Saturday and Breakfast Out

At 7:20, I will pick up Bob to go to breakfast. We go every Saturday to Sirloin Stockade for breakfast.  Then we eat a very late light lunch. We eat such a large breakfast.

Missy is wanting to go outside but it's too early. It's not light out there and I never take her out in the dark. About 6:00, we will go out on the carport.

I slept well last night. I got up shortly after 4:30. I just couldn't get back to sleep after waking up to go to the bathroom. I've had a cup of coffee and fed Missy already. I've watched the weather channel until the "local weather on the 8's" came on. That's our local weather. It's going to be pretty hot today...in the high 90's.  Now I have the music going.

My son, Keith, called yesterday and visited with me awhile. He's such a neat guy! In fact, all my kids are. I am so lucky. I was a strict disciplinarian with a lot of structure in my life. And I injected a lot of structure into their lives. They had chores and they didn't go to bed until their rooms were neat. We did a lot of fun things like camping trips every other weekend and horseback riding every Saturday morning for years. We bought a season ticket to the swimming pool when we lived in Bartlesville and every afternoon, after they had their chores done, we went swimming and spent the afternoon at the pool. My kids, especially the boys, were excellent swimmers and divers. We never missed a Walt Disney movie either. In those days, we went to the movies a lot. Of course, in those days movies were a lot different. There was little sex and violence in them.  They were strictly entertaining and wholesome.  The world has changed a lot the past 40-50 years and, in my estimation, not for the better.

More later...

We had our breakfasts and we are both very full. I probably won't eat again today. I had taken Missy out for an hour, but as I suspected, an hour wasn't enough for her. She was unhappy about it. I took some of the pork Bar B Q over to Karan and while I was gone Bob came to do a small load of laundry. Karan wanted to tell me all about her camp experience.  I am so glad she went because she had a wonderful time.

When I got home Bob and I visited awhile and then he went home to take a nap and I took Missy outside again for awhile. She seemed content then.  I found the paper Ron and I wrote and presented for the John Whitmer Historical Association meeting. Bob had mislaid his copy and he wanted to show it to Diana.  I printed it off for Bob and then a copy for myself too.

More later...

My oldest great granddaughter, Sage, is the third from the left. She is 12 years old and will be 13 in September.  She is such a nice girl. Her mom has done a good job rearing her. This was taken at church camp on the last day there.



 More later....

Bob came over about five to watch the news and left about 6:40. He went home to re-install his own VCR. Tony had fixed it and Diana sent it with his birthday gift. Now he will probably give mine back to me.

I watched TV for awhile but then  took a shower and washed my hair. The heat had made it oily.

I will go to bed at 9:00.

Friday and Exercises Again

I slept well last night for a change and I didn't have much trouble getting the hearing aid in either...for a change.

I am ready for the exercise class but first I will have to take Missy outside after we have our breakfasts.

By the way, this photo is one my grandson posted on facebook. It is Ginger and Scott's new home...on the inside.



Looking pretty, isn't it?  I see it is very "open space" but beautiful.

More later...Missy is patiently waiting for her breakfast. ...

We've both had our breakfasts and are outside on the carport. It's nice out here at 68 degrees.  So far Missy has been behaving nicely. I hope she has learned where she needs to be.

I will pick up Bob for exercise class at 8:40. He has been driving and he needs to get gas today and  so it is my turn to drive.

More later....

We went to exercise class at 9:00 and afterward Marilyn met us at Utopia and we had cinnamon rolls and coffee.  She bought! Bless her heart! Then we went to see the house Howard and Judy bought.   We could just see the outside but it was lovely and the yard was beautiful! They should be very happy with it.

Then we came home and I fixed lunch. Bob went home afterward and I cleaned up. He went to buy his gasoline. Tomorrow we will invite Karan over for lunch to have some more of the Bar B Q pork that Marilyn R. gave Bob for his birthday.  It was very good! Bob is going to buy some chicken tenders for us to use this week too.

More later...

This is Scott's son, Jerod, and wife,  Ginger, while eating a gormet dinner she prepared.



