Many Photos--Few Words

The high temperature today was:  28 degrees

Sunny all day

===============================

10:00 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament

Days Of Our Lives

2:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Pulse rate better

6:00 p.m.

9:00 p.m.

Girl cat once again will not eat supper with boy cat!

Dar did not come over today

11 hours of Big Ten Basketball

A GOOD DAY!!!

Panic Reigns Again

Today's high temperature was:  22 degrees

8 inches of snow

Sunny in the afternoon

-2 tonight

============================

I went to bed a bit late last night.  I knew there was a big snow coming and I decided to sleep in this morning.

8:00 a.m.--phone by my bed rings.

"Harow...mmph.  Hello?"

"OH MY GOD!!!  WE ARE HAVING A BLIZZARD.  THERE'S OVER A FOOT OF SNOW OUT THERE.  WHAT IS DAN'S NUMBER?"

"Just a minute.  I gotta get up and go find it.  (voice cracks.) "

"Were you still sleeping?"

"Yeah," I say as I trot to the study.  "I thought I gave you Dan's number."

"You did, but....I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE I PUT IT! JACKIE NEEDS IT TOO."

"Jackie has it.  I gave it to her."

"OH..she does?  I should have called her instead."

<sigh>

I peeked out the window, then opened my desk drawer, where I keep all my numbers, (on a sheet of paper stock in alphabetical order) and gave her Dan's number.

"Okay.  I'm calling him because....I HAVE TO BE AT WORK AT NOON!!"

I can see why this poor woman has high blood pressure and a rapid heart rate.  GEEZ!!

I went back into the bathroom, yawned, stretched, fed the cats, made my warm cocoa, grabbed my pill box and came back into the study.

Hm-mm

Not quite a foot of snow, but probably 8 inches

     yesterday

                                                     This morning

Dan showed up at Dar's house around 10:00.  The snow was blowing back into the drive as quickly as he shoveled it out.  Then, he went over to Jackie's and did her drive.  Then he came over here around noon and I told him to shovel out other people that were in a panic and come back and do mine later, after the snow quit.

He says to me, "You know that lady down there...Debbie?"

"You mean Darlene?"

"Yeah.  She's nuts!  She acts wired doesn't she?"

"A yup."

"She wants me to get out here the minute she calls and today...when I went up to get paid, she told me she didn't have any cash!"

"Oh.  Gosh.  Don't worry, I'll pay you and then I'll get the money back from Darlene.  Okay?"

Dan walked down the drive and got in his car.  I watched as Dar backed out of her drive and managed to get stuck--she cramped the wheel too much to the right and backed into a big drift on the side of her drive--just as Dan was driving by.  He jumped out, got her unstuck and all was quiet.

I left my gas stove burners to soak over night in a sealed plastic bag of Ammonia and I took them out and put them to soak in the kitchen sink with really hot water and Dawn.  It's weird that I did not ever know that Ammonia will practically dissolve all the grease on stuff.  WHAT A SMELL!!  They sure turned out nice and clean though.

Got some lunch and just as I sat down to eat, the phone rang and my friend from Saginaw called.  "How are you coping with the blizzard down your way?"

I told her we weren't having a blizzard, just a lot of snow and wind gusts--a white out at times, but--no big deal.

I managed to eat my lunch and started to watch my Soap and the phone rang again.  It was Pearl.

"I AM DAMN SICK OF THIS!!!  MERLE SAYS WE HAVE EIGHT INCHES OF SNOW OUT THERE.  WE WERE ONLY SUPPOSE TO HAVE SIX.  OH..you're watching your show aren't you?  Bye."

Dan showed up at 2:00 and cleaned everything up and then...the sun came out, nice and bright.  

Another crisis passed.  Panic averted.  Life goes on.

I have a confession to make.  I do not know how to unhook my VCR and still have the DVD and Cable box work.  I unplugged the VCR--who needs a VCR nowadays!  I took the cables off where it connected to the TV and the DVD and then, neither would work.  I was frustrated by then, so I hooked it back up.  I guess I am going to have to go searching for a TV guy to come out and do it for me.  That ticks me off!  I know how to unhook and hook up my computer, modem, router, but I am not that good with other electronic things, ...........and I don't feel like learning now.  So.................

