breakfast with Bob A. at Eggberts and then afterward go out to Leslie's to help her clean house. After that, I will come home and bake cookies for her cookie exchange party tomorrow afternoon.

That should be fun. She has her house decorated to the max. If I can remember, I will take my camera and take some photos to post here. I need to get some more AA batteries. These in the camera are quite old and may not work.

Next week will be very busy...busier then usual. I have that doctor's appointment on Monday where he will scrape and burn that basal cell on my chin. Then Tuesday I will take Bob A. down to his doctor's appointment. I forget the name of the test but they will put a tube down his throat and examine the damage done by his acid reflux disease. He will be out of it afterward for several hours. He will come home with me until he wakes up completely and can drive on over to his house.

Tuesday evening, if I get home in time and he recovers in time, I will go to the library board meeting at 5:00.

Thursday at 3:00 I have another hair appointment and at 6:00 is the CMA Christmas dinner. I will fix some baked beans for it. They are having ham.

So far, I have nothing on Friday except my work.

Saturday is also free but Sunday evening I have the Living the Questions group at Bredesens. I need to get the DVD from Karan. I left it there last week.

Friday At Last!

I will take my car up to Gary's at 7:30. Bob A. called last evening and he will meet me there and take me to work. I will suggest that we go over to Cherryvale to Just Us for lunch after I pick the car up. He may not want to do that but I will ask. I do have a couple of TV dinners in the freezer.

Leslie called last night to see if I wanted to go to dinner with her and John but I really was just too tired. I had taken a coupon up to Arby's mid afternoon and ate their chicken pieces, curley fries and a small drink so really wasn't all that hungry.

Slinky slept through the night last night until 4:00 this morning. I let him out to pee and then back in and back to his bed. Missy, on the other hand woke me up at 3:30, wanting outside. Animals!

Saturday after breakfast with Bob A., I will go out to Leslie's and help her clean house for the cookie exchange on Sunday evening. Saturday afternoon I will bake my cookies. Bob A. and I will ride out to the cookie exchange together Sunday afternoon. Leslie has her hands full this week. She has that cookie exchange party after having the sermon on Sunday morning.

More later about the results of the examination of my car. ....

Oh my! The bill came to $190. I had to transfer some more money from my small savings. My house insurance comes due in January too. The four spark plugs came to $36.30, the air filter was 12.84 and the cabin filters were 25.18. The rest was labor. The plugs were in bad shape and the air filters, all three of them were deplorable. I never saw such filth. It was piled up on top of those filters an inch deep and looked like hay and straw. I doubt they had ever been changed in the 11 years since the car was new and not in the eight years I've had it. I have always trusted that those who changed my oil checked those things too. They have charged enough. Most of my oil changes are close to $40.00.

I took it to the Honda agency in Bartlesville last time and afterward asked if they had checked the cabin filter. The associate looked at his computer and plainly said "this car doesn't have them." That's the first and last time I take it there. I will probably take it back to Gary next time. At least I know he and Brandon check it over carefully.

I got my AT & T bill today and they raised my local telephone rate $5.00 a month. I will talk to Leslie about cancelling my local telephone too. I had already cancelled my long distance a couple of years ago. I have my cell phone which she pays for on her family plan. It's always something.

Bob and I went over to Cherryvale to Just Us for lunch and had a good lunch there. We do that about once a month....sometimes twice. We both really enjoy the home cooked taste of the food. The dessert is included for a total of a flat $10.00.

We will also have breakfast tomorrow at Eggberts.

Thursday...A Hair Day!

After work this morning I will go to Independence to get my hair done. I washed it last night. I just couldn't stand it anymore. She will undoubtedly re-wash it but at least it's clean now for work.

I just called Bob A. His eye finally stopped hurting last night and this morning it doesn't hurt at all. That was a real mystery. It was really bad pain. If it was back this morning I was going to suggest he go see Dr. Ruttley, the Opthamoligist here in town. I'm glad he's o.k today though. He is going to Independence at noon for his caregiver's support group at Big Cheese. I will be going up at 3:00 for my 3:30 hair appointment.

Tomorrow I will need to remind Bob that I need him to take me to work after I leave my car at Gary's. It hasn't given me any more problems starting but I need to get it checked out before the dead of winter. If it's going to be a problem it will be a problem in either the cold of winter or the heat of summer.

I will contact Leslie this morning sometime and ask her if she would like me to come up after work tomorrow and clean her house. She is having her cookie exchange on Sunday afternoon and she wants it to be clean. I could also go help her on Saturday if she'd like.