I received my John Whitmer Journal in the mail yesterday and read most of the afternoon until Bob came by to read the paper and watch PBS's Brooks and Shields. he left at 7:00 and I took my bath and watched TV until 9:00 when I went to bed.

Thursday and a Trip to Joplin

I slept pretty well last night.  I woke up at 1:30 and lay there awhile and then decided I had better just take a melatonin tablet if I was going to get any more sleep. I got up and went to the bathroom and then took the tablet. I turned on the light and found that it was 4:00. What a shock! I had gone back to sleep and just wasn't aware of it. When I got up a little while later I felt a little groggy. No wonder!

Missy and I are outside and so far she is minding pretty well. Maybe she remembers having to go back inside five times two days ago. She is lying here on her white bath mat listening to the birds chirp.

We were supposed to have had rain last night but I don't see any signs that we got any. We are supposed to get some this afternoon but I am hoping we will be on our way back home from Joplin before it arrives. We will eat at Olive Garden at lunchtime there. Bob has gone to his Lions Club breakfast this morning so he may not be too hungry too early. I had a small bowl of cereal at 5:30 so I will be ready for lunch whenever we get it. 

I text him every morning to be sure he is alright. He has done well since his doctor put him back on the blood pressure pill that also regulates his heartbeat.

We both have a bag of clothing to take to the Presbyterian church this morning before we leave. I am not finished yet but it will take awhile to try things on to make sure they no longer fit.

More later....

Missy has become rebellious again.  She has tried to go around on the east side three times and the last time, I had to carry her back (hissing and spitting all the way) to her little white bath mat. She is lying here now but how long that will last no one knows...certainly not me.

So more later....

About 9:30 Bob came to pick me up for our trip. We also dropped off the clothing we had each sacked up to the Presbyterian Church sale. We got about half way to Joplin and ran into rain.  That was a mess. The closer we got to Joplin, the heavier it rained. In Joplin the outside lanes were flooded and we got an emergency warning on our cell phones that we were in a flood warning. We got to Bed Bath and Beyond and waited in the car for the rain to subside before going in the store. I found a tablecloth the size I needed and bought it. We then went to JC Penney's to look for the shower curtain Bob could not find at Bed Bath and Beyond. He found  one on sale the color he wanted. He is going to ask Marilyn if she will cut down the width and hem the sides for him. She sews beautifully.  It is 72 inches wide and it needs to be 52 inches wide.  Then we went to another couple of stores and just looked around.

After that, we went to Olive Garden for lunch.  Then we drove back to Coffeyville and before we got here the rain had stopped.

I read all the rest of the afternoon. The landlady came by before Bob came at 5:15 to read the paper and watch the news.   She wanted me to sign a lease. I declined. I told her I had no intentions of moving again unless I could no longer afford the rent. I told her Jeannie, Marilyn and I were grandfathered in and would not sign a lease. She was satisfied with that. Bob left about 7:00.  I took my bath and sat with Missy in the recliner until 9:00. Then I went to bed.   It was a big day but a good one. Tomorrow we will go to exercise class and then to Utopia for coffee afterward.

Wednesday and Exercise Class

I slept really well last night for a change. I got up shortly before 5:00 but had only been up once in the night and then went right back to sleep. And I had very little trouble getting the hearing aid in this morning.

I will go to exercise class today and then we will have the rest of that spaghetti we had on Monday for lunch. I have some more garlic toast too and green beans. Bob will bring a salad. I will take some of it to Marilyn R. since we have plenty. I need to get some more spaghetti sauce or at least some tomato sauce to thin it down again.

I need to do some cleaning in the afternoon. I will be gone tomorrow to Joplin again. Bob and I have decided to go tomorrow. We want to shop some or at least look around and walk the mall there. I could use some more t-shirts if I can find some on a good sale.

Missy is patiently waiting for her breakfast so I'd better get into the kitchen and get it....and my own.

More later...

We've been outside since shorty after 6:00 and (I hate to make this statement too early) it's 7:20 now and Missy has  been very good to stay right where I can see her. Amazing! But I never take anything about Missy for granted. Right now she's lying on the doormat being very good and up until now she has lain right here at my feet on her little white bathmat. She gone in several times for water and food but when she's come back out, she's behaved. So far...so good.