Let's see what tomorrow brings--Eh?

No Comment

I live where the green star is placed.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Embarrassing news--but then, I report everything on this blog, don't I.

I spent most of Saturday morning on-line, signing up for Food Assistance and Health Assistance with DHS--Michigan Department of Human Services.  I am human.  I need services.

When I got home from the Chiropractor yesterday, there was a message on my phone--from DHS.  I called this morning and left a message for the Social Worker--telling her that I would be home all day so she could call back.

I'm scared of what she might say, but more than scared, I'm deeply embarrassed.  I am also proud and do not ever ask for help--no matter what.

My family history is one of helping others.  When I was a kid, we had hired men working on our farm for my Daddy.  They usually would arrive--walking up the drive with a "work for shelter and food?" request.  We had an old trailer parked out by the tool shed that they stayed in.  Sometimes these men would stay for a week, sometimes for a couple of months.  One guy that I really liked, Mike, stayed for two years.

We had a poor family the lived nearby and over the years, all six of the girls lived and worked for my grandmother.  My grandmother even gave the youngest girl her wedding and when Grandma died, there was a thousand dollar savings account left to the girl, whose parents had died by then.

My Mother donated many things to the church and school--always anonymously.  The tall pine trees all around our church, were donated by her when I was five.  When the church added on, she donated money.  No one knew until her funeral, when the minister told everyone about it.  Every Christmas, she'd ask her friend a first grade teacher, to pick a needy family and then Mother would sew red velvet dresses for the girls and red vests for the boys and make up a package of new underwear, sox, shoes, etc.  Then Mother would go to the school's Christmas program and smile as she saw the kids dressed in their finery.

I have, at times, helped others.  Given money, opened my home.  Had friends of my kids come and live with us for a time if they were having problems at home.

So, for me to ask for help is very embarrassing.  To ask for help from the Welfare people?  It just isn't right!!!

The case worker did call this afternoon with a few questions and then said, she was sending forms for me to fill out and sign, along with a list of proofs I need to mail back.  Things like how much rent I pay, gas, electric, insurance premiums, etc.
===========================
I am really sick of talking about my financial woes on here and I am going to try really hard not to speak of them ever again.  Yes--I have them.  Yes--I probably will for the rest of my life.  Yes--it's not all my fault.  A lot of it is however,  I have made mistakes.  I also got screwed out of my inheritance, but.................

that is all in the past and I don't want to talk about it and have it continually on my mind.

===============================

Dar called this morning with a bit of good news.  The owner of this park has hired a management company to take over.  When I moved in here, 11 years ago, there was a very strict set of rules.  As the years have past, the rules have become relaxed to the point of some lots looking like trash heaps.  Some lots still contain old mobile homes that are empty.  Those will be removed.  Only manufactured homes, with "real" peaked shingled roofs and vinyl siding will be allowed to move in.  Street lights will be fixed.  Lawn maintenance will be done by the home owners or the park will do it and charge the home owner.  No dogs over 25# allowed!!  No cats allowed to roam outside!!  So, those of us who have lived by the old rules, will be happy and those people who have not, will be mad.  I'm all for it!!!

Dar also asked if I would call the Meijer phone number on the bottom of my receipt and give them a compliment about her.  "They eat that stuff up!"

I told her, "I never call a company with a compliment UNLESS I have had extraordinary service.  Like a very helpful clerk or a great, exceptional waitress."

I think she was mad because he hung up the phone pretty soon after that.

<oh my>
=====================
Pearl walked down.  The park maintenance guy was working on the icy ruts and finally got the street cleared.  You have seen pictures of my street--it is the only one in the park that hasn't been cleared--until today.  I called the office and his cell phone and left a Thank You message.

So Pearl came in and sat on the couch and not too long and Buddy was on one side of her and Maggie on the other.  They love Pearl.  When Dar walks in, they run and hide.

We had a great chat for about an hour.  The little storage unit they got on Sunday, just isn't working out in her small bedroom.  She is bound and determined to get a twin bed put in there.  This little room is about 8 x 9.  She has a desk in there, a sewing machine cabinet and lots of stuff.  She is in the process of cleaning out the closet to put in shelves so she can put her "stuff" in the closet.