Work Wednesday

This will be another work day and I will have to put Slinky in the garage. It is 18 degrees out there and he would freeze. The garage stays much warmer since the hot water tank is in there. He will not like that! He hates the garage. But I have no alternative. I was not working in past winters and in terribly cold weather so he was able to stay in the kitchen. I have nothing else planned for today. I only hope my car will start this morning. Friday I will take it in to Gary's at 8:00 and Bob A. will take me to to work and pick me up afterward.

And I have another problem. The back door dead bolt will no longer close. The front door did the same thing and last summer I had to dig out the area where the lock enters and move the latch up to get it to lock again. It looks like I may have to do the same thing with the back door. My guess is the house has shifted with the changes in the weather. It was working fine until Monday.

Tomorrow at 3:30 I have a hair appointment. I should have washed it today but was too lazy to do so. Besides, I'm having it done tomorrow. I look almost human when Carol finishes with it. It just looks clean when I wash it myself. I have no clue what to do with my hair. The only time I tried to use the curling iron on it, I ended up burning myself.

I haven't heard anything out of my youngest son in several days. I hope things are going alright with him. Keith called day before yesterday. And, of course, I saw Leslie at church on Sunday.

More later...

Scott (younger son) called me after he read this blog. That was nice.

Slinky wanted to go outside in that 18 degree weather and so I went on to work and left him out. It got up to 47 degrees before I got home and he did not come back into the house until 4:30 this evening.

He is sleeping in the kitchen right now and it is 6:30 in the evening. I don't know what I will do with him when it gets even colder. I guess I will force him to go into the garage.

Bob A. called me at work to ask if I wanted to eat lunch with him at Eggberts and I did. He had been struggling all morning with pain in his right eye. After we ate we went into the Urgent Care and the PA there numbed it and washed it out thoroughly.

The numbing wore off in about 15 minutes and the pain returned. Finally he put an ice pack on it and took an ibuprofin. Finally about 5:00, the pain stopped. I told him if it returns he needs to go see an opthamologist tomorrow. I would take off work and take him to Bartlesville if he needs to go. We don't fool around with our eyes. We only get one set. I will call him in the morning.

Busy Tuesday

This will be a fairly busy day. In a few moments I will need to bake my two cakes for the dinner tonight at Independence's First Christian Church. I have Phyllis F's cake already and Cyndi will be bringing hers later this morning. Karan will bring hers today too.

I probably need to remind her. She gets so busy she forgets a lot of things.

I hope Bob A. will go with me and help me carry them in. Then perhaps afterward we will eat at Big Cheese.

He learned yesterday at the doctor's office that using Prilosac is just a stop gap treatment and will not "fix" his problem. Meds will not do anything permanent. They have stopped working in his case and he is often sick after eating. He really needs the surgery. The valve that is supposed to close to keep food from coming back up..is no longer there so there is nothing to stop him from the constant reflux. Dr. Sandhu will take a stitch or two in that opening where the valve is supposed to be and that will create a valve and allow it to close once again.

He went to Bartlesville to do the paperwork in preparation for another test to have a look at that area in his esophogus and see how bad it is. He has an appointment on the 13th to get that done. I will drive him back afterward. I have an appointment in Bartlesville too on the 12th. Dr. Eslicker is going to scrape and cauterize the place on my chin where I have a basal cell carcinoma. So we will be in Bartlesville next week two days in a row.

Well, I had better get those cakes baked. Perhaps more later...

I went to start my car after I got the cakes out of the oven and it just about didn't start. Finally, it turned over just enough for me to give it a little gas and it took hold. I went up to Gary's Automative and had Brandon check the battery. The battery was fine (it was only two years old). He said sometimes these older Hondas do that. The car is a 2001 vehicle and has 153,000 miles on it. He suggested I should start by having the plugs checked. I don't recall the last time I had anything done with them. So I have an appointment to take the car in to have them checked on Friday. Then I went on to visit Phyllis at Windsor Place. Bob A. will take me to work on Friday and I will leave the car with Gary's. I have no idea what that will cost. It certainly isn't in my budget.

We did take the cakes to Independence later and we did eat at Big Cheese.

I came home and cleaned my bathrooms and read the rest of the afternoon.

Ah Monday!

It's Monday...thank goodness. This will be a fairly quiet day. I'm ready for one!

We had some excitement last night after the Living the Questions group. I stayed to help Karan clean up and while I was visiting with Bobby and her, suddenly she said "Bobby, turn off that lamp..it's smoking!" He turned to look at the lamp and turn it off and at the same time she turned and he then looked at a reflection in the glass doors next to the lamp and there was a fire on the desk! We ran over to the desk where she had had a candle burning all evening. It had burned down to the candle ring and caught the scarf on fire. Bobby ran over to try to smother it and I shouted, "Karan get water!" It quickly spread and I picked up a decoration next to the fire and Karan threw the first large cup of water on it and went to get another cup. About that time, the smoke alarm went off. We were about to get it out and when she threw the second cup on the fire and it finally went out. There was water everywhere though and Bobby's beautiful antique desktop was scorched. We got a roll of paper towels and worked on getting the water cleaned up off their laminated dining room floor and the desk for the next forty five minutes.

