Saturday and The Peace Awards

It's been a huge day!  We had the celebration of twenty five years since the Temple was dedicated.  Then we came back and ate a sandwich and chips and peach tea. Then after we ate, we went back to the Temple for the rest of the celebration.  The place was packed. We heard the stories of everyone who had been a part of the building of the Temple. Then at one point, they asked us to share our stories with the one sitting next to us. Gerald was his name. He asked me my name and where I was from. I told him my name and that I lived in Caney, Kansas. He said he had once lived in Coffeyville and his father was the pastor of the church there. I asked him who his father was and he told me it was Louis Hancock. I was amazed. Louis Hancock was the pastor when I joined the church at 13. He baptized me and several other teens. He was the one who turned the church toward eleventh street instead of Washita and added a foyer and redecorated the building.  Gerald is 79 to my 83 so he was a child at the time. His mother's name was Helena and Louis and she were also our Zion's League leaders. We were both amazed at the coincidence.

Later, after the service was over, Leslie and I went to a Sonic and had a milk shake.

Then we went back to the auditorium for the service for the recipients of the peace awards. We got back to the RV in time to take our showers and get ready for bed. We were both very tired.

Friday and All Packed and Ready to Go

I did not sleep well last night even though I took three melatonin tablets. I slept until about 2:30AM and then just lay there until 4:00AM when I just got up. I needed to finish my last minute packing anyhow. That is done now and the car is packed. I still need to stop by the post office before I leave town so it will be a little after 8:00AM when I get to John and Leslie's home. The post office doesn't open until 8:00AM. Unfortunately, we are under a fog advisory too this morning. That timing is bad.

I am taking the laptop computer and hope to be able to log on with the church's Wifi. I want to keep track of my bills. I have the utilities all scheduled but haven't yet heard from Cox about my TV and internet. I did get my Chase Amazon bill paid too. And I am to get my social security on Wednesday.

While I am gone, John is going to program an extra garage door remote that they have to match mine. That way they can get into my apartment in case they need to do that. That's a good idea. I never lock the kitchen/ garage door so they can get in that way just in case the key the hardware store made for the dead bolt in the front door doesn't work. Someone needs to be able to get in in case of an emergency.

I have read books ever since I moved into this apartment this winter and I hope I have not been sitting around so much that I can't walk any distance. When the weather clears, I intend to walk to the library which is just four blocks away. And, of course, I will have my new flower bed to plant and care for too and the mowing. That should give me some much needed exercise.

More later...if I have time. I hope to be able to post here from Independence, Missouri, using the laptop computer..

I went out to John and Leslie's shortly after 8:30AM and John loaded my luggage and groceries into Leslie's vehicle. Then we took off for Independence, Missouri. John drove his truck and pulled the RV and Leslie and I went in her SUV.  It took us several hours to get there and get set up.

Then John left and went back home. He texted Leslie when he got there.

We visited Jody and Woody for awhile and when they left we took our showers and went to bed.

Thursday and Packing for Conference

I slept well last night. I took three melatonin when I went to bed and when I woke up in the night to go to the bathroom, I took two more. I slept until 6:00AM, later then usual. I had my breakfast and dressed for the day and started my packing.  Suzanne told me she takes five every night.  So I ended up taking five myself. But I slept well. I read another article in Web MD at the beauty shop which told me the same thing I had read in Consumer's report. That's that the TV, computer, and smart phone and these new light bulbs all emit a blue light which destroys the melatonin in our bodies and keeps us from sleeping well.

I am definitely taking my melatonin with me to conference with my meds I want to be able to sleep.

Nancy came by this morning after I got most of my packing done and asked me to go to lunch with her. We went out to Eggberts.  Afterward we went to the library and I returned my books. Then we rode around the town and looked at the houses that needed to be razed. We also stopped and visited briefly with Sandy, Dick's widow.

Then she brought me home. I will vacuum and then finish packing.

I had hoped to get my yard mowed before I left but it rained last night so that isn't going to happen.

I do need to vacuum though so I will get back to this later...