She said, "I have four plastic storage boxes.  One with fabric scraps, one with trimmings, one with yarn and one with thread.  I don't make any crafts anymore, except my painting.  I don't need any of those things, but for some reason...I just can't give them away. "

"But, you need the space.  You have to keep your painting supplies, your blank canvases and all that.  If you get rid of the stuff you don't  use, you will have room to put them in the closet and make space for a bed."

"I know, but...what if I decide to make one of those Aunt Jemima dolls?  I will need the fabric scraps and trimmings."

"Store them in your storage unit.  They will be okay in the plastic boxes and close if you need them."

"I never thought of that!"

"So--why do you want to buy a twin bed for that room?"

"Because, I want to sleep in there.  I will wait until after Merle goes to sleep and then when he starts snoring and having those nightmares of his, I will get up and go into MY room and sleep."

"That would work."

"I told Merle, because he doesn't want to spend the money on a bed.  I wanted a sleeper couch, but he nixed that quick."

"So what did he say to this idea?"

"He got mad and said, 'well, I guess the marriage is over!' "

<oh my>
====================

With our last two days of 45 and 50 degrees, I can now see my back porch and the street out in front.

I wonder what it will look like by tomorrow afternoon!  
I really don't care--I have no where to go and lots of time to go there  :-)

Monday, Monday--I Love Monday's

Today's high temperature was: 54 degrees

Sunny and bright all day

=====================================

I went to church yesterday.  The roof is still intact!  I haven't been since the second Sunday in December.  Of course I sat in the same pew I always sit in--it seems most people do that, don't they?  

The couple behind me said, "We've missed you.  Have you been in Florida?"

I replied, "Nope.  I've been in lazy mode."

It felt good to be in church--even though I was sleepy from the time change.  Singing the old hymns, the sermon was wonderful.  The minister is using Lent to give a series of sermons on Heaven--how Jesus promised it to us, how wonderful it is.  He said that this week, he wanted us to think about Heaven.

When I went through the hand shaking line I told him, "You will be surprised...as you grow older you will think of Heaven a lot...like every day. We wonder how soon we are going to be there...some days...we even wish we were there!"
================================
I did a Dar sort of thing yesterday.  When I got up, I noticed that Pearl's blinds weren't up yet.  When I went to church, I drove out the other way and not by their house.  When I got to church, they weren't there, so I brought a bulletin home for them.  I stopped at their house.  Both vehicles were in the drive...their storm door on the porch was open, but their inside door was locked.  I figured they had gone somewhere with their daughter.  So I stuck the church bulletin in the door and came on home.

Around 2:00, I called Pearl, but the phone went straight to voice mail so I knew she had her phone turned off.   At 4:00, I tried again...this time it rang a bit and then went to voice mail and I left her a message.

At 6:30 I had to run up to the gas station, when I came back, it was getting dark.  I noticed that someone had closed the outside door on the porch.  There were no lights on in the house--the TV wasn't on--it looked like no one was at home.  

SO--of course, I jumped to conclusions!!!

SO of course, worse case scenario came to my mind.  Merle had another heart episode.  Pearl had a stroke.  Pearl had fallen and broken her hip.  They wouldn't stay away all day unless something was terribly wrong.  I didn't call the local hospital to see if she had been admitted--but I thought of doing that.  

At 8:30, I called again.  Pearl answered the phone.

"What is going on?" I asked

"Oh.  Not much.  We are just sitting here watching TV."

"You're both all right then?"

"Well...let me check.  Merle?  You all right?  Yeah, we're both okay"

So I told her all what I had gone through and that I was scared something had happened.  

Well, she got to laughing and said, "You remind me of our neighbor."

Come to find out, she and Merle went to another church with their daughter, then out to lunch.  Then they all went shopping because Pearl wants a storage cabinet in her little bedroom.  When I came back, after dark, they were in that small bedroom putting the thing together and no lights on in the rest of the house.

I told her, "Well at least you know someone cares what happens to you..Sniff."
================================
Dar came over early this morning.  Oh, by the way, she cancelled the endoscope test she was going to have today, because, "I only had that acid reflux for one day, so I think I'm all right."