Bobby said, "thank goodness you stayed, Margie! If you hadn't been here, one of us would have been in the bedroom and the other in a shower." The house might have burned down and we might have died of smoke inhalation." That fire was quickly spreading. Later I got a sponge and cleaned the wall behind the desk that had been scorched. We were all very grateful that we got it out before there was any more damage.

I got home about 11:00.

I had Slinky in the garage. When I got home I let him out to pee and then wanted to get him back in the garage. He does not like the garage! It was 20 degrees outside but 40 degress in the garage. He did go in but he barked off and on all night.

I'm going to the doctor this morning with Bob A., my brother-in-law. He is having a consultation about surgery for his acid reflux. It is getting really bad. He had a CT scan last week and many other tests and they found that part of his stomach is now up above his diaphram. He has been pretty miserable the past couple of months. I suggested he should go to a gastroenterologist for the surgery and not use the GP surgeon. He has one in Bartlesville that does his colonoscopies each year. He wants to get a second opinion. I guess there are two ways to deal with that surgery. In the first method the surgeon stretches the stomach back down where it belongs and wraps the stomach around the esophagus. That requires a longer recuperation. In the second method, the stomach is stretched down even further and secured to some ligaments in the stomach area. He wants to learn which method this surgeon uses. The second is preferable. After the surgery, I want him to come over here to my second bedroom because I don't think he should be alone after the surgery. We will see. Slinky might be barking all night here while he is trying to get some rest.

Anyhow, that and my laundry and cleaning the bathrooms are all I have planned for today. I will bake my two cakes tomorrow morning and we will take them to Independence at 11:00 tomorrow. Perhaps we will eat at Big Cheese again afterward.

I am looking forward to being home tonight.

Sunday Again

I had a really good time yesterday evening. The Living Christmas Tree was really neat and the music was lovely. The fellowship of the folks from the bus from Trinity United Methodist Church was also great. The meal at Crackerbarrel was good and I sat with some folks I didn't know. It's always a good idea to get acquainted with someone new. It rained all afternoon and even into the evening and I had considered just staying home where it was dry and warm. Then I reconsidered that idea. I had paid for the trip and the performance and if I didn't go, I would not only lose my money but I would have just sat around all evening with nothing to do but read. I can read all winter. I decided to go on and go and I am so glad I did.

Today will be busy. Bob A. will be presiding and I will have Leslie help me serve the communion. I also have the sermon. It's the one published below on this blog.

Slinky stayed out last night. I had put him in the garage where it was relatively warm and went on to bed. The minute I went to bed, he started barking. So I got up and let him outside. It wasn't too cold so he climbed back up on the chaise and stayed outside. I got the first truly uninterupted sleep in ages and I slept until 6:00...amazing! It must have been the trip and the fact that my tummy was full. I don't usually eat dinner if I've had a good lunch. But yesterday I had a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and Slinky got half of that.

So this afternoon after lunch, I will do my letters and then fix my dessert for tonight's dinner over at Bobby and Karan's with the Living the Questions group. I want to go out to Wal Mart too and get some frozen rolls to take. I will have to put Slinky in the garage tonight. It's supposed to be very cold. In fact, tomorrow it's supposed to snow. We'll see.

Sunday's Sermon

The Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed
December 4th, 2011

I’d like to share with you this morning the scripture from Isaiah 40: 1 – 11 which is our scripture lesson for today’s service. This is a message of hope and truth.

Isaiah 40:1–11
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

The historical setting for this scripture is Babylon. It is addressed to the Jewish community in exile. The Babylonian exile, while economically more favorable to the Jewish community than staying in Israel, still threatened the community with cultural and religious assimilation.

At this time in history, the conquering of a people by another people meant that the tribal god of the conquered people was also conquered by the tribal god of the conquerors. The action meant the loss of their personal, cultural, political, and spiritual identity. They literally lost the center on which their lives turned. Sp the challenge before the prophet was threefold:

First he had to try to answer the question in the minds of the people: Is God still God?

Second: with the loss of the temple and kingship, do the people of God still exist as a people?

And Third and last of all: Does God still care for the people?

The prophet’s answer to all these questions was a resounding, “Yes!”

It is still “yes!” to us today. Not only does God care for each of us, but God laments when we turn away from the still small voice that attempts to lead us into the better life.