I got the apartment vacuumed and everything done except notifying the post office to hold my mail until a week from Saturday. By the time I remembered to notify them, they had just closed.  I will run by there in the morning before I drive up to John and Leslie's. I went by the Dollar General store and got some Mira Lax to take with me.

I watched Dateline until bedtime and then took my bath and went on to bed at 9:00PM.  I was very tired.

Wednesday and Bunco

I slept well again last night. I had the heat up to 73 degrees and that helped...besides taking three melatonin tablets...that helps too. It replaces the melatonin that is destroyed by the blue light emitted by the TV, the new light bulbs, the smart phone and the computers. Suzanne told me she takes five 10 mg of melatonin every night. I don't want to take five but three certainly helps me sleep the natural way.

I got up around 5:00AM, dressed and had my oatmeal for breakfast and one cup of coffee. I am having my Chai Latte now. Cleaning the Keurig out yesterday certainly seemed to help. Scott called about 6:00AM and talked to me while he was ordering his breakfast out at a drive through. Ginger is at MIT on assignment. He certainly seems happy. They are building a 4500 square foot home on five acres. He will need a very large zero turning radius mower to keep all that mowed.  She will need a cleaning lady...that's for sure.

Karan called last night just as I was sitting down to read my book. She needed me to take her Palm Sunday sermon. She will be out of town with her daughter, Sheri, and Gretchen.  So instead of reading, I worked up my sermon for Palm Sunday. I wanted to get that and the bulletin finished before Leslie and I leave Friday morning for our trip to Independence, Missouri for a week. John will take the RV up there for us but he won't stay. He has seven new puppies to look after plus what is left of his business to take care of. He delivers liquid feed to supplement the diets of cattle. It is usually a winter thing but some farmers like to continue it through the spring and summer too.

I  may bake cookies this morning. I will need something to take to Bunco this afternoon. First I want to go to the Lenten Luncheon at the First Baptist Church at noon. Then I will go to Bunco at the senior center there at 1:00PM. After today, I will be going over first thing in the morning on Wednesdays at 10:00AM to get my hair done, then I will run my errands and also go to the bank, and after I have lunch out, I will go to the senior center or Asbury Village for game day.

Tomorrow, as usual, I will clean the apartment and do my laundry and then pack for our trip. I am excited about going up there and spending the week with Leslie at conference.

More later....

I intend to go to Bunco after the Lenten Luncheon and just finished baking peanut butter cookies for Bunco. I texted Karan and she hopes to make it to the Lenten Luncheon but she has a mammography appointment at 11:00 and hopes she can make it to the luncheon but definitely plans to be at Bunco.

I have done my dishes and put most of them away already too. I put a dozen in a container to take to Bunco. I have to admit I ate a cookie while they were still warm. I will take whatever are still in my cookie jar with us to the conference on Friday.  CBS news is on now so I will go watch it.

More later..

I read for awhile while I was waiting for time to leave for Coffeyville. I got there in time for the Lenten Luncheon and sat with some folks I had known for years. After lunch and the sermonette, I headed for the senior center and the Bunco game. There were seven of us there. We played from 1:00PM until 4:00PM and had our treats. I gave the rest of the cookies I had taken as treats to my former neighbor, Marilyn. She loves peanut butter cookies.  Then I drove home.

After I got home I got the mail and did the crossword puzzle and then took the papers over to Alice. Then I got my book and read until after 5:00PM. After the CBS news comes on at 5:30PM, I will go watch it. I am really not interested in the Tulsa news.

At 7:00PM, I will take my bath and put my PJs on and go back to the book until 9:00PM or so when I will go on to bed.

I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow.

Tuesday and a Hair Appointment

I slept pretty well last night. Especially after I got up and put another blanket on my bed. For awhile I just  couldn't seem to get warm. I got up a little after 5:00AM and got dressed and ready for the day. I had my oatmeal and coffee. I tried to clean my Keurig this morning but couldn't get it to come apart. The last time I had to clean it, Karan helped me so I am taking it to Coffeyville with me and after I get my hair done I am going to run by Karan's and see if she can help me again. The last time, it came apart just fine but this time I have tugged and tugged on it but it won't come apart. Very frustrating. I had stuck the stickers that came on my cup on it when I went to Utopia for a Capachino and when I tried to get them off when I moved, they left a sticky residue. I tried to get that off with nail polish remover but that just made it worse. Maybe Karan can figure out how to get it to come apart. I sure can't.