I've watered my plants and soon will water the tomato plant. In an hour I will leave for exercise class.

More even later...I need to walk down the block to the Dollar General store and get some tomato sauce to thin down the spaghetti for lunch.

More later....

Here's a photo my daughter posted on facebook. It is my almost 13 year old great granddaughter holding the baby that is Maia, my now six year old great granddaughter. As you can plainly see, it was taken awhile ago.





I understand Sage, the older one, is moving to Oregon soon. I will miss getting to see her at church camp each summer.  She is really a sweet little girl...soon to be teen.

I attended the Bingo game this afternoon at the senior center and won a couple of prizes. One was a oven mitt and the other was some peanut bars. In about an hour the paper will come and I will read it before Bob comes over at 5:30.  He usually stays until 7:00 and watches the news on my TV.

More later... 

Tuesday and a Hairdo

I will go to Independence this morning to get my hair done and Bob will go visit his sister there. This is Bob's birthday. He is 82 today. I have a card for him. I ordered an over-the-door shoe holder for him so he could get his shoes off the closet floor.

I had another restless night last night. I slept fine until 1:00 and got back to sleep until just before 4:00 but when I woke up then, This time I could not get back to sleep. I think what is troubling me is this hearing aid. I have a terrible time getting it in.  Stan showed me how he finally figured it out yesterday morning but I just couldn't get it in easily this morning. For one thing, I have some arthritis in my right hand and thumb and just don't have enough flexibility in it to do it easily. I tried it like he showed me but it still took me awhile to get it seated. My ear canal is a strange shape too and it's dry. I don't have much ear wax.

I will have to take it out for the hair wash this morning and will just wait until I get back home to put it back in. I don't want to leave it in the hot car so I will leave it home. I hate to pay all that money for something that is so difficult for me to seat. As it is, I will have to pay it out at $100. a month. I can't get into my emergency savings to pay it all at once. I still owe a little over a couple of thousand dollars on my car.  I'd like to just have one debt at a time. I think all this is troubling my sleep.

I'd better go get breakfast for Missy and me. More later...

We've both had our breakfast and are now out on the carport. It's 78 degrees out here but there is  light breeze. I've had to chase her down three times already. She is determined to explore and that may get her into trouble.  She is eating grass so I imagine she needs that. She's wandered off four times now and I have threatened to put her in the house if she doesn't mind me. Darn Cat!

It's a couple of hours until I go pick up Bob. So we may have a fight on our hands.

I descaled my Keurig yesterday afternoon and the coffee and the Chai tastes better. It has needed that for awhile but the descaling liquid cost $12.95 a bottle. That's a racket!  It takes an hour to do it too.  I also changed the filter in my Brita pitcher.  So it was a very expensive trip to the market.

I just put Missy back in the house. She has defied me five times and five times is my limit. She is scratching frantically on the glass to the storm door wanting back out. I'll let her suffer awhile before I give her another chance.

Well, I let Missy out again and after a ten minute break, she tried to sneak off again. She is back in the apartment again now. l am not going to tolerate her bad behavior. We'll see how long she can put up with being in...while I'm out.

O.K....she's scratching on the glass again. I'll wait awhile before giving her another try.

I gave her another chance but it didn't last long. I just put her back  in the apartment. She is just as determined as I am. It's only 7:25 and she could have been out almost another hour but she is determined to have her own way and I am not going to chase her all morning.

Darn Cat!

More later...

My hair appointment was unusual. The electricity was out in the block where the beauty shop was located. It was also pouring down rain. I was able to get my hair done though even though my appointment was originally at 9:00. It came back on at 9:45 and Cathy went ahead and did me.  Thank goodness! Then Bob and I went to Big Cheese and had one of their mini pizzas. Good...good...good!

Then I took him home.

More even later...I am going to clean the carpet in my car and then get the car washed.

I cleaned the carpet in the car again. I am trying to keep this car as nice as possible since it will be my last car. It's a 2008 Honda Civic. I also read in the afternoon.