There is great hope offered the people here by the prophet. They had lost all hope. They thought their God had been conquered and was no longer the God of their tribe. The apex of the scripture comes in verse 40:9 with the proclamation: “Here is your God!” God is great. God still loves the people. God is honoring the covenant made with Jacob and David. God cares about you. God is here in the midst of our chaos and our most terrible circumstances. “Here is your God!” the prophet says. There is hope. And the hope of the Advent season is symbolized this morning in the commemoration of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. At the Lord’s Table we are reminded of God’s saving role in our own lives. That saving role is not necessarily in an afterlife, it is actually for us in the present day…in this life. God wishes to save us from ourselves..our own bad choices and mistakes. God’s salvation is for us today. God’s grace covers our shattered lives. God is with us every single day..every moment. It is our responsibility to listen for his still small voice that attempts to guide us.

Many people find life so difficult that they give up hope of anything getting better. In knowing God is with us we find hope for our lives and because of that we receive the promise of God’s continuing presence with us. We see God’s work and God’s face in the works and faces of others in the loving community as they strive to serve the needs of others. And this morning as we partake of the emblems of the sacrament, God’s presence is once again revealed to us.

Central to this scripture is the age old question: Is God good? Is God great? The next central questions are: How has God shown involvement in our lives? Has there ever been a time when God has seemed absent from our life? If so, how did God return to us?

God is good because God is always with us. God is great because God continually works in our lives to help us make good decisions and to comfort us when all seems lost and we feel alone with our life dilemmas. We are not alone though. Not only do we have God’s Spirit with us at all times but we have one another in this special fellowship of love and support.

Sometimes God seems a long way away from us but it is not because God has moved. It is because we have moved away from God and stopped listening to God’s voice. We have withdrawn. That is truth. Truth, and our search for it, is also a part of the glory of the Lord. Sometimes truth seems elusive so how do we recognize truth when we find it? The Buddha told this story.

‎"A young widower, who loved his five year old son very much, was away on business when bandits came who burned down the whole village and took his son away. When the man returned, he saw the ruins and panicked. Then he took the burnt corpse of an infant to be his son and cried uncontrollably. He organized a cremation ceremony, collected the ashes and put them in a beautiful little bag which he always kept with him. Soon afterwards, his real son escaped from the bandits and found his way home. He arrived at his father's new cottage at midnight and knocked at the door. The father, still grieving asked: "Who is it?" The child answered, it is me, papa, open the door!" But in his agitated state of mind, convinced his son was dead, the father thought that some young boy was making fun of him. He shouted: "Go away" and continued to cry. After some time, the child left.
Father and son never saw each other again."

After this story, the Buddha said: "Sometime, somewhere, you take something to be the truth. If you cling to it so much, even when the truth comes in person and knocks on your door, you will not open it." Let us open our minds always for truth.

Let us be open to God.

As we prepare for the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper today, let us examine these questions for ourselves and attempt to answer them silently for our own lives.

God is with us in our worst moments and also in our best moments. If we recognize that, we will find the courage to face whatever may come our way in life. God is still God. God is the God of all people and God still cares deeply for us. That is truth and that truth gives us hope and assurance that “the glory of the Lord will be revealed”… to us.

Big Big Saturday

This will be another big day.

Last night I went to Tyro and met John and Leslie and they took me to Garfield's as planned. I had a nice small steak and it was very good. Afterward the crew had me stand up and sang happy birthday to me. Then we walked around the mall and the kids did some Christmas shopping. It rained on the way home and after we got to Tyro I drove myself on home in the rain. I had put Slinky in the garage on his pad and I just left him there and got a good night's sleep.

It's going to rain today so the book sale probably won't do much. But it's supposed to be in the 50's later on today so I will put Slinky outside for the afternoon while I am gone to Joplin to the Living Christmas Tree program and on into the evening. When I get home I will put him back in the garage to sleep. It stays fairly warm in the garage. I have a 100 watt light bulb clipped to the water pipes that leads to my refigerator to keep them from freezing when it gets really cold.

Tomorrow will be church as usual. I am speaking tomorrow and it is communion Sunday too. We will probably eat out together afterward and then I will get my letters done before making my dessert for the dinner at Bobby and Karan's home before the Living the Questions group meets.

So it will be a full weekend.

What a Night!

My oldest son and his wife, Esther, sent me this beautiful basket of flowers for my birthday. It was delivered at my work today. Aren't they lovely?

My brother-inlaw popped over before I left for work and brought me a card and a loaf of pumpkin cranberry bread. I took it to work and shared it. They all loved it with their coffee.