She had just returned from Art Van's where she purchased her third recliner.  She has had two in the last three weeks and returned them both.  She hopes this one is what she wants.

Apparently she is afraid she is going to be (unjustly) fired.

"I have several complaints against me, from other employees, who have told our manager."

"What kind of complaints."

"That I am bossy and hard to work with and make too many mistakes."

<hm-mm>

Apparently twice now, she has hit the wrong button on the computer thingie and it read that she gave two customers $150.00 each--cash.  She realized her mistake and the customer's didn't get the cash, but....her "drawer" showed up $150.00 short each time.  The other day, one of the other cashier's (Kila) came to her line and told Dar to take a break.  She asked why and the girl said, "Because Lloyd wants you too."  (Lloyd being the manager.)

Dar asked why and Kila said, "we've had two complaints from customers that you talk too much, too loud and you slam the groceries into the bags.  Lloyd wants you to go to his office."

Dar talked to him and explained that yes she had made mistakes, but they had been corrected and that the young employees were "out to get me because I am their grandma's age and they don't like me telling them what to do."
==========================

Then Dar went on to tell me that "someone" in the family now has her daughter-in-law mad at her.  Her DIL sent her a text saying, "You are not ever going to take my children away from me and we want no more contact with you."

I guess at a Christmas family thingie, Dar made mention that her son and DIL didn't take very good care of the children and, "If I had the room and was younger, I'd sue to get the kids."  A niece-in-law was at the gathering and happens to be best friends with the DIL and told her what Dar had said.

Then, the DIL found out someway that Dar had purchased a new bed for one of the bedrooms and the DIL thought she was preparing the house to take the kids.

I guess she and Dar talked it all out.  The DIL ended their phone conversation with, "I never knew how dysfunctional this family is."  Dar replied, "You never asked or I would have told you."

====================================
 She finally went home at noon, I jumped into the shower, then ate lunch, watched my soap and at 2:00 took off for my Chiropractic appointment.  Man--it was so hot in the car!!  I turned off the heater and opened the windows.  What a gorgeous day.

I am so much better that I can now go 3 weeks between appointments--sort of on a maintenance course now.  

I stopped at Meijer's on the way home.  Gas is $3.75 around here and they had it for $3.55 and I had less than a quarter tank, so I put my monthly allotment of $40.00 bucks in the tank.  Filled it up!!

Then I went to the store and got some food and cleaning products.  When I went to check out, I got in the lane with a really nice cashier.  Guess who?  Kila--Dar's nemesis.  LOL  She was very nice and put the food gently in the bags and even double bagged my Pepsi without me having to ask. 
=======================
When I got home, I left the front door open so the cats could look out the storm door and the sun could come in.  It was just so nice!  Everything dripping off the roofs.  The ice melting away.  I even poked around in the side garden looking for Crocus.

While I was eating supper and watching the news, the weather forecast was given.  4-6 inches of snow Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Oh March, ye are a fickle bitch month!!

Not Much Going On

Today's high temperature was: 46 degrees

Sunny all day

================================

I was out filling up bird feeders in my sweatshirt--it felt so warm.  A weird bunch of people we are.  If it was July and was 46 degrees, we'd be putting on our winter jackets and turning on the furnace.

===============

Dar called at about noon.

"There's a strange truck parked in Jackie's driveway.  I went over and knocked on the door, but no one answered.  I have her key, but I was afraid to go in--it might be something bad going on.  She won't be home until Tuesday."

Now--I knew whose truck it was.  I saw Merle yesterday with the hood of his truck up and he was working on it.  Then, this morning, I saw him go by up the street.

"There's a Christmas tree and a bunch of stuff in the back of the truck--I wondered if someone was taking Jackie's stuff."

I says to Dar, "Look out your window--over at Pearl's house."

"Yeah--what am I suppose to be looking at?"

"Is Merle's truck in their driveway?"

"No--just their car."

"Okay--it must be Merle parked over in Jackie's driveway.  Maybe they are expecting a delivery or guests for lunch."

"Oh.  Okay.  I gotta go to work. Bye."