My hair appointment is at 9:00AM, I think. After this Tuesday, I will get my hair done on Wednesday and that will save me an extra  trip to Coffeyville when I want to stay for game day.

I want to run out to Walmart after I get my hair done.  I want to get a few things there. I also want to run by the bank and get money for the week I am gone to Conference next week.

I don't have another plan for today. It's probably going to be too cold to mow when I get back from Coffeyville. Maybe if it warms up a bit I can get the front and the back done.  I never did get the side done. It has rained off and on since I mowed the front and back after John brought me the mower.

More later....

I dropped by Karan's after I went to the bank and to my hair appointment.  I asked her to help me get that Keurig apart so I could clean it. We had a time figuring it out. Since I use it for Chai Latte as well as coffee, it occasionally plugs up. I have had it apart before but this time it was stubborn. It took both of us to figure it out.

I got back after going to Walmart and getting a few things. When I got home the large biscuits had broken open and I went ahead and baked them. There really wasn't much else I could do about  it. I will toast them in my skillet and add oleo and jelly as I eat them.

I put everything else away.

Leslie came by after lunch to check on me and to talk about what we will  eat at Conference.  We intend to take soup and crackers and oatmeal and some sandwich stuff and eat out less often then we usually do.

She stayed quite awhile and tried to help me download the app for World Conference.  They needed a number they were going to send me by e-mail but it's been an hour and I still don't have it. I may have to wait until we get there to get that number. They must be terribly busy the week before Conference starts. She left about 2:45PM to go wash her car. I will see her on Friday at 8:00AM. We want to leave at  9:00AM. John will use his truck to haul the RV up there and get it set up. We will be staying in it.

Well, back to this later...  

I had called Nancy this morning after I got home from Coffeyville but she was not home. After Leslie left, I called her again. It's unusual for Nancy not to be home.   So later, about 4:00PM, I dropped by and rang the doorbell. Still she wasn't home. That was extremely unusual but I thought she might be over to Sandy's. But I drove by Sandy's and she wasn't there either. I asked Sandy if she had a key and she didn't but she said Dale did. So when I got home and still couldn't raise her, I called Dale. He said he had been mowing all day. But he also had a key and he said he would run into town and check her out and call me back. He did. He found her with Sara at the Eggberts and they were having supper. I was so relieved. She's like me...she forgets a lot of stuff. But she was enjoying getting out of the house and I was so glad she was o.k. She is 84 and if she fell down the stairs and no one checked on her she could just lay there like my grandmother did.

It is 6:15PM now and I will take my bath at 7:00PM and read awhile before going to bed at 9:00PM. I want to finish this second book before I leave for Conference on Friday. I will go back to Coffeyville tomorrow for the Lenten Luncheon and game day at the senior center.

Monday and An Eye Appointment

This morning at 8:30AM, I have an appointment with Dr. Burch downtown. Then this afternoon at 1:30, Suzanne wants to take Alice and me to Eggberts for coffee and pie. We will also pay her our rent.

It's cold again today It's 7:20AM and 31 degrees outside. And it's April 1st. Unbelievable! I am ready for spring..real spring.

I slept pretty well last night. I went to bed shortly before 9:00PM and got up about 4:45AM this morning.  I had enough sleep.

I would like to have mowed the front of my yard today but it's too cold out.

I have dressed and had my oatmeal and coffee. I have even watched the news....not that there's much news except the same old, same old. Maybe I will have more to write about later today. Tomorrow is my grandson's 40th birthday. I have sent him a card. I usually give him a gift of a gift certificate to El Pueblito but I have not been out there to get one lately.

I am still waiting for the rest of the utility bills for March. I have the water and sewer but so far no Atmos Energy (gas) or Westar Electric. I guess later I will call them. They are supposed to send them by e-mail and I am to pay them online.