What a night last night was!! And it wasn't all Slinky. It was one of those nights that began well. I went to bed at 9:00. I was sleeping like a baby and then at 11:30, Slinky woke me up to go out. I let him out and back in and he went back to bed. I lay there in bed and stewed about one thing and then another. Very unlike me. Then about 3:30, just as I finally got back to sleep, Slinky woke me again....and again...and again. From then on it was all downhill. I am wiped out this morning. Maybe a couple of cups of coffee will help. I hope so. I work this morning and then this evening John and Leslie are meeting me at Tyro at 5:30 and taking me to Garfield's in Bartlesville for dinner for my birthday.

The florist called yesterday afternoon to see if I was the Margie that worked at the district courthouse. I told her I was. They are delivering flowers to me there this morning. I'll bet that was Keith. It finally occured to me night before last that he was not asking the courthouse address out of sheer curiosity. That sweetheart!

I got an e-card from one of the women from church this morning and I received two kindle books from my friend, Bill. So I have reading material for awhile. Juanita gave me my birthday card when she met me for lunch on Tuesday. I have it setting on my server here in the dining room.

John and Lelsie are taking me to Garfield's this evening for dinner.

I got birthday wishes from the mother of my oldest great granddaughter and some photos too. That was a lovely surprise.

I hope to get a nap this afternoon.

Very Busy Thursday

I saw this photo posted on facebook today so I am sharing it here too. This is my younger son and his girlfriend. They had this photo and another one done for his birthday.

Today will be a zoo! I work this morning and leave about 11:15 for the ministerial alliance meeting. Yesterday afternoon, long after I turned in the reservations on Tuesday noon, another minister e-mailed me that he would be there. I e-mailed him back that he could certainly attend the meeting but that he should not count on lunch because he was a day late. This minister has done this before. When we have a buffet, that may work out but Assisted Living does a sit down lunch. That aggravates the life out of me. The last time he did that, he ate and one of our members who had reserved a meal, lost hers. Then last night..believe it or not, another minister's wife called about her husband. I had to tell her he may not be able to eat. I get so frustrated with these men...and it's always the men that do this.

I got my library board certification yesterday. I had to spend five hours (in two sessions) to watch a video and talk to Jennifer about my duties as a board member. She asked me to work the book sale this Saturday morning. I don't leave for Joplin until 1:00 so I agreed. After all, I am a board member. I should do something besides just attend meetings. But that will be another full day.

Tomorrow is my 76th birthday. The kids, John and Leslie are taking me to dinner. They are so good about things like that. I hope we can go to Tavern on the Plaza. I have only been there once or twice since Bob died and we used to go there once a week.

Bonnie, my supervisor at work, will be off the next two days. She is taking some vacation. I'm not sure if I will have plenty to do at work. I'll play it by ear.

Slinky stayed outside yesterday. He wanted out when I was ready to leave for work and it was sun shiney so I just let him out. I hope today works the same way. I will go to Independence after the meeting to get my hair done and cut. I should be plenty tired tonight. I hope I can get some sleep tonight. Slinky had me up four times last night.

Wednesday Again

Today I will work again. Afterward I will go to the library for my certification meeting at 2:00 and work there with Jennifer until 3:30.

I also need to get my time sheet signed and off in the mail to Aime. She is afraid the new mail schedules will make them too late if we wait until Thursday to send them in to her. Next week, I will need to job search again.

Slinky only woke me up only twice last night. So I got a good night's sleep. Missy didn't try to wake me up until 4:30. I ran her off. It was 20 degrees out there and I knew she wouldn't go out even after I got up to let her out.

Yesterday evening another minister contacted me to make a lunch reservation for him for Thursday's meeting. This month I couldn't do it. We are meeting at Windsor Place Assisted Living and they do not serve buffet style. They set the table and serve us individually. I called in the 15 reservations before I left for Independence yesterday and when I got home at 3:30 or so, I had two more reservations. So I called them and revised the number. Then last night that other minister e-mailed me. I had to tell him he could attend the meeting but could not have lunch because it was way too late to make his reservation. He has done this before when we meet at the other Windsor Place. They do serve buffet style and I have let him have my dinner rather then turn him down. I'm not going to do that Thursday because they will be serving us individually. I am supposed to make the reservations by noon on Tuesday before our meetings on Thursday.

I hope it has warmed up some before 7:30 when I leave for work. Otherwise, I will have to put Slinky in the garage.

Cold Tuesday

Today is another cold morning. Slinky and Missy spent the night inside. Slinky woke me up about four times last night wanting out. I always have to bawl him out when he decides he wants to be fed at 4:00 AM. I am not going to feed him at 4:00 AM! I make him wait until about 5:30 after I am dressed and ready for the day. Dogs! Cats are about as bad. I had just got warm and covered again when Missy decided she wanted out. She decided she didn't want out when she learned how cold it was outside...but I put her out anyhow. Any animal that wakes me to go out at 4:00 AM is going to go out!