Bob came back over at 5:20 or so to read the paper and watch the news. While he was here, Scott, Ginger and Jerod called and  visited with me on the phone. When they learned it was Bob's birthday, they asked to to turn on the speaker phone and they sang "Happy Birthday" to him. Marilyn R. also came over and brought him a birthday card and a gift of a frozen dinner of Bar B Q pork. We will have it on Friday.

At 7:00 he went home and I took my bath and watched TV until 9:00, when I went to bed.

Monday and A Rough Night

I had another rough night. I went to bed at 9:00..very tired. Then I woke up at 1:30 and could not get back to sleep. I got up at 2:30 and took a Melatonin tablet and got back to sleep until 5:45.  That always kind of wipes me out. One good thing this morning was I was able to get the hearing aid in without a lot of trouble...for the first time. It's usually like wrestling a bear.  I never dreamed it would be so much trouble just to get seated.

I should go see Stan again this morning to discover why it's so hard to get into the canal. I don't know what he can do about it though. He put a small head on it but my ear canal has some twists and turns evidently and getting it in is hard. My Bob used to just pop his right in. It was a Starkey though and the whole thing went in to the canal. This one sets behind my ear and just the little head goes in the canal. The aid sets behind my ear.

I'd like to go on to exercise class though. But I can't do both.

I also need to go to the market before lunch. I have quite a list again.  We are having spaghetti with meat sauce again and garlic bread and green beans. Bob will bring a salad. Karan gave us a couple of large garden tomatoes and a cucumber before she left for camp. He will use those. I have some fruit for dessert and the cookies I made on Saturday.

More later...

I saw Stan this morning right after 8:30.  He worked to try to show me how to get that hearing aid in. He pushes it toward my nose first and then up. My canal is a strange shape and small.  I will try it his way tomorrow morning.

After I left Stan's office, I went to Walmart to buy groceries.  I bought almost $50.00 worth with the Brita water filter and the Keurig descaler liquid. Just before lunch I began the descaling.  I hope it works. I finished it up after lunch.

And lunch was good. We had spaghetti and garlic bread and salad and green beans. Then we had fruit and cookies for dessert. Tomorrow we go to Independence to get my hair done and cut. Bob will visit his sister while I am doing that.  She is 92. I tell him he needs to visit her while she can.

He went home after lunch to take a nap. He was full.

More later...

My two youngest grandchildren...26 and 30.



Aren't they something?

Sunday at the Campgrounds

Bob and I and Sue and John are going over to our church's campgrounds for the services this morning. It's just south of Joplin, Missouri...about an hour and a half away from here. It's just a nice drive. We will stay after the service and eat lunch.

I slept pretty well last night. I got up about 4:45 and dressed and got my face made up and that dratted hearing aid in....finally... after ten minutes. I don't know why it's so hard to seat.  Stan says my ear canal is small and goes off in a strange direction. I dread taking it out for my hair appointment on Tuesday. I know it will be nearly impossible for me to get in without a mirror and may just wait until I get back home to re-insert it.

Missy is anxious to get outside this morning. But it's still dark out and we will not go out until daylight....in about ten minutes. In the meantime, I'll work on this blog.

Bob sent his VCR home with Diana and Tony last Memorial Day and really needs one. I have one that I couldn't hook up with the new TV. I dug it out after he left last night and will give it to him...along with all my VCR tapes. I won't need them and he may not have seen some of them.

Well, it's getting light now. I will get my Chia and take Missy out.

We've been out since 6:00 and it's 6:40 now. Missy is really happy to be out. She is truly an outside cat too but here at the apartment she simply cannot be outside without me.  This morning she is being really good....so far.  She is lying here on her small white bath mat.

I cleaned the laptop screen yesterday afternoon. Keith, my older son, the IT, told me to get a screen cleaner at Walmart for a little over $4.00. I bought some at Bartlesville yesterday and it worked beautifully. The screen and even the keyboard cleaned up nicely.

More later this afternoon after we get home.

We had a real good sermon and a good dinner as well.We saw a lot of people we knew and only see once a year. Then we had a good conversation on the way home and John had us stop at Braums for an ice cream cone when we got back.

Bob went home after loading my VCR in his car and was going to take a nap.

He'll be back this evening for 60 minutes.