So, I called Pearl and told her of the conversation.

"Oh Lordy!" says Pearl.  "That poor woman panics at the silliest things!"

"Next time, Merle better call Dar first and tell her he is moving his truck to Jackie's drive."

"No wonder she is a nervous wreck all the time.  She jumps to conclusions.  She takes one little thing and makes it into a mountain in fifteen minutes and then....goes off the deep end."

"Yeah, I know."

"She's lived here four years.  Her driveway is directly across from ours....and she doesn't recognize Merle's truck?"  

"I don't know.  I just thought I'd call and let you know.  If anything is missing from Jackie's house, when she gets home, Merle will be accused of stealing and will go to jail!!"

We had a good laugh and about 10 minutes later, I see Merle go over and drive his truck back home.  He had moved his truck so the nice warm sun we had today, could melt some of the ice off his driveway.  

==============================

I did nothing else for the rest of the day.  I tell you--I am becoming the laziest person in this park!!!!

We are expecting more snow.

Throw Back Thursday

Today's high temperature was:  35 degrees

Sunny and nice

==================================

As I mentioned on Face Book this morning,

it is difficult to find a picture of me 

when I was young.

Most of our pictures were painted on the

walls of the cave we lived in, along with hand prints

and pictures of beasts that roamed the plain below our dwelling.

This is one that was taken with a magical

machine that I was fascinated with.

Others said the machine would capture my soul,

but you know me--a risk taker.

Night Terrors-Nightmares--Night Phenomenon That Feel Real

Today's high temperature was:  20 degrees

Sunny all day

=====================================

I don't know what causes them.

I don't know why I can go months without them and then, have them night after night.

Monday, sometime during the night, I had a nightmare--I guess.  It all seemed very real.  My left eye hurt and I got up to go into the bathroom to look at it.  When I looked into the mirror, the left side of my face looked like a skull, but my left eye was in place and it was red.  Around it was blue and green and purple--jewel colors.  I woke up and my mouth was wide open like I was going to scream and I was sweating and trembling.

Last night, sometime during the night, I had a night terror--I guess.  I heard a loud noise and I knew the furnace had blown up.  I was trying to get out of bed, gather up the cats and run from the house, but I couldn't move.  I knew I had to move, but I couldn't.  I woke up yelling "Help", only it sounded drawn out like "Hhhhaaalllpp."  I was thrashing my legs which were tangled up in the sheets, the bedspread over my head.

I know that nightmares and even middle of the night panic attacks are caused by unresolved issues in life.  We either don't want to think about them or work them out during our awake hours, so when we go to sleep and get into the REM phase of sleep, our subconscious brings all these issues to the forefront of our brain and we try and work them out in our "un"subconscious state.  I know all that, when I was having middle of the night panic attacks--a psychologist explained it to me.

Of course, the questioner, the ponderer in me is trying to figure out what is going on that is causing these middle of the night things.  I got nothing!

I'm as bad, in the middle of the night, as Dar is in the daylight!! LOL

===========================

My big Buddy has taken to laying on the back of my chair.

He is so heavy that he almost tips us backwards.

He likes to paw at my hair and sniff my ears.

Then, when I get up and leave, he immediately jumps down 

on the seat and goes to sleep.

Isn't it amazing how fast cats can go to sleep? 

When I return to my chair, I say, "Off" and he hops down.

Good Boy!

Now this one, Maggie, owns the couch.

If I wanted her "Off", she wouldn't move.

If I reached down and tried to move her,

I'd probably lose a finger or pull back a

bloody hand.

She IS getting better, but still can use her

teeth and claws to show disapproval. 

If I am in the study in the evening, Buddy comes in and

sits here on the cart and stares at me.

He thinks it is time for his supper.

I have tried to explain to him that he gets his supper when the Cuckoo clock cuckoos nine times.  I always wait for the Cuckoo clock before I get up and say, "Ready for some food?"  and they both run into the kitchen and stand by the refrigerator for their tablespoon of wet food.

You would think he'd know by now how to count cuckoos, but he doesn't.

All he knows is, it is dark outside, he is hungry, therefore, it must be supper time.

....and, like a lot of us, if we think it is true, then to us it IS true.