Today I will go up to Independence and take Juanita to lunch. It's been awhile and she is 90 years old...anything can happen to any of us, of course, but at 90 years old, it's more likely to happen to her.

Tomorrow I will work and then have my library board certification meeting with Jennifer at 2:00 until 3:30. I hope it is warm enough for Slinky then.

Thursday I will leave work a little early to get to the ministerial alliance meeting in time to distribute the agenda and the minutes from last month. After the meeting, I will go to Independence to get my hair done. I got my appointment moved to 2:00 so I won't have to worry about being late.

Today is Scott's birthday! I won't say how old he is because he's a little sensitive about it and he sometimes reads this blog. Friday is my 76th birthday. The plan is for John and Leslie to take me to dinner. Saturday I will go with Bobby's church group on a bus trip to Joplin to see a Living Christmas Tree program.

That's my week!

I did go to lunch with Juanita and then she wanted me to take her to the bank so she could get the money to pay her taxes. I got home about 3:45. By the way, she bought my lunch for my coming birthday.

Even Colder Monday

This is an even colder day than yesterday! I dread winter. I really dislike winter. When it snows, I will have to dig myself out to go to work....if they don't close the office for snow. Kansas, at least this part of the state, does not have proper snow clearing equipment nor enough staff to get everyone cleared out so people can get out to go to work. Last year with our huge snows, offices just closed. I had just got my drive cleared and the snow plow came by and piled three feet of snow across my drive. I had to get back out and dig it out again.

Slinky definately stayed in the kitchen last night. Missy was in on my bed too. Slinky got me up six times in the night to let him out on one pretense or the other. Hopefully I can get a nap this afternoon.

Today I will do some cleaning here at home. Leslie e-mailed me that her house looked fine. After she finished her decorating, she cleaned as she went. She wants me to give it a good cleaning before her cookie exchange party on the 11th. I can do that.

My bathrooms need cleaning now and the kitchen needs a good cleaning too. It's just been hit and miss since Thanksgiving.

I have received two e-mail meal opportunities since my birthday month is approaching. Arby's sent me a coupon for a free shake with the purchnase of a sandwich. And Sirloin Stockade sent me my free buffet dinner (if Bob A. will go to be the paying buffet):).

Diana brought me a sweet Christmas gift from Wisconsin. It was a lot of real nice teas and hot chocolates. I love those things. That was so good of her.

Friday evening (my birthday) John and Leslie will take me to Tavern on the Plaza for dinner. Or we can go to Garfield's in Bartlesville. I dread getting out in the evening to go too far though because the deer are thick around here. I saw about twelve notices in the paper about folks who had hit deer on the roads.

More later...

Cold Sunday

It is cold today. The wind is fierce. Awhile ago, Slinky began to bark to come in. It has got colder as the day progressed.

We went to Sunday School and church today. Bob A. came by and picked me up, as usual. We had our Hanging of the Greens service. John and Leslie were in charge and it went well. We had guests again this Sunday. One man said he came because he follows my Minister's Messages in the newspaper. I told him to come back next week too because I would be speaking then. Hopefully he will. Leanne's mom came again and brought her sister. Leanne didn't come this week.

We ate at El Publieto and it had been awhile since we had eaten there. It was good, as usual. Then I came home and worked on my letters. I have them finished now and ready for tomorrow's mail.

Leslie informed me that she and John were taking me to Bartlesville on Friday to Garfield's..for my birthday. That's good of them. I like Garfield's.

I will go get some ice cream in a little while. That's what I will have for supper. Then I will just watch TV this evening.

Sinky came in awhile ago. He is pretty cold and it's getting colder. It will be in the 20's tonight and the rest of the week.

Busy Saturday

It turned out to be a busy Saturday after all. I met Bob A. for breakfast this morning at 7:30 and then after that I came home and started putting up my little Christmas tree and decorating my house. I stopped at 9:30 and went out to visit Phyllis. She was very sleepy. I kept telling her Diana was going to be coming out at lunchtime and she should get rested up so she could see Diana. After I left Phyllis I went to see Gerry but could not find her. She was not in her room or in the family room. They said she was walking the halls but I didn't see her anywhere. I left her a note and came on back home to finish my decorating. I got back home in time to go out to Wal Mart and try to get some more greenery.

The photos above are some of my work.

I also bought a couple of small soft dolls for the twin two year olds we have adopted at church to buy gifts for Christmas. I will buy some books for them later.

Friday After Thanksgiving

Today the only thing I have planned is to go to my daughter's and help her put up her 15 foot Christmas tree. I also want to visit with Diana, my niece, and her boyfriend, Tony from Wisconsin. I do not intend to go anywhere and shop on Black Friday.