More later...

By the way, these are the seven Cowboy Corgi puppies John's Blue Heeler, Octavia, ended up with by morning.



At 8:20AM I went to my eye appointment. Roger will be retiring in a couple of months and he is still hoping someone will buy his practice otherwise, he is going to have to store 6,000 case records for five years.

He also wants to get me a trial of a contact he thinks will improve my vision a little more. He will call me when it comes in.

I came back home afterward and read awhile. Suzanne came about 1:15 and picked up Alice and me to go to the Copan restaurant to coffee and pie.  It was excellent pie, by the way.  She broke the news to Alice and me that she and Steve are going to sell the duplex. Their property taxes are going up a lot and they simply can't afford to keep the duplexes. Also, Alice has bought a house in Edna near her family and will be moving there. What a shock all that is.

I called Nancy when we got back home and she was intending to call David, her son. He was not going to contact her again after she declined to move into assisted living.  I haven't talked to her since we talked this afternoon.  I read all afternoon and finished one of the books. I hope to finish the second one before Leslie and I leave for World Conference on Friday.

It's 8:30PM now and I have had my bath and am now in my PJs. I will watch some TV for awhile before I go to bed.

Sunday and Church

Well, I didn't sleep as well last night. I may catch a nap this afternoon. I got up at 4:00AM. I just couldn't get back to sleep.

I think John ended up with six Cowboy Corgis last evening. Octavia just took awhile to get it done.

I have the coffeecake in the oven now. After it bakes and cools, I will ice it.

I have decided that I will try to mow on Mondays and Tuesdays after the grass is dry. I will try to mow the front in the mornings on Mondays and the back in the afternoon. Then the west side I will try to get done on Tuesdays. I plan to go to Coffeyville on Wednesdays to meet Bob for breakfast, get my hair done and eat lunch and then go to game day at the senior center.  This week we still have a Lenten Luncheon at the First Baptist Church. This week, on Friday, we leave for World Conference in Independence, Missouri. I will clean, as usual on Thursday and also pack for the week of conference.  On April 17th, after conference, Dean comes. He will stay three days and spend two nights here. I will give him my bed and sleep on the trundle in the den like I always do when I have company.

I got the cake for this Tuesday baked and iced yesterday. I will take it to church this morning and put it in the freezer there. Then Bob can pick it up on his way to deliver cakes to Independence, Kansas, on Tuesday this week.

I will get my hair done regularly on Wednesdays now. I would like to get a manicure before conference but don't know if I can work that in or not. I am finally beginning to get fingernails again. I had stopped taking my Biotin and I could really tell it in my fingernails and also my hair.

Coffeecake is out of the oven now and cooling.  I will ice it as soon as it's cool.

More later....

I got the coffee cake iced and will load everything in the car after awhile. I will leave for church about 8:30AM. I will have to put the cake in the freezer, get out the paper plates and plastic forks and cut it and perhaps start the coffee. I will tape the sign about next Sunday services being dismissed on the front door window and take a copy of the second quarter schedule for Phyllis. By then, Bob should be there.

I don't know where we will eat today. Perhaps it will be Great China or Just Us.  We will see. When I get home I will need to get the newsletters out. So far this computer has stayed up all night but no telling about the rest of the day. I had to reboot it yesterday.

More even later this afternoon.

John said Octavia ended up with 7 puppies. He showed us photos of them. They are so cute!

The church service was good. Leslie did a good job. After church Phyllis and I went to Just Us for lunch.  We met Rick and Carmen there and sat together.  Rick ended up buying Phyllis and my lunch. That was good of him. I really like those kids. They are younger then any of mine.

After I took Phyllis back to the church to get her car, I went on home and did the newsletters. Afterward, I went over to Nancy's and took her some coffeecake.  I also gave some to Alice, my next door neighbor.

Then I read most of the afternoon. The grass was too wet to mow. Later I watched 60 Minutes and recorded a couple of shows to watch tomorrow. About 7:00PM, I took my bath and read until 9:00PM when I went on to bed.