I want to just rest on this day off. When I go back to work on Wednesday I will have to get my time sheet filled out and sent in to Aime. With the change in the mail, she wants to be sure we get paid on time. Instead of the mail going from here to Independence, it now goes to Wichita before coming back here to be delivered. It's ridiculous. If they raised postage on junk mail instead of first class mail each time, they would not be in this mess. They also need to pay their mail carrier and postmasters less.

My house is clean. So I don't need to clean on Monday. If she needs me to, I will clean Leslie's house on Monday.

Tuesday I will pick up Juanita for lunch. That is also Scott's birthday. I sent him a card but he may not get it on time. I didn't allow enough time.

Wednesday is my library certification meeting with Jennifer. It's from 2:00 till 3:30. I will work in the morning and have this library meeting in the afternoon.

Thursday is our Ministerial Alliance meeting. I will leave work at 11:15 to get there in time for the minutes and agenda to be distributed. After the meeting I have my hair appointment in Independence at 1:30.

Friday is my birthday. I don't know what I will do to celebrate.

Then Saturday I will catch that bus to the Living Christmas Tree program in Joplin. I have to meet the bus at 1:30, I think.

Thanksgiving

I had a rude awakening when I got my turkey out of the frig this morning. For the first time I noticed it was just a turkey breast. Rats! I wanted an eight pound bird and I like dark meat and this will be strictly white meat.

Oh well, I have my dressing ready to go into the oven and my green bean casserole too. I got the Waldorf salad done last night. I still have my potatoes to do and the rolls to put in at the last minute and I may make gravy yet. That white meat could be dry.

It's a nice day and luckily Slinky wanted to be outside. It's only 10:00 and the dressing and green bean casserole don't go in the oven until 11:00 or so. I'll put the potatoes on to boil about 11:00 or 11:15. Then I'll get the gravy going. I hope that meat is done by 11:00 or so. It's only eight pounds and it calls for 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 350 degrees.

Well, more later....

The dinner went off like clockwork. After everyone left I got the kitchen cleaned up. Later almost seven o'clock I took my bath. I am very tired. I did a lot of cleaning as I put things away. It is good to be alone again. There weren't many leftovers and I sent what there was home for John and Leslie. I gave Bob A. the salad. I had made way too much and had a full bowl of fruit salad covered in saran. He will have his family's Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow after his older daughter from Wisconsin arrives tonight. He'll get his fill of turkey or ham. They are having both. But at least he and his younger daughter and her family weren't alone on Thanksgiving.

Keith called just as I was about to take the rolls out of the oven. I talked to him briefly and then Leslie talked to him too. It was good to hear from him. Scott called this morning. He was very excited. Becky was on her way to spend a week with him. She was in Atlanta heading to Germany. All in all it was a good Thanksgiving.

Busy Yesterday

Yesterday was so busy I never got around to posting. I worked but had to find things to do. Faye did not work Monday afternoon so there was very little filing to do. I did what filing there was and then started working on Lynette's project. She wanted me to file a bunch of license suspensions. I made a drawer for them and then made alphabet dividers for them. When I finished that job, I had a pile of old files to file. I found them (unfiled) when I moved those files on Monday. That took awhile. Then I began making labels for old files.

After work, I picked up Bob A (I had put the cakes in my trunk the evening before) and we went to Independence to deliver them to the First Christian Church. Then we went over to Big Cheese and ate a mini pizza. Then I took him home.

I came back home and cleaned house. I will get my hair done after work today and while I'm in Independence, I will get the rest of my groceries. My niece and her husband and daughter will be eating with us tomorrow. Bob A. will come too so there will be seven of us. Denise's sister, my other niece from Wisconsin, will be here Friday after traveling all day Thursday and she and her boyfriend will cook Thanks giving dinner for them again on Friday.

This afternoon I will make my Waldorf salad and cover it and put it in the frig.
Tomorrow, I'll get the turkey in the oven about 8:00 and start mixing the dressing. It will go in when the turkey comes out to cool enough to be carved. The green bean casserole goes in then too. While those are baking, I will peel my potatoes and get them on to cook for mashed potatoes. I may make gravy but my son in law doesn't like gravy. I have dinner rolls to go in last. So we will have turkey, mashed potatoes. dressing, green bean casserole, Waldorf salad and dinner rolls. My daughter is bringing pie and whipped cream for dessert.

I went to bed fairly early. I was really tired.

Slinky slept in the kitchen last night and he woke me up at 2:30 to go out to pee. Then he woke me up again at 3:30. Seems he just wanted his breakfast. I bawled him out and told him to get back to bed. He slunk off for bed. Then Missy decided she wanted to go out. I got up again to let her out but she changed her mind after poking her nose out. In an hour, she changed her mind again and decided she wanted out. This time I insisted she go out. Then I went back to bed again. About 4:30, Slinky began barking for his breakfast. I ignored him. I got up twenty minutes later but made my bed, brushed my teeth, made up my face and dressed before coming into the kitchen to feed him.

He is lying here now with a full tummy (both his dog food and my oatmeal) sound sleep. At this rate, I wonder if I will outlive this dog and cat. Missy is almost nine and Slinky, an old Shar Pei, is almost 14.

A Very Busy Day

This has been a doozy of a day! I filed for an hour and a half and then I worked all the rest of the morning moving the divorce files from one room's file cabinet to the other room and a different file cabinet and finally got that part of the job finished. Then I relabeled the file cabinets so we now know what is really in each of them.

After I left work at noon, I went to the bank to get some cash for the week. After that I deposited the money from last night's worship service at a different bank and came home and wrote the check for the Genesis ministry and got it in the mail. Then I went to Dollar General, Braums and Country Mart and bought a few groceries. When I got home, I baked my two cakes and when they cooled I iced them. I have loaded them into my car's trunk now. Bob A. has bought a German chocolate cake and the others from Dennis, rural Independence and Neodesha will be bringing them to Independence themselves. We have twelve.

I heard from Sue today. She counted 53 shoeboxes for our Samaritan Child project. She did a wonderful job with that project. She asked if someone else could preside for her on December 4th. I asked Bob A. if he would do that and he agreed. I made up the bulletin for him so all he has to do is preside. I will ask Leslie to help me serve the communion that morning.

Karan just brought her cake. Phyllis F. came with hers just before Karan came. I have them all loaded into my truck now.

I did a dumb thing. I was carrying my laptop into the kitchen where Slinky was resting and stepped over my baracade between the dining room and the kitchen and caught my foot on the baracade and fell over it onto the kitchen floor on both my knees. The pain was excruiating for just a minute. But I recovered and didn't even drop the laptop. I held it up so it wouldn't hit the floor. My knees seem to be alright now. I will take a hot bath after awhile and hope for the best. I obviously did not break anything.

Bob will go with me to take the cakes up to Independence tomorrow. Then we will go to Big Cheese and have lunch. It's supposed to rain tonight and maybe even tomorrow so we may be taking those cakes in the rain.

He saw Phyllis today and he said she was in pretty good humor today and visited with him briefly. He patted her hand until she fell asleep. My poor sister.

A Monday Workday

I am going to work today and tomorrow to make up for losing Thursday and Friday this week. There will be plenty for me to do even if there is no filing. I still have to move all of the 2006 and possibly the 2007 divorce files into the file cabinet in the room next to the office. That will make room for 2012 in the front office files. Then there's all those files across the hall that must be moved over to make room for the LD files from the hall on this side right outside of the courtroom to make room for the 2009 LD files from the office. Those LD files from 2005 can be destroyed. What a huge job. But it's honest work so who cares?

I want to keep this week relatively free of anything other than Thanksgiving. I need to bake my two cakes this afteroon and if the cooks will be at the First Christian Church tomorrow, I will go with Bob A. after work to take them to Independence. We may eat at Big Cheese afterward.

Wednesday after work I have a hair appointment so that means another trip to Independence. Then Thursday morning, I start cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I need to put my turkey in the frig to thaw today. I need to get a birthday card for Christina, my granddaughter, today. Her birthday is Saturday. I will also need to go to the market and get my groceries.

Slinky finally calmed down last night after a spell of barking. He slept until 12:30am when he needed to go out to pee and then came right back in and went back to sleep. He slept until after 5:00am. He has had his dog food as well as his oatmeal this morning and is outside now at least for awhile. He may be able to stay out today. It's 38 degrees right now and it's supposed to get up to 47 degrees today. He needs to be outside as much as possible. He will have to spend the winter either in the garage while I am at work or in the kitchen when I am home. I wish I could afford to buy him an igloo to put on the patio but the large ones are $200.00 at Orchelon's and he is going into his 14th year next year. I don't know how long he will live after that so I hate to invest in an igloo. Missy, my cat, also slept inside last night on my bed and slept all night so I got a good night's sleep.

The services last night were good. Not my kind of services but still good. There was lots of praise singing and hand raising. The sermon was very good. I especially like Rev. Mark W. and he likes me. He calls me "mom". The attendance could have been better but it was a cold night. The offering came to well over $400. That goes to Genesis to help the poor with their utilities and rent. On the bright side, there were a lot of youth there. The First Church of the Nazarene has a small praise band and the pastor and his wife both have great singing voices so they led the singing along with another man who sings the harmony. She is a music teacher at the elementary school here. They live across the alley from me.